Rating: 
Summary: Facts versus Fears
Review: Professor McWhorter offers a credible analysis of the problems besetting many in the black community. His scholarly work attempts to resolve problems by thoroughly reviewing the facts. He then advises us that the facts are being disregarded because of the fear of rascist accusations. As long as we are not dealing with the facts, major problems will go unresolved for years to come.
Rating: 
Summary: A WAKE-UP CALL FOR FREEDOM!
Review: John Mc Whorter has written a biting, intense, sharp commentary that invites and inspires debate. He discusses interracial dialogue distortions, defeatist rhetoric, affirmative action, separatism, victimology and anti-intellectualism. He writes, "to conceive of ourselves today as eternal victims impedes our progress toward equality" -- -- and -- "we need only take a deep breath and re-examine what we have been conditioned to accept as political, intellectual and cultural leadership, and allow ourselves to be granted the treasure of self-realization. On the issue of black academics, he writes, "The issue is not an overt or complete rejection of the world of the book, but a conspicuously lesser weighting of one's competence in this arena as the measure of the (hu)man." In reading this book, you may not agree with Mr McWhorter, but he certainly captures your attention and compels you to think for yourself. A well written perspective on America today, "Losing The Race" is comparable to Jesse Lee Peterson's, "From Rage To Responsiblity", and Larry Elders, "The Ten Things You Can't Say In America", as well as Kirbyjon Caldwell's, "The Gospel of Good Success". Read these books after you complete Professor McWhorter's eye-opening wake-up call for freedom.
Rating:
Summary: Sometimes the truth hurts!
Review: As an African-American high school teacher, I can wholeheartedly agree with much of what McWhorter says. It has puzzled me for quite some time why, despite having educated parents, equal access to resources an intricate knowledge of the educational system, and extra attention from me as well as the other black teachers, my African-American students were routinely the worst in any of the classes I taught. They put forth less effort, are less ambitious, and seem permanently indignant at being challenged and expected to work hard. By contrast, the Nigerian, Senegalese, and West Indian students I taught turned in work of the same caliber as my White and Asian students. Like McWhorter, I also grew weary of trying to make excuses for students who really had no barriers to achieving success, especially when being educated side-by-side with students who looked just like they did.Apparently a few of the previous reviewers missed McWhorter's point, as he predicted they would. For example, one reviewer points out "gender equity" and the fact that the book does not address this. The title of the book is "Losing the Race," not "Losing the Boys," or "Losing the Girls." Discussing gender equity would have been an unneccessary detour in subject matter. The reason for the gender gap is easily explained anyway: lack of black male "academic" role models, boys focus more on athletics, and also have other options that females tend to approach less avidly, such as the military and technical fields which don't necessarily require degrees. Regardless of even this, Mr. McWhorter is addressing the LACK OF QUALITY of Afican-American students IN GENERAL, not just the NUMBERS. This book is a must-read for black parents, teachers, and administrators in particular, but also for anyone who is looking for a fresh take on the race debate.
Rating:
Summary: McWhorter is telling on black people!
Review: This book is great! It combines great writing and a well organized format with an explosive topic I just finished reading this book. The negative reviews are just liberals in one of their many forms of censorship. McWhorter is suprisingly moderate and reasoned with ideas that would tempt any lesser man to lapse into invective. He uses statistics and common sense to expose black America's biggest secrets. McWhorter's excellent organization of material makes this an easy read. For any one seriously internested in solving the problems black children in American face, this is a must read. Liberal blacks will do their best to deny McWhorter's conclusions, but those of us who have had the experience of having to fight through black people to succeed in academics, know that if anything, he is being too nice. McWhorter shows great compassion for those blacks who have not made it to the middle class, while at the same time he stresses acknowledgement of those of us who have made it. The professor is a rising star and this book seems to be his launching point. By courageously, yet tactfully exposing ugly truths, McWhorter points to an inevitable turn in racial realtions in America. McWhorter writes about black kids and schools. If you are a black person in college or have a black kid in school, this is the most valuable book you could own. Here is the best reasoned explantion of the education gap blacks suffer from that I have ever seen.
Rating:
Summary: A brave, honest, important book ....
Review: To me, Mr. McWhorter is worthy of the "political incorrectness" Purple Heart. I'm white (obligatory disclaimer) but I agree with the author that 90 percent of the "problems" of "black America" are self-inflicted. What this nation - and black Americans - need is an African American leader of stature to make McWhorter's thesis a (the) major focus of our "dialogue on race." Simply stated, what McWhorter is saying in this brave book is that White America is not going to save Black America. For better or worse, blacks are going to have to "save" themselves. McWhorter's invalubable, and depressingly under-heard argument, is that African Americans CAN do it themselves. The formula that has worked for every other citizen of this nation WILL work for black Americans too. The tragedy of the post-Civil Rights era is that the influential "black leaders" and elitist elements of our culture have argued the opposite. Black success, which is dependent on hard work and placing the highest possible value on education, is deemed unattainable to too many in the black community, so, the prevailing argument goes, why make the effort? Or so the apologists masquerading as "leaders" tell us every day. And if you do try, you're just selling out or - horrors or horrors! - acting white (or Asian or Jewish). McWhorter's book is invaluable because he tells black Americans that they are settling for second-class stature when they accept the conventional thinking that they cannot compete because of "social racism." From this thinking, a "separatist" mentality - the rules and values that have worked for everyone else in history do not apply to us - has taken hold. As McWhorter maintains, Blacks should be "insulted" that so many Americans uncritically accept the "fact" that this proud race cannot compete with the rest of the population 136 years after slavery and 36 years after landmark Civil Rights legislation. The solution to racial "inequality" and the black academic "lag" will not be found from the tired victimology pronouncements of Jesse Jackson or Al Shaprton or Maxine Waters but in the pages of Mr. McWhorter's book. As someone who has numerous black friends and has lived in a town that is 40 percent black for most of my life, my observations and conclusions about the reasons African Americans are "losing the race" (of achieving the "American Dream") parallel those of the author. As mentioned, I'm white. Still, why would I possbily want blacks - my neighbors, friends and fellow citizens - to NOT do well? No: The better blacks do, the better my community and country will do. But until more blacks START TRYING and QUIT MAKING EXCUSES for their relatively speaking embarrasing performance in the classroom, MY country is not going to reach its full potential. When I say this, it, of course, sound racist. Because I care about my country, I'm glad a much more articulate author, a writer and professor who happens to be black, said it. In this overly "sensitive" country, sometimes it takes a lot more guts to say the obvious. The truth can be painful, but it can also set us free. Which is why this is a potentially society-altering book.
Rating:
Summary: Facta non verba
Review: In these United States, I am classified as black due to (or maybe in spite of???) my mixed-race parentage and having grown up in Africa, I can say with some pride that I seem to have a unique insight into most race "issues" as it were; so my interest is naturally piqued by such books. Mr. McWhorter has managed, with aplomb and sound reasoning, to show, if not the light, then the tunnel at the end of which we shall see the light. As an African-American in the most literall sense of the word (my mother is from West Africa, my father a White American), I have always felt most Black Americans have little reason to complain, living as they are, in the greatest country on Earth with all the advantages that offers. Most Africans would give their first-borns (and the most desperate do!!) to live here despite all the "racism" that so plagues the Black American. I have also been appalled at the general illiteracy that permeates Black America, almost to the point of rejoicing in ignorance. You will not find such a situation in many African countries where the search for knowledge occupies the hearts and minds of most people from cradle to grave so I know it's not a question of "Blackness" but one of culture. This wonderful book has buttressed some of my discoveries, dispelled others but in the end, definitely answered a lot of my questions.
Rating: 
Summary: A Fresh Perspective on a Sensitive Subject
Review: McWhorter, a black linguistics professor, is on to something in Losing the Race. His frankness when discussing black culture is refreshing, and his firsthand anectdotes give great weight to his arguments. More than anything else, this book covers sensitive territory which must be explored. It is an interesting read and a fresh perspective on an electric subject.
Rating:
Summary: Struggle of humanity not of race
Review: I am white. Reguardless of color, the reviewers who wrote in favor of this book are my brothers and sisters. I would love for your children to play with mine. I would loan you my car. I would let my daughter date your son. Would you feed my cat while I am away for the weekend? Is there anything I can do for you? I will serve you, because you are my equal. I know that if we met we would probably become friends. As for the reviewers who wrote opposing this book, I wouldn't trust you reguardless of your color. You might be having a bad day. You would blame all of your problems on external circumstances and you might feel that you are justified in some twisted way for kicking my cat, returning my car late, or getting really intoxicated and driving my daughter around in your car. Nothing you do is ever your fault. Therefore, you cannot be trusted. To those who have knowledge of it, the disease (lack of personal responsibility/victimization) is easily recognized in the eyes of the afflicted. They look negative. They scoul. They can't bring themselves to make appropriate eye contact. These people will always feel excluded. That's because they will always be excluded. They can't be trusted. Nobody wants to hire the disease. Nobody wants the afflicted driving around in their neighborhood at night. No banker will make a loan at a reasonable interest rate to someone who exhibits its symptoms. Your kids will never play with mine lest my children catch the dreaded disease. If you don't suffer from a terminal case of the disease, keep fighting the good fight. You will prevail. You will get out of the world what you put into it. If you don't believe me, go to the self-help section of any bookstore, pick a book at random and read it. Read how people have become successful in the past. It always starts with a mindset. You have it. Pass that messege on. Fight the disease.
Rating: 
Summary: Truly Poisonous
Review: Mr. McWhorter book is in a long tradition of bashing black folk. Mr. McWhorter in no way is in love with African-Americans and is not doing humankind any service by creating an unending number of simplistic straw men, in order to advance his unrelenting false arguments. Mr. McWhorter would have us believe that black folk are in some way indolent and naturally lazy and use race as a crutch to achievement. The old argument is if black folk would stop complaining and work a little harder they would be successful. This argument is not new and has been around since the great "race men" such as Alexander Crummell put such ideas forward. Booker T. Washington, Elijah Muhamahed, Malcolm X, and even Louis Farrakhan have argued that black people should not expect anything from white folk and rely on their own ability and most important work hard, and they would achieve great success. This Booker T. Washington mentality has a lot of merit and this is why this type of philosophy has always had a great appeal in the black community. However, what Mr. McWhorter refuses to understand is that white supremacy is a serious problem and should not for a moment be underplayed. What is interesting is that Mr. McWhorter cites West Indians as an example of a group of black immigrants that have achieved great success because they supposedly have different cultural patterns than us indolent blacks. What Mr. McWhorter neglects to mention is that West Indian blacks in Great Britain tend to exhibit the same "pathologies" that African-Americans face in the US, low test scores in school, higher levels of crime and all of the other "social pathologies". Why is this? Simple, we honest folk call this racism. Another interesting fact is black expatriates in France are more successful than other blacks in France. Does this demonstrate that the air in France make African-Americans more successful in France. The reason is simple: one African-Americans in france are treated with more humanity, two and most important blacks who live in France are on average more affluent than than other blacks in France. In the US first generation West Indians are more ambitious than most African-Americans and often have a better primary education if they were educated in the West Indies. The fact is the reason for black underachievement can't be divorced from racism, no matter how hard you try. I suggest that Mr. McWhorter stick to being a linguist.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Addition to Race-Relations Debate
Review: McWhorter argues that the themes of victimhood, separatism, and anti-intellectualism are endemic in black culture. More than continued white racism, it is this corrupt philosophy that is the most significant barrier to black advancement. His case is powerful and thoughtful. It's hard to pin down his political persuasion -- you'll likely disagree with many points whether you are conservative, liberal or libertarian -- but that may actually be an asset. It will stimulate your own thinking on the matter as you formulate your opposition or consider how you would modify his position. No matter what is your ultimate opinion of McWhorter's conclusions, an honest survey of the subject simply has to account for his observations. I think this book is significant on a deeper level even than the stated issue of black self-sabotage. "Losing the Race" offers profound insight into the de-humanizing effects of racial identification -or any identification with an unearned-group (nationalism, ethnicity, etc). I gradually came to not only agree with much of McWhorter's argument, but also to view him a sort of hero for standing up for such an unpopular opinion. This book will resonate with anyone who has struggled to forge a personal dignity in a society obsessed with racial and ethnic identity.
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