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bittersweet_symphony's review against another edition
5.0
"People with light skin certainly existed well before our own times. But did anyone think they were 'white; or that their character related to their color? No, for neither the idea of race nor the idea of 'white' people had been invented, and people's skin color did not carry useful meaning." So begins Nell Irvin Painter's history concerning the social construction of race in the United States. She traces it from ancient Greece, through the foundational racial theorists years of the 19th century, to its culmination with the Progressive-era eugenicists, to what she refers to as the Fourth Enlargement of American Whiteness, which occurred in the past 50 years.
Why Does This Book Matter So Much?
History of White People does us a great service, restoring color to the whitewashed history indoctrinated into us by our government-run schools. Painter fills huge gaps in the truly racist history of the West, specifically the United States, including layers which give many major historical events and movements a more complete portrayal. Racial thinking has been so endemic to politics, culture, and science during the past three centuries that it’s rather miraculous how divorced the legacies of western civilization’s most eminent individuals have been from it.
She does for racial history what Thomas Sowell did for political philosophy with A Conflict of Visions.
If somebody was a prominent thinker or figure in the 19th or 20th century, odds are, they were a racialist, and almost as likely, they were a perpetrator of racial theory. Painter includes numerous lesser known contributors, alongside several others whose traditions have better-weathered the pox of prejudice than most.
***You can read the complete review at Erraticus, an online publication focused on human flourishing.***
Why Does This Book Matter So Much?
History of White People does us a great service, restoring color to the whitewashed history indoctrinated into us by our government-run schools. Painter fills huge gaps in the truly racist history of the West, specifically the United States, including layers which give many major historical events and movements a more complete portrayal. Racial thinking has been so endemic to politics, culture, and science during the past three centuries that it’s rather miraculous how divorced the legacies of western civilization’s most eminent individuals have been from it.
She does for racial history what Thomas Sowell did for political philosophy with A Conflict of Visions.
If somebody was a prominent thinker or figure in the 19th or 20th century, odds are, they were a racialist, and almost as likely, they were a perpetrator of racial theory. Painter includes numerous lesser known contributors, alongside several others whose traditions have better-weathered the pox of prejudice than most.
***You can read the complete review at Erraticus, an online publication focused on human flourishing.***
alayneorgana's review against another edition
I’m French, and even though i have a good literacy in English, it’s way too complicated read for me. I tried two times to finish it, but I struggle to follow the structure. I may need to read easier book as I’m not used to history books in English
teokajlibroj's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting book but it suffered from a lack of focus. At points it seemed to ramble and lose itself in side-points and side-alleys. It was very detailed up until the 1920s, after which the trail abruptly trailed off. I think a modern discussion of what it means to be white could have been interesting. There was also something of an over-emphasis on obscure intellectuals and too little on ordinary people and how race was popularly viewed.
heylook's review against another edition
2.0
Informative but horribly written and boring as all get-out.
tomstbr's review
3.0
Reasonably interesting. Basically should be called 'The History of Ways in Which White People Have Been Racist'. Not overly entertaining, but does draw to light the progression of 'racial' thought, even up to whether or not we are POST-racism today (no. Also draws on Malcolm X and the role of white people through the 'black power' lens. I learned things so maybe you will too!
bellamonster's review against another edition
4.0
Learned a lot - I had never really thought about where the idea of whiteness came from
annamg77's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
4.25
hollydaze71's review against another edition
5.0
Again, I believe that this should be mandatory reading!
There is SO MUCH history which has been taught incorrectly!
There is SO MUCH history which has been taught incorrectly!