jameshudson27's review against another edition
fast-paced
5.0
The best and perhaps most important book you’re likely to ever read
barbara_mills's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
This should be required reading for high schoolers, AND her books are banned in some public schools. That makes me sad and angry.
This is a hard book to read, yet an important one we should all read. Maybe more than once, as some is hard to digest, but I recognize how important it is to understand. Why? So my actions no longer perpetuate the American caste system.
This is a hard book to read, yet an important one we should all read. Maybe more than once, as some is hard to digest, but I recognize how important it is to understand. Why? So my actions no longer perpetuate the American caste system.
carlajo713's review against another edition
4.0
I think this should be required reading for anyone living in the United States. I’m not sure it would change anything. I’m sure those that want the caste system to flourish in its current state wouldn’t be moved by a book anyway. As a Caucasian female with Irish ancestry I am saddened by how people are kept to their caste based on skin color and heritage. I’m embarrassed and horrified that people are treated in our country. It brings tears to my eyes to think of beautiful, innocent brown, black, and tan babies and children having to grow up fearing the police. I could go on and on, but it’s not necessary. I accept any and all blame and responsibility for all the past and current wrongs. How do we do better? How do we change the current standard? How do we heal the past and move forward with no caste system?
emily_journals's review against another edition
Expired from library, REALLY LONG hold list, will resume when I pick up a physical copy!
kceuler's review against another edition
4.5
This is an international investigation of how caste systems feature in three distinct countries and periods of time: the United States, Nazi Germany, and India.
The basic premise is that “caste” is a better tool to understand the United States than racism alone (since race is an aspect of the US system, noted in “Race does the heavy lifting for a caste system that demands a means of human division.”)
It’s rounded up, but honestly a 4.5 because it felt like it would be focused equally on the three countries in the introductory chapters and the structure of the thesis, but it is very heavily American in its focus. Which, makes sense given the aspect of unpacking racism vs caste systems, but I want to note this in case you are approaching it expecting a more balanced overview of the three selected caste systems that have “stood out” throughout human history.
I've noticed some reviews mentioning the superficial "next steps" or recommended, solutions, but Wilkerson explicitly notes that's not the purpose of this book in the epilogue. She notes, "The goal of this work has not been to resolve all of the problems of a millennia-old phenomenon, but to cast a light on its history, its consequences, and its presence in our everyday lives and to express hopes for its resolution. A housing inspector does not make the repairs on the building he has examined. It is for the owners, meaning each of us, to correct the ruptures we have inherited." (pg 380)
This is nonetheless a critical read and I’d recommend it for anyone who hasn’t read it yet.
The basic premise is that “caste” is a better tool to understand the United States than racism alone (since race is an aspect of the US system, noted in “Race does the heavy lifting for a caste system that demands a means of human division.”)
It’s rounded up, but honestly a 4.5 because it felt like it would be focused equally on the three countries in the introductory chapters and the structure of the thesis, but it is very heavily American in its focus. Which, makes sense given the aspect of unpacking racism vs caste systems, but I want to note this in case you are approaching it expecting a more balanced overview of the three selected caste systems that have “stood out” throughout human history.
I've noticed some reviews mentioning the superficial "next steps" or recommended, solutions, but Wilkerson explicitly notes that's not the purpose of this book in the epilogue. She notes, "The goal of this work has not been to resolve all of the problems of a millennia-old phenomenon, but to cast a light on its history, its consequences, and its presence in our everyday lives and to express hopes for its resolution. A housing inspector does not make the repairs on the building he has examined. It is for the owners, meaning each of us, to correct the ruptures we have inherited." (pg 380)
This is nonetheless a critical read and I’d recommend it for anyone who hasn’t read it yet.
caseylovett's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Violence