Rating: 
Summary: A Brilliant Historian!
Review: In perusing the other customer reviews, I was astonished by the words of M. Wargo: I simply must challenge this blind nonsense! Ronald T. Takaki is the single most inspirational Professor it has ever been my privilege to know. As an undergraduate at UCLA and as a graduate student at U.C. Berkeley, I had the great pleasure of studying U.S. History and Multi-Cultural relations with him and the wealth of knowledge and insight he shared with his classes has forever enlightened and informed my understanding of race, class, and ethnicity. His scholarship is unimpeachable as is his fairness and scrupulous lack of bias: to say otherwise is to expose one's own ignorance and biases and does Professor Takaki an immense disservice. Perhaps M. Wargo is simply too wedded to his/her own political agenda to be able to listen objectively to the truth which Professor Takaki presents so very cogently and convincingly.
Rating:
Summary: Wish I'd learned this back twenty years ago.
Review: It's given me a much broader and different view on diversity and culture. It's good to see American history through the stories of cultures other than the ruling class. It also made me very aware that the story of so many cultures here are variations of the same thing -- that we have so much in common. I know many people that complain that the theme here is "white men are bad," but I think they miss an important point. Takaki shows that white men -- who weren't part of the ruling class -- go through pretty much the same treatment. My conclusion was that it isn't culture that divides us as much as it is wealth.
Rating: 
Summary: Horribly Negative and Biased!
Review: Many aspects of the book were completely vague and unfairly biased. This book is less informative than it was an attack against Anglo-Saxons of America. It is obvious that Takaki has personal issues against white people and is a flaming racist.He glorifies the bad behavior of certain minorities and embellishes, in a bad light, the identical bad behavior of certain whites.This book is a complete waste of time for those interested in a fair account of history. He simply perpetuates the problems that we have been trying to get away from. If one is looking for an unbiased account of history that focuses on facts and not agenda based rhetoric, I would suggest passing on Takaki.
Rating:
Summary: An interesting view of history from the underdogs...
Review: Normally this isn't the sort of book that I would pick up , however I was assigned it for an environmental history class and had to in order to write several reflection papers on it. When I was done reading it, I must admit that I experienced a huge sense of White Man's Guilt, but at the same time I was elated that someone had bothered to collect such gruesome, no-holds-barred accounts of our country's beginnings. Too often we like to gloss over the darker parts in order to hold up a shining vision of what we have now. There are times when the stories are a bit excessive, and times where the information he gives is obviously just to disgust and turn the stomachs of those reading the book. I am sick and tired of being ashamed of my ancestors and their actions, but I also want to know what it was they did so that I will not repeat there mistakes. This book was the gateway to that knowledge. I'm forced to agree that Takaki does seem to subscribe to the idea that the white man is the devil. At the same time, however, he does an excellent job of discussing the background of those people he talks about, the historical events of the time, and the cultural influences that affect their mindset and behavior towards other cultures. He doesn't simply leave it hanging that the Native Americans were slaughtered , he goes in to detail why, what concepts were behind it, and the general psychology of the time that would allow those people to act in such a fashion. If one can get past Takaki's constant re-assertion that the original settlers were murderers and thieves, you find a fascinating study in sociology and man's relationship to the land as well as himself and other cultures. I fould it worthwhile to read for that information alone.
Rating:
Summary: A Biased and Brilliant Revisionist History
Review: Publishers Weekly called this, "a brilliant revisionist history of America that is likely to become a classic of multicultural studies." I would totally agree if they would have only added the word "biased" to their list of adjectives. This book has a strong anti-Anglo bias from cover to cover. As a history text it offers an extremely limited scope. It is an historical account of how the racist Anglos persecuted all non-Anglos through American history.That doesn't mean it shouldn't be read. I never give out ***** without reason. For non-Anglos this book should be read for the comfort it offers. At last someone has found the courage to tell the story of those who came from the margins of society. I am white. My heritage traces predominantly from Native American (Cherokee) and Irish indentured servitude stock. The book was informative concerning my heritage. For Anglos this book should be read to help remove cultural blinders. Such a book can be threatening, but it has the potential to expand our universes way beyond the scope of monocultural prejudice. Books such as this help us to better understand where our brothers and sisters of other cultures are coming from. FOR EVERYONE, this book should be read to understand the past, NOT keep alive prejudice for another generation. My prayer is that a day will come when we have the ability to scale the walls of blindness and forgive the offenses of the past. I would like to see a new world when we are neither ruled by bigotry or guilt.
Rating:
Summary: A Biased and Brilliant Revisionist History
Review: Publishers Weekly called this, "a brilliant revisionist history of America that is likely to become a classic of multicultural studies." I would totally agree if they would have only added the word "biased" to their list of adjectives. This book has a strong anti-Anglo bias from cover to cover. As a history text it offers an extremely limited scope. It is an historical account of how the racist Anglos persecuted all non-Anglos through American history. That doesn't mean it shouldn't be read. I never give out ***** without reason. For non-Anglos this book should be read for the comfort it offers. At last someone has found the courage to tell the story of those who came from the margins of society. I am white. My heritage traces predominantly from Native American (Cherokee) and Irish indentured servitude stock. The book was informative concerning my heritage. For Anglos this book should be read to help remove cultural blinders. Such a book can be threatening, but it has the potential to expand our universes way beyond the scope of monocultural prejudice. Books such as this help us to better understand where our brothers and sisters of other cultures are coming from. FOR EVERYONE, this book should be read to understand the past, NOT keep alive prejudice for another generation. My prayer is that a day will come when we have the ability to scale the walls of blindness and forgive the offenses of the past. I would like to see a new world when we are neither ruled by bigotry or guilt.
Rating:
Summary: A Biased and Brilliant Revisionist History
Review: Publishers Weekly called this, "a brilliant revisionist history of America that is likely to become a classic of multicultural studies." I would totally agree if they would have only added the word "biased" to their list of adjectives. This book has a strong anti-Anglo bias from cover to cover. As a history text it offers an extremely limited scope. It is an historical account of how the racist Anglos persecuted all non-Anglos through American history. That doesn't mean it shouldn't be read. I never give out ***** without reason. For non-Anglos this book should be read for the comfort it offers. At last someone has found the courage to tell the story of those who came from the margins of society. I am white. My heritage traces predominantly from Native American (Cherokee) and Irish indentured servitude stock. The book was informative concerning my heritage. For Anglos this book should be read to help remove cultural blinders. Such a book can be threatening, but it has the potential to expand our universes way beyond the scope of monocultural prejudice. Books such as this help us to better understand where our brothers and sisters of other cultures are coming from. FOR EVERYONE, this book should be read to understand the past, NOT keep alive prejudice for another generation. My prayer is that a day will come when we have the ability to scale the walls of blindness and forgive the offenses of the past. I would like to see a new world when we are neither ruled by bigotry or guilt.
Rating:
Summary: Further Multicultural Reading from Both Perspectives
Review: Ronald Takaki's A DIFFERENT MIRROR served as a tremedous journey in understanding how multiculturalism evolved in the United States. Had I been taught in high school and during my early college education, I would not have questioned what multiculturalism meant. Takaki's book definitely opened my eyes. The book takes the reader through early American history from the Age of Exploration with Christopher Columbus and his encounter with the indigenous people of the Caribbean up to the L.A. riots and its relation to how multiculturalism has had an effect on American society. The unique aspect of the book had been his use of William Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST, and the main ethnic character, Caliban. In a way, Takaki used literature as a backdrop to history in order to present the analogy of the situations and experiences that many immigrants experienced at an attempt to live and survive in a "new world". Takaki presented a true assessment of American history. There appeared to be no doubt that many immigrants from the pacific to the atlantic experienced much hardship and struggle as a result of Anglo-Saxon dominance that coveted their desire to attain opportunity in the United States. It appears ironic how un-united the U.S. had been during the nineteenth century when a large influx of immigrants arrived to their "Golden Mountain" or to see their "Lady Liberty". They arrived only to be violently attacked and ridiculed because of their culture and traditions. The so-called "melting pot" brewed to a burning point, especially during the Industrial Age. However, the immigrants' struggles only served to benefit their future. This book should be added to the reading lists of every history class that teaches multiculturalism or a basic college survey history class. Multiculturalism taught in depth does not have to begin at the graduate level. Takaki's examination of multiculturalism does not stop with the publication of this book. The concluding chapter only emphasized that the understanding of multiculturalism continues after reading the book. I'm glad to have read this book because I now understand that there is more to American history besides Thomas Jefferson.
Rating:
Summary: Further Multicultural Reading from Both Perspectives
Review: Ronald Takaki's A DIFFERENT MIRROR served as a tremedous journey in understanding how multiculturalism evolved in the United States. Had I been taught in high school and during my early college education, I would not have questioned what multiculturalism meant. Takaki's book definitely opened my eyes. The book takes the reader through early American history from the Age of Exploration with Christopher Columbus and his encounter with the indigenous people of the Caribbean up to the L.A. riots and its relation to how multiculturalism has had an effect on American society. The unique aspect of the book had been his use of William Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST, and the main ethnic character, Caliban. In a way, Takaki used literature as a backdrop to history in order to present the analogy of the situations and experiences that many immigrants experienced at an attempt to live and survive in a "new world". Takaki presented a true assessment of American history. There appeared to be no doubt that many immigrants from the pacific to the atlantic experienced much hardship and struggle as a result of Anglo-Saxon dominance that coveted their desire to attain opportunity in the United States. It appears ironic how un-united the U.S. had been during the nineteenth century when a large influx of immigrants arrived to their "Golden Mountain" or to see their "Lady Liberty". They arrived only to be violently attacked and ridiculed because of their culture and traditions. The so-called "melting pot" brewed to a burning point, especially during the Industrial Age. However, the immigrants' struggles only served to benefit their future. This book should be added to the reading lists of every history class that teaches multiculturalism or a basic college survey history class. Multiculturalism taught in depth does not have to begin at the graduate level. Takaki's examination of multiculturalism does not stop with the publication of this book. The concluding chapter only emphasized that the understanding of multiculturalism continues after reading the book. I'm glad to have read this book because I now understand that there is more to American history besides Thomas Jefferson.
Rating:
Summary: One of most educational books I've ever read!
Review: Takaki writes a powerful book about muli-cultural life in America. I read this book for an undergraduate class on race and ethnicity, and I found it not only to be educational, but to be one of the more valuable textbooks that I've been assigned. It paints a picture that may be disturbing, but is in essence, very realistic. Textbooks need to stop praising the white man for his horrendous crimes against minority races, and start teaching the world the truth about our history. This book accomplishes that task and it is very enjoyable to read as well. I highly recommend this book to teachers to use with students. Highschool students as well as college students would benefit from its message.
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