Waking Up White
and Finding Myself in the Story of Race
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4.3 • 77 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Waking Up White is the book Irving wishes someone had handed her decades ago. By sharing her sometimes cringe-worthy struggle to understand racism and racial tensions, she offers a fresh perspective on bias, stereotypes, manners, and tolerance. As Irving unpacks her own long-held beliefs about colorblindness, being a good person, and wanting to help people of color, she reveals how each of these well-intentioned mindsets actually perpetuated her ill-conceived ideas about race. She also explains why and how she's changed the way she talks about racism, works in racially mixed groups, and understands the antiracism movement as a whole. Exercises at the end of each chapter prompt readers to explore their own racialized ideas. Waking Up White's personal narrative is designed to work well as a rapid read, a book group book, or support reading for courses exploring racial and cultural issues.
Customer Reviews
Thought that counts
The author makes you think. The book is filled with honest testimonies of white ignorance and subtle attempts to right our wrong. But it’s more of a personal exploration than an accomplishment. But maybe that’s all it is.
Too long and hard to stay interested.
This book may be interesting and useful to some, but l found it wordy, redundant and not very useful.
I strongly agree racism is systemic but the author’s self flagellation does not seem helpful. The rare useful communication ideas could have been presented in two or three chapters and saved the reader lots of time.
Waking Up White
In respect the author’s honest account of your childhood, how her prejudices were formed and the bravery she displayed to even look at herself and try to piece it all together. I also like how she stresses in the beginning that this is her experience. While I believe all of us at have witnessed prejudice, racism and hate in many forms, it is authors like Irving who are trying to bridge the gap in understanding different experiences. I recommend the read and wish others, particularly those who have lead sheltered lives and are oblivious to the issue would pick up this book. I also hope our education system begins to incorporate the types of questions Irving poses into classes. It not only addresses racism, it addresses everyone’s basic need to be heard, understood, accepted and above all loved.