Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I waited for months for this book to come out. It did NOT disappoint. I feel it is ten times better than her first book, which is truly saying something if you read Warmth. She compares the caste systems of Nazi Germany, India, and America, and in what ways they parallel each other. She breaks down how caste systems work (8 pillars), and very eloquently makes it easy to understand - often using real life examples to illustrate. (even her own experiences). I had already read how Nazi Germany wanted to utilize America's Jim Crow laws for what they were wanting to do with the Jewish population. And although the Nazis deemed America the global leader in race laws at the time, they also deemed America's Jim Crow laws TOO HARSH for what they/the Nazis wanted to accomplish! How's that for a damning indictment of America's caste system? The book is a masterpiece. Unfortunately, America still has far to go with acknowledging, understanding, accepting, and owning its past and present. People can disagree or choose to not accept, but the facts are there, and she states them plainly for all to see. Wilkerson does talk to politics, economics, legalities, etc., as they all are directly and/or indirectly impacted by the influence of our caste system. Regardless of your beliefs, PLEASE finish this book, as there is too much knowledge to miss out on. Wilkerson demonstrates how the caste system is invisible and embedded into all parts of our society. She shows how the institutionalization of caste, individually and collectively, lingers on. Again, she does a phenomenal job of making this plain, only if people will accept it. If you disagree with this sentiment (that the effects of a caste system are still being felt), then in addition to Caste and the suggested reads below, I would ask you to read a short book called Color of Law by R. Rothstein. That book will illustrate ONE of the many lingering effects of America’s caste system, and how it has/is adversely impacting (and been sanctioned by) people at local, state, and federal levels. And yes, for the record, the effects of caste can still be in play regardless of Oprah, Obama, or Wilkerson becoming successes. . . (which 1 star review folks are so wont to claim as “proof” that there is no more racism/effects of caste, thus no need for this book, thus Wilkerson is wrong, etc. . . just sad) If you don’t want to accept it from Wilkerson or Rothstein, then turn to our own U.S. Government, and read the Kerner Report. The fact that The Kerner Report is still every bit as applicable today as it was then, only substantiates Wilkerson’s take on caste. I always like when others suggest additional good reads, so here you go: Race, Racism, and American Law by D. Bell The New Jim Crow by M. Alexander Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by I. Kendi Been in the Storm So Long: The Aftermath of Slavery by L. Litwack The Day Freedom Died: The Colfax Massacre, the Supreme Court, and the Betrayal of Reconstruction by C. Lane The Civil Rights Trilogy by Taylor Branch Race and Reunion by D. Blight An American Dilemma by G. Myrdal