Reviews with content warning for War - Kasta: Korene našej nespokojenosti

America's racism has established a caste system, and this examination of the similarities between the US, India, and Nazi Germany is powerful and compelling. Using this framework to address history as well as current societal and political issues makes for book that will make the reader reconsider what they think they know about why individuals and groups act the way they do around race.
Well researched without being dry, and including the author's experience as an African-American woman, it isn't a quick read due to the need to process the material.

Content Warnings

sydapel's review against another edition

Go to review page

informative reflective slow-paced

While I don't know that I completely agree with the fundamental hypothesis of this book (for may reasons, some of which I can articulate and some I can't), Wilkerson's ability to combine storytelling and and commentary on systematic racism in this country is done incredibly well. I do wish more time was spent on detailing the complexities of the Indian caste system, but that's a personal thing I don't think it detracts from the power this book has. (read as Part of SFCM's anti racism book club)

Content Warnings

f18's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective medium-paced

3.0

Even going into this after reading reviews and therefore knowing it was more US-centric than international, I found it disappointing. The writing structure is multiple anecdotes per chapter followed by a sum-up of what Wilkerson was wanting to illustrate with those stories. It was not very intersectional and rarely mentioned groups outside of black and white when discussing the United States. While the anecdotes definitely have value it read more like a pop-social science book to me, which I suppose is the author's intention but not to my taste in nonfiction.

Content Warnings

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Compelling and thought-provoking, Caste outlines the similarities between the traditional caste system in India and previously unidentified caste systems in Nazi Germany and America. This book highlights the parallels between the human hierarchies that each of these countries created and perpetuated. It discusses how the caste system created through the slave trade in the 1600’s is still being carried out today, in quieter but still nefarious ways. This book was difficult to put down. I had never considered racism through the lens of castes before but Wilkerson makes a great argument for why caste is the one stronghold in our country that must be broken in order for true healing and equality to happen.

Content Warnings

More...