Genocide Bad: Notes on Palestine, Jewish History, and Collective Liberation

by Sim Kern

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Part activist memoir, part crash course in Jewish and Palestinian history, Genocide Bad dismantles Zionist propaganda and maps a course towards collective liberation in ten unapologetic essays.

Drawing connections between Biblical promises and exploding pagers, medieval dress codes and modern-day apartheid, Kern sketches a sweeping history of imperialism with their characteristic blend of far-ranging research, pop-culture insights, and scathing humor.

Kern, a former teacher, journalist, novelist, and book influencer, gained international recognition as an anti-Zionist Jewish activist in the days after October 7th, 2023. At a time when social media was flooded with “I Stand with Israel” posts, Kern started sharing content encouraging their followers to read Palestinian books, learn Palestinian history, and question Western reporting on Palestine—videos which went viral into tens of millions of views.

Despite facing hate messages, death threats, and exile from the Zionist Jewish community, Kern has remained steadfast in their advocacy over the past year. They’ve posted daily videos on Palestinian, Jewish, and colonial history, and they’ve raised over $500,000 in direct aid for families in Gaza—all while navigating the challenges of pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting a newborn. In Genocide Bad, Kern reflects on the life experiences that led them to anti-Zionist activism, while capturing and expanding upon their online educational content.

Kern doesn’t flinch when confronting the horrors of genocides past and present, but there is also tremendous hope contained in this audiobook—hope that springs from examples of courage and resilience in the face of extreme violence, and from the kinds of resistance that might just lead to our collective liberation.

This audiobook is expressively read by the author, with audio engineering by Transient Audio. It was produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Politics, Audiobook, Middle East, Social Justice, Activism

Audible Audio

Published July 28, 2025

Reviews

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a surprisingly chill vibe to it, reading it felt like sitting with a friend and having them break things down for you with a focus on how to not let yourself get bogged down by bad faith actors.

If you've been online in activist or leftist spaces in the last few years, I can almost guarantee you've either gotten into a fruitless argument with someone who may or may not have been a bot or you've felt like screaming at people to stop wasting time doing it, or maybe you've done both. Kern does a good job of explaining when it's time to pull the plug or to just not engage, not every debate bro needs to be debated.

Kern also does a great job of quickly breaking down and debunking talking points and of putting them in their larger historical context when relevant. They're really good at confronting their own BS in a way that makes it clear that it's okay to grow and to learn better, nobody knows everything, so the text is really approachable.

It's in a similar vein as One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad in the sense that yes there is a memoir aspect to this book but to call it a memoir would feel disingenuous.

Lastly, I've seen a lot of grifting accusations levied at Kern for writing this book. It's something they were asked to do by Hannah Moushabeck of Interlink Books, a Palestinian owned publishing house, and they have consulted with other Palestinians in the writing process so as to avoid speaking over Palestinian voices, I don't feel like this is grifting I feel like this is Kern using their voice and platform in a way they were asked to support the movement in a way that few others could.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredible and it somehow manages to balance this necessary message with humour, heartbreaking reality, and optimism.

[RB · Rating 5 out of 5]

April 22nd, 2025: “Genocide Bad” arrived in my mailbox (in the Netherlands!) today, and I’m already enthralled—after just the Foreword. Sim’s writing is refreshingly candid, rich in research, and mercifully free of pretension. It’s a clear-eyed, unapologetic voice that immediately resonates. I can’t wait to delve into the rest.

Updated review, August 17, 2025:
I originally received the paperback version of Genocide Bad in April 22nd, 2025. I immediately read the foreword, in spite of having other longer ongoing reads I intended to finish first. The foreword had me enthralled. Sim’s writing is refreshingly candid, rich in research, and mercifully free of pretension. It’s a clear-eyed, unapologetic voice that immediately resonated with me. I put it aside and decided wait with the rest of the book for the summer, once I had finished the other books. I was barely able to wait until I could to delve into the rest of it. Then lo and behold! Just when I was about to pick up the book again I saw that the audiobook was finally released and narrated by Sim Kern themself! What a treat! The rest of the book absolutely delivered and I cannot recommend it enough. I’m afraid that the ones who need to read it the most will probably be the last ones to read it.

[Karen Kohoutek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could give this more than five stars.

[Sarah Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very accessible read for people who are looking for a well-researched account of what is happening in Palestine now, and the historical context thats led to what is happening today.

[VinciCato · Rating 5 out of 5]

So accessible and informative. Read it so fast. More fiction writers need to write non fiction books about important topics like this!

[Cal Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an accessible read that breaks down a ton of Ideas. Don't sit on this one—it's a must read. For instance, I wouldn’t normally be interested in Jewish history but now I am! Sim also has some great book recs included as well. I appreciated them sharing their own experiences too. Despite the title, sim also is very funny like The Daily Show/ Last Week Tonight type humor. Highly recommend!

[Vic1245 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written. Very empathetic, loving and informative. So glad to be a part of your social media mishpocha and glad to have read this book. May it be a light of love and hope for all.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be required reading. It very eloquently puts historical fact, folk lore and religious mythology, and personal experiences all into a neat package clearly explaining whats going on in the world and why we need to open our eyes to it.

[Sameeha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today (10/7/25) marks 2 years since this ongoing genocide started. This is an important book that I'll be returning to again and again, for it doesn't just teach us about the ongoing conflict in Palestine, and its origins, but is a general treatise in critical thinking and empire states. It urges the reader to question everything, and argues that "every accusation (by an oppressor) is a confession". It is a call to action. It is a thesis on what the world is and what it should be. 100% required reading!

[Hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good at serving the author’s purpose - providing counterarguments to typical zionist points. however, i find the class analysis and theory of change aspects to be underdeveloped(noting that i am approaching this with a ML lens and the author is an anarchist). most notably on the chapter of armed resistance - while i will give leniency because armed resistance is a difficult subject to broach in published literature. it is true to some extent that armed resistance follows the failure of peaceful resistance, but it is more that armed resistance responds to violent occupation. a mere acceptance of armed resistance nor a neutral standpoint towards the leaders of armed resistance does not feel right. furthermore, the analysis of israelis as an also oppressed class is unfair. to some extent, they are bound my propaganda and serve imperial forces. however, their existence depends on dispossession and colonial violence. finally, as hopeful as the conclusion was, it lacked any sort of framework for meaningful change. freeing palestine and ridding the world of imperialism requires more than cultural change - it requires a total abolition of an imperial system that requires organized forces to lead a movement

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only take half credit as I speed read this while babysitting and the book was found on the kitchen island, but damn. I normally hate non fiction, and world talk bores me, and scares me, so I avoid it at all costs, but the writing style by this author was perfect, the way the thoughts were carried out was easy, and I really felt like I learned so much. I like how someone is speaking on some pretty blatant facts that seem to be hushed up by the media. I fully approve

[Jess Esa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An accessible and empathetic deconstruction of zionist propaganda, an exploration of history, and a discussion of collective liberation that holds enough depth and nuance to be helpful, wherever you are in your own journey.

[Cammy Flaherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

“There’s one corner of the Earth cops will never be able to police—and that’s the space between our ears.”

[Jenni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trust me, I’m sympathetic to the cause. But Kern takes it way too far and doesn’t add much to the convo. I would and have faulted pro-Israel books for the same. I strongly recommend well-intended liberals and leftists to read a more balanced introductory text.

Rating: 2.5 rounded down. Really engaging, but nothing special and had its issues.

[Nina Madanat · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Every accusation is a confession.”
Kern is a teacher, influencer, activist, and author who equips us with information and facts to stand strong in the fight to liberate 🇵🇸 Love how they end the book with notes from families in Gaza ❤️

[Sam Cox]

i actually finished a book everyone please cheer

[Tommy Lazarou · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I liked the historical facts, the laid back approach was a little off-putting to me. I can see how people would like that in today’s day and age, but for me I just want the facts.

[blume4000 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Das ist kaum vorraussetzungsvoll, extrem informativ und sehr gut recherchiert - Stern Abzug nur für den Humor, den ich einfach nicht so lustig finde und den Anfang, den ich zäh fand. Irgendwie diese Selbstreflexion über Influencer*insein und so kp iwie hat mir das bisschen ick gegeben ich wusste auch nicht dass Sim Kern online activist ist. Ich mochte glaub den Reality Check nicht, dass ich ein Buch von ner Person aus dem Internet lese? Kp ob’s das ist das klingt plausibel vielleicht bin ich zu eitel aber ich hab ja auch von anderen Leuten ausm Internet Bücher gelesen, wo mich das nicht störte……. Keine Ahnung Leute aber lest das das ist gut und kurz ich weiß nicht warum ich dafür 8174738284 Tage brauchte ich war glaub nicht in dem Headspace für Lesen generell.

[Rachel Ashera Rosen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a clear-eyed, passionate deconstruction of hasbara talking points. If you know a lot of facts, there probably won't be much here that's new to you, but Kern knows how to argue persuasively and their framing is very useful and well-articulated. (It also kind of freaks me out how many biographical similarities we have. It's one of those books where I thought I'd probably get along quite well with the author.)

And, sadly, while there are many good books by Palestinians about Palestine liberation, some folks are just going to take it more seriously coming from an Ashkenazi Jew.

I spent way too much time arguing with Zionists on Facebook so even though the argument can really be boiled down to two words (genocide. bad.) this was a very valuable read.

[Bibliophile10 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the author's discussion of race is problematic and even potentially harmful, but there is also a lot of clear, galvanizing writing. Overall a valuable, if flawed, read for those needing foundational knowledge of Palestine and a basic code of ethics.

[Anika (Encyclopedia BritAnika) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I follow Kern who has been a really clear voice through the Israeli conducted Genocide in Gaza. A Jewish nonbinary author, I appreciated their reasoned, researched, personal take on the genocide and all the arguments people make for its conducting and excusing. And at the end of each Kern’s response is the same: genocide is bad. No matter against whom or by whom, genocide is bad. It’s that simple.

[Lizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

informative. devastating. compelling. motivating. 🇵🇸❤️‍🩹

[Hina Ansari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read extensively on the subject of Palestinian oppression, but never from the viewpoint of an anti Zionist Jewish person. While it is tough to surprise me with an historical information, this author goes in a direction I didn’t know a ton about, biblical history and they debunk a most, if not all of the myths of Israel. It is well worth the read and I’m glad I snagged it when I saw a brief snippet about it on Twitter. If you’re a fan of the Free Palestine movement, or are new to it, this book will be a quicker read through the topic, and give you lots of talking points to shut people up who only regurgitate western media points.

[Rama · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Israelis are not free. They are trapped within an ever-accelerating cycle of violence that they must perpetuate to keep their supremacy intact, All of their children are forced to serve in the IOF and become killers. Compulsory military service is not a hallmark of a free society. Israeli media is some of the most heavily censored on earth, to prevent any non-Zionist, liberatory ides from getting through to its citizens. Even the most tepid criticism of the government within Israel is met with brutal violence, arrests, and suppresion. It's Israelis who live trapped within the barbed-wire cages they erect to keep Palestinians out of their settlements in the West Bank. So Israelis are not Jews who got free of empire. They're Jews who became the foot soldiers of empire.”

3.5/5 rounded up mostly to push this book higher in the Goodreads rankings so people who normally wouldn’t pick it up would see it as artificially inflated lol. If I were to critique this on a literary level, based on the expectations I had for it, I would say it was lacklustre. If I was really being honest, I’d say it read like a long-form TikTok. But was that a flaw of the writing, or a feature? Given the background of the author as a primarily social media influencer/political commentator, I cannot say this style is unusual. However, I will say that the narrative voice got too pop-culture-y, to the point where it felt distracting. While all mediums for communicating information are essential, each one does come with a unique set of ‘rules’. Writing a political book, then, usually wouldn’t involve the same level of side tracks, comedic interventions, and celebrity references, as making an online video. This structure made it difficult for me to focus on the subject matter, because I felt as though I was being patronized and talked down to. HOWEVER- would this be a good introduction for a lay person? Maybe. Although it isn’t the first book I’d recommend. I also felt that the author missed a lot of cultural and historical context, barely mentioning the six day war, the Balfour declaration, the nakba, etc. So in a pseudo way, this book was at once a great one for beginners language wise, but not content wise.

It did, of course, have its positives. I choose to align myself with pro Palestinian sentiments, regardless of who is saying them. I staunchly oppose the identity politics and over-individualizations of the movement, separating what is at its core a humanitarian crisis into a division of faction. The word ‘traitor’ is thrown around too easily, and I enjoyed the comments the author made on this particular topic, referencing the ingenious Táíwò’s takes on identity politics. Here are some excerpts I found to be particularly illuminating:

“ And we live in a world where people are marginalized for all kind of identities so how do you know which oppressed group to prioritize over another? What’s more, there are paid infiltrators in these streets! Particularly in the social media streets! CIA, Hasbara, and neo-Nazi operatives are here, using sock puppet accounts on social media to turn us against each other. And for every one of them, there's a bunch more well-intentioned leftists who do the same work of empire, eating the left from within because they're naïve, or ego-driven, or misguided, or simply too exhausted to learn new ways of relating. So in deciding who to listen to, you're going to have to employ some critical thinking. Here are some helpful questions to ask:
Is this person building community, or tearing it apart?
Is this person more focused on building power, or on appearing morally pure? Is this person prioritizing life-and-death issues, or are they prioriting feelings, wording, and symbolic victories? Is this person focusing on radical transformation, or on preserving be status quo?”

I found it interesting that they even take it a step further:

“ I couldn’t care less how pure your intentions are. I can't know and don't care whether you're motivated by guilt or rage or the noblest of ideals. Call for a Free Palestine because it's cool. Wear a keffiyeh because you look great in one. Dunk on Zionists because you don't want to be associated with them. Say “Free Palestine" because Macklemore and Kehlani said so. Shout "Genocide bad!" over and over and over again—for clout, for followers, for fame, or for deep moral conviction—it's all the same to me. Act out of sacred self-interest. Organize against empire because you yourself want to be free, and you recognize that your freedom is bound up with the freedom of Palestinians, and all people, and all life on earth. Find whatever reason you can to keep showing up. You won't be alone.”

Honestly, when public opinion is one of the threaders of the needle, I am inclined to agree with this take. The author also references great Black Marxist literature and continues to flesh out the connections between racism, capitalism, and oppression. They provide a useful resource into the changing definition of whiteness, a term used to denote not only race but also proximity to wealth and class.

Interesting read but not the best of its kind.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

God damn.

I came into this book expecting a crash course. Instead, I was taken everywhere: Gaza, Israel, the rise of the Catholic Church, the Protestant Reformation, the Torah, the rise of Zionism, Nazi Germany, Venice, Arab diaspora, rural Illinois, critical race theory, 400 BC, 2024 AD... It is amazing how much information is packed into a mere 200 pages. It would probably take me at least 10 years to consume the same amount of books, articles, and statements that Sim Kern condensed into this book. Even just looking at the 300+ sources cited at the end of the book is crazy. In fact, I think I'd have to read this book at least one more time to really retain the information in it. In this day and age of propaganda and media play (watch K-drama Queendom), it is difficult to know who is right or wrong. But if you read this book and you still do not respect the arguments, you may want to check your ego.

I am truly a beginner when it comes to Israel and Palestine. This is the first book I'm picking up about it. But even an expert and an expert skeptic could benefit from reading this book. The chapters are sorted based on common Zionist arguments but it goes in way deeper than you'd think. If I learned anything in my historical nonfiction and generational fiction era, everything is a chain reaction and to understand current events, we have to look at history. I just didn't expect Sim Kern to start at the actual beginning of the human race. It also covers a lot of moral questions that everyone will eventually have to face. How can we selectively condemn violence without falling into double standards? As a non-Palestinian, non-Jewish, American, why do we need to put so much emphasis on this genocide versus other ongoing genocides? What effect do I even have from simply reading books? How can you discredit a group that is widely known to have experienced their own genocide? What is a free Palestine?

I liked how the author also admitted to their follies and un-learnings during their path to knowledge. How they admit that as an anti-antisemitism (not a typo), anti-Zionist, Jewish person, they are so afraid of the dangers that come with publicly criticizing Zionists but yet their voice is so powerful and angry. As an example, the only quote that got me to puff air out of my nose: "Fucking LOL."

Honestly, this book is a 10/5 for effort and information. But it is a 4.5/5 overall.

While the book contains a majority of historical evidence and logical statements, here are some sassy quotes that got me to say "oh" out loud:

"What kind of credibility do I have to sit in judgment of a man like Yahya Sinwar? ... What clown shit--for those of us in the Capitol to pass judgment on the resistance fighters in District 12... Honestly, it's clown shit that our most enduring myths of principal resistance, within the US, are children's stories written by other privileged white people like George Lucas and Suzanne Collins... And though these creators became exorbitantly wealthy off their whitewashed stories of anti-imperial struggle, they have not reinvested that wealth into supporting anti-imperial struggles in the real world."

"Now, is it possible that people who have been violently oppressed will become violent oppressors in turn? Of course it is. Just look what's happening within the nation-state of Israel. Descendants of the victims of the Holocaust are carrying out a new holocaust in Gaza."

"Only plant-eating animals have horns, to defend themselves from predators. If the god of all non-Christians is prey, then who's the predator? Just saying!"

[aforestofbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75/5 stars

I followed Sim on Instagram around the time they went viral and seen all their reels and posts since, but this book was still very enlightening and had a lot of new information and history I wasn't aware of. I loved learning more about Jewish history and the history of antisemitism. Everything just made so much more sense, and it made me wish we learned this stuff in school instead of the same zionist propaganda that's shoved down our throats year after year. Sim's voice is funny, with the right amount of sarcasm to make you smile while you read some pretty serious stuff. The footnotes were my favourite because it really helps having definitions for common terms that have been thrown around the last couple years, words you sort of know the meaning of, but not exactly.

I learned a lot and it left me feeling slightly more hopeful than I felt going in, especially in the third part of this book where Sim describes what a "Free Palestine/Free World" could look like. Honestly, it almost made me cry because it sounds so perfect and yet feels so unattainable at times. I did very nearly cry reading Shahd's letter from baby Heba's perspective, especially as I'm watching children starve to death live on my phone because Ishitreal refuses to allow formula and medical aid into Gaza. This is a very messed up, dark world we live in, and I just wish and hope and pray for all of this to stop and a better, safer world for all of us to live in.

[sam rinaldi · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s not much to say besides FREE PALESTINE
This book was an accessible read for anybody looking to understand the current Palestinian genocide. I highly recommend if you are looking to learn more.

[Maryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published in April, this is not only current, but super accessible and thorough.

[Juuliaeve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I listened it as an audiobook read by the author. I would highly recommend this to everyone! <3