Helpful Score: 2
I vey rarely write a review. This is not an easy book to read. The subject matter exists deep within our culture and experience. It is extra-ordinary well documented and written by Isabel Wilkerson who has done a great job explaining Caste and how it affects our lives. I am honored to have read this book and to learn so much about our prejudices and preconceptions of people that are a big part of our lives and our country. By reading at most 1 or 2 chapters a day I was able to think about her thoughts and conclusions and understand how they affect our lives, friendships and families. It is a book that everyone in America should read.
Helpful Score: 1
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.
Wilkerson's prose is excellent and it is worth checking out if you don't mind the structure.
Wilkerson's prose is excellent and it is worth checking out if you don't mind the structure.
