Caste, Isabella Wilkerson

I am half-way through this Oprah’s recommended book, and as an AP world history teacher it is blowing my mind. It is putting all the prices of what I already knew on-the-surface in such a way that is making me see an underlying truth; America is a caste based society just as much as India. Caste is the bones and racism is the skin.

I have taught the Spanish/Portuguese colonial and the Indian caste systemS for years, but never realized just how much the US parallels these structures.

if you have any interest in American history, social justice, and ending racism in America please give this book a read.

Happy to discuss, debate, and discourse on this great read. Fire away!

Peace be with you

Storm Hood

O rly? That's how Oprah herself went from an impoverished upbringing facing lots of adversity to being one of the richest women on the planet with a huge media empire that she herself created?

I do find that kind of the opposite of a caste system. America is FULL of these sorts of rags to riches stories. Even among the Yellowstone Club, sure there were lots of people who inherited their wealth, but some of the owners I met there with some of the most impressive homes and empires also came from humble beginnings.

Not buying it, bro. ESPECIALLY with an endorsement from Oprah. How she's not looking in the mirror on that one is perplexing. She used to be more of a "You can do it!" motivational person, and recently she's been on this caste system and white privilege kick. Personally I find it strange. Talk to us when you don't go from the poorhouse to 2.5 BILLION dollars, lady. Oh yeah, and lest I forget. She owns a YC house as well. Yeah. She's REAL oppressed there. :rolleyes2

thanks for the recco, will check it out

austin, you're a moron

I’ll add it to the reading list

Austin wins the prize as Best Solipsist (babbling to himself in his bathtub, about the bathtub)


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The New Yorker had a review, having not read the book I can't say for sure that the criticisms of a few bits are valid, but overall it seems worth picking up.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2...race-and-caste

The Times review is the second most critical of the book the other too was an Indian author. Perhaps these critics are influenced by a bit of implicit bias?

I will say that a graring omission from the book and its exploration of caste is the influence of colonialism. The Indian Caste system was greatly manipulated for the be of it of British occupiers. Also, Latin America was heavily influenced by both Spanish and Portuguese colonial race based castes.

Month my, throwing the book out because it is an Oprah Book Club selection is stupid. There has many great books in that list. My favorite piece of lit is East of Eden; it was an Oprah Book Club.

Also, class and caste are different. Oprah being a wealthy is an anomaly. Also, she rose to wealth and power via one of the only avenues open to African Americans; Entertainment. You can read about that in the book.

Well I have finished and it is a truly remarkable work and one that is a paradigm shifter for discussing equity in America.

Congrats to those who have put it on your to read list. You are going to find it mind blowing.