I found this audiobook absolutely fascinating and have learnt so much.. The format is very much like a podcast, with guests and conversations as well as information presented by the authors. Their presenation skills are excellent and even make statistics sound interesting. I just wish I could remember all the information I've heard.

The authors are incredibly honest about their own unconscious bias and how they have changed their opinions over the years. It allowed me to really look at myself and the media I have consumed. It shows you how to be aware of the messaging and imagery your consuming on a daily basis. It deals with really complex issues of race, sexuality, body image and so much more. A really important audiobook that I can not recommend enough.

This book is the most important book I, or anyone will consume this year.
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In this book, Caryn and Keon take us on a journey through time. We learn how pop culture and the media has absolutely influenced our view of the world and unconscious bias. How much loved Disney films or TV series such as Friends has perhaps played a part in how we perceive marginalised groups and set out bar for what's an acceptable way to treat people.
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None of this book is saying 'don't have Friends on constantly if you enjoy it'. But it is highlighting the problems with it.
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Caryn (who you may know from the Clothes Show) talks at length how the fashion world has conditioned women to be a certain way, and Keon, a social psychologist of Jamaican heritage candidly share their own experiences and biases whilst interviewing a range of subject matter experts.
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It's a hefty listen at 19 hours but every minute was a minute well invested. It listens like bingeing a podcast and by the end, I felt sad to be leaving Caryn and Keon behind.
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My only wish is that this was a book that I could highlight and tab the life out of (GASP!!!)
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Whilst I will always bang the Disability inclusion drum the hardest, I'm passionate about inclusion from all angles and minority groups. There's a space for everybody, as is shown throughout this book.

This is, without doubt, one of the best non fiction titles I’ve ever listened to. It’s a belter of a book which challenges just about everything we think and do and it should be required study on every curriculum. It’s a wake up call, provocative, challenging and incredibly relevant.

As a teenager in the 1960’s, I read Vance Packard’s Hidden Persuaders. It was a detailed work which exposed advertising and how consumers are controlled by marketing. Everything from built in obsolescence to large plastic pots of facial cream which, when cut in half, were hollow and the actual cream content minimal. It made me aware throughout my adult life, that we are manipulated constantly and it remains one of the most influential books I’ve read. Until now…Skewed takes inherent bias and control to a new level. I was in two minds about selecting the book as it sounded a little heavy but I’m so pleased I’ve listened to it and I shall be recommending wholeheartedly to anyone who will listen.

The authors narrate and it’s rather like listening to an audio documentary. They both have excellent narration skills and there are numerous interviews, The research appears meticulous and it’s presented in a way that makes a complex subject easy to understand. We are groomed constantly by bias and an agenda over which we have little control. Body image is presented in a way that demands an individual to conform or be odd. Gender and sexual stereotypes are fixed from before a child is born and media control is insidious and very effective. Things will only change through awareness and understanding and this brilliant work sets out all the areas in day to day life where we are unwittingly controlled to respond in a particular way. I’ve found it illuminating and a real talking point. If you read one non fiction title a year, let it be this one. It could just change you forever.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Super diverse interesting audiobook, almost in the form of lots of podcasts/interviews with guests. This book covers so many topics of diversity and used interesting psychological studies to provide further understanding and make more relatable. This is an important book for all.

This was such an interesting and enjoyable audio format! We’re talking biases and I was initially drawn to this book to see what it could add to the conversation of biases either in the media or personally. As a psychology student I read plenty about bias and the effects it has on the individual and society and I find it fascinating.

This book did not disappoint. It was almost like listening to podcast. Well, a season of a podcast really which each chapter being it’s own episode. It’s was interesting and enlightening with conversation and remained respectful throughout.

I’m definitely impressed. I’m incredibly thankful to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this.

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I loved this book because it used and cited credible academic sources and explained why it did that. It highlighted that the authors were discussing facts and not just personal and unsubstantiated observations.
I also loved the juxtaposition of the white point of view and black point of view and the thoughtful reflection done by both authors. It made it seem like I was chatting with two friends about the topic of bias.
I really liked the back and forth between useful stats and anecdotes.
I thought the writing was very accessible for people who may not be well versed on the topic.
My only negative feedback concerns the guests. Although, I really enjoyed the guests and think they added important perspectives, at times I felt like I was listening to a podcast rather than an audio book because of the constant fillers like "umm".
I would definitely recommend to friends, colleagues, and students.

'Skewed' is a thoroughly interesting listen which plays with the traditional audiobook format. W. F. Howes has produced something more akin to a podcast, with some back and forth between presenters (Caryn Franklin and Professor Keon West) in addition to a wide range of interviews covering various topics. I found it extremely thought-provoking and imagine I will revisit sections again in future. Well worth a listen!

A fabulous look at biases and how they influence us and create the unwritten rules of society. Authors' raw conversation takes the reader on a journey that allows self reflection of the influence of Disney to fashion and even wrinkles. Through the lense of bias, bigger topics are tackled including agism, racism, sexism, patriarchy, and rape myth.
Strong addition for school libraries 10+ and any secondary and higher ed curriculum exploring media bias.
#Skewedrethinkeverything by @Caryn_Franklin @ProfKeonWest
#NetGalley

A brilliant book fully extensive on the way media skews perceptions and perpetuates bias. As a media and film teacher, I have read a lot of work in this area, but it was great to have an updated version exploring contemporary case studies or discussions, or recent media issues. Coming off the back of reading Edward Enninful's autobiography, I loved the connection that Caryn Franklin had, and made the book even more worthy of listening to. Feels like an extended podcast and you can come in and out of different chapters.

With a variety of subjects and sources, the authors explore how information saturation affects us in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

Discusses how bias sets in based on what we are exposed to. It’s an incredible listen(audio book) and really opens your eyes to subtle but HUGE influences all around us. From Disney to cheese adverts to the obvious media. I massively enjoyed it and recommend it to everyone.
It’s quite a lengthy read at times is quite detailed and I think some chapters could have been less heavy but ultimately loved it.

Thanks to Net Galley for this audiobook. This book, while not perfect, as admitted but the writers, still earns five stars from me because it begins the conversation that we all need to have. The audio version, which has cut away interviews with experts and follow-up conversations with the writers makes this essentially an audio-documentary more than a book. I could easily design a whole class around this book.

This is a very different (audio)book and it really maximizes the potential of the audio format. The subject is how bias sets in, based on what we are exposed to, and the content is backed by a lot of research and expert interviews.

The authors start with the below quote by Daniel Kahneman, which is in many ways central to what the book covers:
“A reliable way to make people believe in falsehoods is frequent repetition, because familiarity is not easily distinguished from truth. Authoritarian institutions and marketers have always known this fact.”

The second important aspect is that we are influenced by what we see and internalise certain norms – and this happens even when the viewing period is as short as <10 mins. The messaging need not be explicit and frequently is not. There are chapters devoted to views we acquire on - race, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, looks, height, gender, dress and age, among other things. There is increased proliferation of inputs via – news, movies, billboards & social media. These impact social and professional workplace behaviours. We tend to group traits as mainstream under one bucket and view others as exceptions (eg: in the west, being white is mainstream). Advertisers have always known the power of the mediums they use. The subtle messages chip away at the sense of self-love and assurance of certain groups of people.

While some of the biases have acquired some focus in recent time, many have not (eg: ageism). The exposure is relentless through the day and countering this requires constant introspection & effort. The last section brings the various biases together in the complex ways we are exposed to them. On a positive note, the authors state that research shows that biases can be countered/de-activated (by being curious and using a magnifying glass on our ingrained views). Mindfulness literature, of course, covers methods in detail. Each of us need a personal media code with the recognition that humans are fallible and highly malleable. After all, bias simply makes us compliant to others’ views. Others, including advertisers, have no responsibility to educate us.

The coverage is very detailed, and the audiobook is ~19.5 hours. The treatment is very sophisticated – it is less about obvious and blatant bias most people abhor, but rather views we acquire over time based on what we are exposed to. The overall context was very familiar to me, having read other behavioural/neuroscience/mindfulness books, but this book offers a fresh and comprehensive look at biases.

A book I recommend to all – but you need to be willing to listen to a lot of detail. I do feel many sections could have been a lot crisper. The audio narration was good; but could have been a little better.

My rating: 4.25 / 5.

***Audio ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.co.uk in return for an honest review **

Whilst I've given this book 5 stars I wish I could award it more. I absolutely loved it and have already been recommending away to anyone who'll listen!

The book tackles the media bias that we're all consciously or unconsciously being slowly warped by. I read a lot around misogyny and rape culture and the damage this does to women but I was really interested in the chapter regarding the portrayal of masculinity in the media as this is something I'm not as familiar with and is so damaging in different ways.

I love this book as I think that by becoming aware of how we are encouraged to look at any group in the 'other' category such as non-white, non-straight, non-young is the first step to start questioning the validity of these tropes. Then maybe we can look to form opinions based on fact rather than stereotypes.

I think the audiobook format is particularly suited to this book as there are interviews with different people however, I am super disappointed that this isn't listed as a book on goodreads. It is a shame as that is where I go or on Story Graph to record what I'm reading but also to publish the reviews. I would really like a platform to shout from the rooftops that this is a definite must read.