White Lies : Race and the Myths of Whiteness

Rating:
Summary: Confrontational, Provacative, and Inciteful
Review: A brilliant book. It really altered my thinking on race.

Rating:
Summary: In a Class of Its Own
Review: As far as books about race, this is a good one. I'm majoring in sociology and most of the book's I've been assigned on "American race relations" are just festivals of jargon disguised as knowledge. This book's knowledge comes from its author's remarkable lived experiences. He sees the world like no other white person I've known or read. I think this book can actually change a few minds. At least I hope so.

Rating:
Summary: Confrontational, Provacative, and Inciteful
Review: At first, I just picked up the book to skim through it, and all of a sudden i find myself reading through chapter after chapter- it completely sucked me in. In Maurice's journey of discovering himself, and what it means to be white- you too open your eyes to your own race, racism in general, and what whiteness really is. It's a compelling book that I would recommend to anyone of any nationality.

Rating:
Summary: A Book By Any other Name
Review: If this were a book titled Black and Brown Lies the multiculturalists would be up in arms. Instead one white guy, Berger, takes his own thoughts and experiences and projects them throughout America's White population. Assuming, I take it, that all white folks think alike. Those whites who are unable to admit to their racism are into some sort of Fruedian denial.
Why all this fuss about race and racism? Many blacks, and some whites as well, miss the good old (racist) days of the 40,50 and early 60-ies; those were heady times where white Americans could be easily labelled as the "The White Man"...I can well imagine the stories of actual racism which circulated in the Black communities. But old habits die hard, many of the old stories, and myths, are still being passed around. Blacks may insist that they understand "white" folks, but just listen to how many black school children create their own racist assumptions of their white classmates or teachers.
There are many reasons why white have been successful in this country (not all of them glorious accomplishments), but "white" has not been constructed in America through racism. We, who are of white European descent, brought to these shores a culture rich in art,religious, political and social philosophy. For the most part this culture has worked..For some unknown reason the books author feels guilty for its success. What he fails to understand is that racism is a human condition. One only needs to look at Japan as an example of a racist society. Its people value their race and culture, and though this may be changing, their are (racist) terms for those Japanese who choose to marry people of other culturers.

Rating:
Summary: An eye opening view on the insidious nature of racism
Review: Mr Berger has, with great courage and strength allowed readers into his own past in order to explain how racism is fostered and taints our every day lives. I am sure, given Mr. Berger's position and reputation it was not an easy task for him to deal with his past let alone display for all. Yet his experiences and those of other contributors let readers understand the insidious nature of racism from personal perspectives without it being a collection of hard luck stories. I found hearing from both black and white contributors so necessary to gain an understanding of what is an increasingly complex issue due to the extent of which it is ignored or deemed to be "cured".Current studies concerning "whiteness" and current modes of thinking concerning race are also looked, making this an extremely well rounded debate. I found this book to be extremely easy to read, both very touching and one of the most intelligent views on racism of late. Ilook forward to reading far more by Mr.Berger on this most important topic in the future and hope his work extends past America in the future.

Rating:
Summary: excellent, insightful, caring
Review: Whenever whites write about race they run the risk of falling into any one of a number of traps: they can be patronizing when expressing concern, dismissive of real problems when trying to be "realistic", genuinely stupid in suggesting simplistic solutions that involve only individual attitudes while ignoring the impact of history, custom and economic factors and, most typically, having no awareness of how their own "whiteness" distorts their views of what MUST be normal and acceptable. Berger's book is unique, in my experience, in not only avoiding these pitfalls but going to great pains to make the reader aware of them. It is said that fish can have no concept of water since that is their only environment. In the same way, most whites are unaware of the weight of racial prejudice that is felt by all minorities, because they are immersed in the dominant culture, while those on the outside are painfully aware that they are outside.

Berger writes from a unique perspective; that of an intelligent and perceptive man reared in public housing in New York, whose mother was a racist and whose father was a supporter of the civil rights movement. He was not only aware of race as an issue early in his life, but was torn between his parent's opposing views while simultaneously trying to apply those contradictions to the people he knew outside the home - largely minorities. The issue seems to have obsessed him, but ultimately in a positive way. This book, part biography, part essay, part reportage, cannot be easily described. It is fragmented and impressionistic, but its focus is clear - to make the reader (and it seems to assume a white reader) really aware of all the unspoken lies that support the privalege of white power in America. It is hard to know whether he succeeds or not. This reader already sympathized with much that he had to say and was impressed with the way he managed to make subtle points clear. Would a real white supremacist be won over? That is doubtful, even if they read the book with an open mind. But they are not the intended audience. Rather, Berger is addressing those whites who like to believe they are not - in any way - racist. Until this group recognizes the subtle ways in which they cling to a privaledged position and the impact this has on minorities, there will be no improvement in race relations.

I enjoyed reading this book very much. Each chapter was a surprise and a pleasure. Some of the digressions seemed puzzling but for the most part everything in the book helped illuminate his theme. This is not a polemic or a Jeremiad, but a soft spoken and carefully thought out piece of writting. Once Berger's point of view seeps into the reader's consciouness, it's hard to see things the same way again.