Rating: 
Summary: A Much-Needed Wake-up Call for the Black Community!
Review: This is unquestionably the best piece of factual non-fiction scholarship I have ever read. John McWhorter hits the nail right on the head in eloquently explaining the three "cults" that plague us as Black Americans - Victomology, Separatism, and particularly ANTI-INTELLECTUALISM. As a young Black man whose dearly departed mother instilled in him the value of education at an early age, who did well in school, and who was viciously ostracized and ridiculed by his Black peers for "actin' white" as a result, reading LOSING THE RACE represents the ultimate validation for me. The fact that so many Black young people see not only academic success, but a mere love of learning as something "not BLACK" is a CULTURAL problem I have witnessed my entire life. I realized in reading McWhorter's book that I am not alone. The many anecdotes he gives poignantly and accurately explains the Black American self-induced psychological phobia of anything scholarly: how Black freshmen accepted at Berkeley after affirmative action was repealed (i.e. because of their high academic prowess and not their skin color) were looked upon as "OREOS" by the Black preference-benefitting upper-classmen; how when he was growing up one of his childhood friends had his little sister slap him for correctly spelling the word "CONCRETE"; how, while in graduate school, after engaging the professor in a discussion on the Swahili verb TO BE - a subject of dear interest to him - some other Black grad students approached him afterwards asking "whether or not he was a TRUE BROTHA." While reading, I had flashbacks of my own childhood experiences of being dissed almost daily by my own "people" for being smart and having the audacity to actually ENJOY school. For years I have grown sick and tired of liberal "blacker than thou" pseudo-intellectuals who claim to have MY best interests at heart as a Black American. They blame all of our problems on racism, constantly making us out to be victims - even 30-plus years after the Civil Rights Movement! Yet, they are never willing to turn the microscope on us as Black Americans and how we should take responsibility for the ways in which we do ourselves in, but are quick to try to censor, berate, and/or brand as a "traitor" someone like McWhorter for doing so, all for the so-called crime of "airing our dirty laundry." If I, the youngest of six children and the product of a broken home in inner-city Cleveland, OH, can graduate high school VALEDICTORIAN, become the first college graduate in my family, earn a master's degree, and ultimately become a diplomat for the U.S. government, then what in God's name is wrong with (suburban) middle-class black students - as the author clearly points out in his discussion of Shaker Heights High School - who attend the best schools, with top-notch teachers, guidance counselors and other educational resources, have college-educated parents and therefore no excuse NOT to succeed, yet STILL choose not to apply themselves, blow off the importance of education, care more about being popular than being smart, and then later on want to turn around and blame "WHITEY" for all of the opportunities that they missed? The three "Cults"as accurately explained by the author are what's wrong. Furthermore, for those Blacks who fear that this book will serve as "further ammunition for racist Whites to use against us," I say that such an arguement is a copout. We need to stop worrying about what white people think of us and start getting our collective house(s) in order. This book NEEDED to be written, and I applaud Professor McWhorter for having the guts to write it as passionately and critically as he has. It serves as a much-needed wake-up call for the entire Black community.
Rating: 
Summary: Too limited in scope. Read Thomas Sowell first.
Review: This book is meant to infuriate, enrage, engage and bother us. I, for one, hope it succeeds. I am always impressed whenever I see a black intellectual of stature challenge the status quo. The biggest problem I had this book had more to do with my expectations than anything. I'd just read Sowell's "Ethnic America" and I hoped that this book would be similar. It left me wanting. Sowell contained facts and statistic, McWhorter, opinions. Sowell was emotionally detatched and objective, McWhorter left me feeling as if he looked down on the people he wrote about. The other problem is that I found myself saying "Yeah, but white, asian, puerto rican, latino kids. They all have these problems too". We've all seen Jerry Springer. It's not just one racial group, it's an entire generation. All in all though, it's a good book. Just don't forget to back it up with Thomas Sowell, and if you liked this book, read MacDonald's "The Burden of Bad Ideas."
Rating:
Summary: An honest look at individual underperformance
Review: "Losing the Race" does not spread the "Bell Curve" lie that blacks are intellectually inferior, but it does expose the poisonous mindsets that hinder blacks, especially those who are not typically "poor and underprivileged." Racism (which the author does NOT deny despite accusations to the contrary) will NEVER end. So, now what? Will you continually let "whitey" and "institutional racism" be the perpetual excuse for why you don't shut the TV off/stop surfing the net/posting on message boards/get off the phone with your friends/put the magazine or trashy novel down/stay home and not hang out at the club and REALLY study and prepare for your test?? Research, draft and write your paper?? Study for your GMAT, LSAT, GRE??? Stop blowing up your credit cards and save to buy a home or start a business without relying on a program??? Come on now!! Be honest with yourselves! Even if those descriptions don't fit you, you probably know plenty of people with loads of potential that fail to apply themselves (and ALWAYS come up with excuses for why things don't work out for them). Reviewers who pan this book by citing its "reliance on anecdotal evidence" either haven't read it (and thus, missed the extensive bibliography) or they are so blinded by their own Victimology mindset, they don't want to face the truth.
Anyone who wants to be a better student (or who wants to make sure their children maintain high academic standards) would do well to read this and hear McWhorter out. If you are satisfied with the same excuses for the dismal statistics on the academic performance of black students, ignore this book. Continue to blame "racist" teachers, "culturally-biased' tests and white racism overall. It's time for us to be honest about some of the issues that often undermine our performance in school and in life and correct them (and forget about "what white people think!!!")
Rating:
Summary: I Finally See The Problem!!
Review: I NEEDED this book during the early '70's when I entered high school!!
We MUST eliminate culture-based problems brought forth by Victimology, Separatism and Anti-Intellectualism, as Professor McWhorter so brilliantly suggested.
As an African-American probation officer (monitoring a caseload with 80% African-American clients), I see the ravages of continued welfare and low expectation.
When a Black client tells me that working toward a GED is "too hard,"-WE DEFINITELY have a problem!! When I can't have a decent debate with college educated Black co-workers concerning current news because, "Nobody wants to talk about Afghanistan! Did you watch Jerry Springer yesterday?"- We DEFINITELY have a problem with Anti-Intellectualism!
Bravo! Professor McWhorter! Your book should be required reading for all African-Americans!
I'm sending copies to all my Black friends with young children.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Courageous and Enlightening Book
Review: The problem addressed by Prof. McWhorter is even worse than his book makes it out to be. For example, an article in the March 16, 1992 issue of TIME Magazine ("The Hidden Hurdle") wrote of the disturbing trend to "equate black identity with alienation and indifference." The outcome, according to this article, has been the terrorizing of bright and hard-working black students by other black students (often resulting in threats or physical assaults), simply because they are deemed "uppity" or "acting white" for no other reason than their academic excellence. "Honor students," notes the article, "may be rebuked [by their peers] for even showing up for class on time." The reviewers here who have faulted Prof. McWhorter for relying on anecdotal evidence should consider that this TIME article, written by someone else several years earlier and based on actual reported evidence, picked up on the very same thing. They should also stop confusing responsibility with blame. Prof. McWhorter does NOT blame black students for their unwillingness to try hard in school; he simply maintains that they are accountable for their actions and beliefs, like everyone else. What he DOES blame is the victimization culture that has been thrust upon them. They did not invent it themselves. Perhaps no one is to blame for inventing it. Prof. McWhorter notes in his book that this trend began in the mid-1960s. This leads me to believe that the culprit is nothing more than rising expectations. People expected too much from the Civil Rights movement of the early 1960s. Many people seemed to think that once it had achieved its legislative goals, socioeconomic equality would be achieved almost overnight. When this did not occur--how could it occur so quickly anyway?--they started to worry that racists would explain it by saying that blacks are inferior, and that many would believe this. Desperate to deflect people from drawing this conclusion, white journalists and writers began to highlight any and all news that made it look like blacks were being victimized, and downplayed any news that would make people think otherwise--insinuating that victimization is the only possible explanation for blacks not achieving full equality. Hearing this message over and over again, how could black kids NOT start believing it? After all, it's something that "everyone knows." And if racism will prevent blacks from succeeding, no matter how hard they try, then why bother trying? Critics of this book might be surprised to see me agree with them that the black students are not primarily to blame for their deliberately poor academic performance. If anyone should be blamed, it should be the liberals in the media and the publishing industry who have tacitly encouraged them to think this way.
Rating: 
Summary: (Berkeley?) Scholarship at Low Point
Review: Any book that elicits praises of "bold", "brave", or (from the Wall Street Journal) "a sincere call to face the unpleasant truths" should evidence rigorous and consistent scholarship. This book fails, shamefully, on such a topic where both the left and right extremist views could stand a good, honest critique. The only ugly truth here is the dependency on anecdotal evidence to carry the weight of sweeping pronouncements on the unique and, seemingly, wholly Black responsibility for the demise of this "race" of people. An example: A policeman stops the author as he crosses a street "independent" of the traffic signal. He is not wearing his "normal Gap/khaki" garb that is the mark of his Berkeley linguistics professor status. Upon questioning from the policeman, he comes to understand that there was no cause of than suspicion driven by racial stereotype. The author's analysis of this: It is a shame that he was stopped, but even more of a shame that stopping him was NECESSARY. Later, he assures himself that his high proficiency in spoken English was what got him out of further inquiry or trouble with the policeman. He notes that had he put on a "Black accent" he surely would have had a different situation. This from a Berkeley professor is appalling as scholarship and leads down a path of anecdote vs. anecdote worthy of only another episode of "Crossfire" but far from real thought and debate. Even in his field, linguistics, he fails critical tests. In his policeman's example, he compares proficient English to Black English as mutually exclusive categories. This leaves the opposite of Black English as White English??? Would Ma and Pa Kettle suffice here? Staying with the policeman here, it is also simplistic and more than a bit blind to think that he saved himself with his English skills. I do not think, judging from his writing, that he is anywhere near the caliber of W.E.B. Dubois, whose writing maintains an eerie relevance and long-verified objectivity. Yet, Dubois' English did not put him in good stead with the authorities. Nor did ML King's. Phyllis Wheatley, one of America's first writers of consequence, died in complete poverty, unable to support herself with her craft. Enter John McWhorter?? Lastly, in this sociological work cum diatribe, he assumes the role of the preacher/leaders? he despises. Most of his time is spent telling isolated stories and extrapolating those into 9 chapters of problems and 1 chapter of solutions. He is his own Sharpton, Jackson, et al., the only difference being his conservative's robe. If any topic needed honesty, clarity, integrity, and scholarship, it is this one. Unfortunately, you won't find it here, not even in McWhorter's "best English".
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, but potentially dangerous
Review: I'm hesitant to write this review. On the one hand, I absolutely loved the book, despite having started the book hating McWhorter from what I had heard about him. As I read through the chapters, I found it harder and harder to disagree with him. He writes an excellent commentary on black American culture, and I was very satisfied that he lacked the sort of anti-black attitude so heavy in someone like Ward Connely. However, I'm worried that McWhorter's argumentation will be picked up by truly anti-black white people who will embrace and voice his ideas with the footnote "And McWhorter's BLACK, and he said it, so you can't say I'm racist for saying..." I'm troubled by the fact that white people who already harbor prejudices against African Americans now have yet another weapon.
Rating:
Summary: Yes, it is a different world .
Review: Yes, it is a different world. This book tells the truth about African Americans in the inner cities. I'm black & i'v lived in part of this book. Black Culture is the problem.
What the auther described about his childhood in this book is the same thing that happened to me. Thank God his parents moved out of MT AIRY or this book would have never been written. The Auther asked us to stand up against anti-intellectualism. We must or there will be know future for this country.
Slowly, I see many white people becoming apart of this culture. TO THE AUTHER "DONT LET ANYONE STOP YOU FROM WRITING ABOUT THIS CRUEL CULTURE"
Rating:
Summary: A Bold, Excellent Read
Review: The book is an excellent, refreshing, alternative take on current racial thought in America, obviously with regard primarily to African-Americans and Caucasions. It appears honest, and self-critical while also suggesting interesting solutions, rather than relying on the negative alone. It is great reading, very thought provoking, and inspired me to read more on the issue from both sides of the debate. His personal scenarios are engaging and his analysis is delineated clearly. You won't feel any love for Al Sharpton and the like, but few thinking Americans seem to anyway. His purpose isn't to bash well-intended albeit misguided racial figures so much as to point out certain faulty assumptions their actions belie. Simultaneously, he offers a new paradigm for racial thought without relying on political cliche's.
Rating: 
Summary: McWhorter is rude
Review: Why does Dr. McWhorter twice refer to the book "Success Runs In Our Race" and not cite the author, George C. Fraser? I think this is noncollegial and unprofessional.
McWhorter's book is pure vitriol. If he wants to motivate African-Americans to change, he has gone about it the wrong way.
I was also repulsed by his not incorporating gender nuetral pronouns. That's not "of Berkeley caliber."
I also believe this book to be anecdotal and not research-driven.
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