Caste (Oprah's Book Club): The Origins of Our Discontents

Race is a complicated issue, this book illustrates another layer to an already complicated, yet unnecessary situation in our times. Read and learn.

Halfway reading it, love it

I didn't want to read this book. I did very much enjoy Isabel Wilkerson's Warmth of Other Suns, and I've enjoyed countless others historic books on race so I guess I assumed this would be a "preaching to the choir" kind of book that I didn't need. I've also read "White Trash" by Nancy Isenberg and "Hillbilly Elegy" by the now Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance to help me better understand white sentiment and seemingly endless anger. But my sister said I had to read it so I did. Ok I waited over a year . .It's easy reading, candid, engaging and non preachy. There's no angry tone. There's reasoning and methodical stories of caste and comparisons between USA, India and ouch . . Natzi Germany. And still there's no villainizing. Just comparisons and stories.So why was it also uncomfortable reading? Well I like history. It's safe and it's back there, and helps me understand the world today. This is a history book, but it makes the connection and reaches into current times in a compelling, truthful and ultimately disturbing way. Racism isn't over. And it doesn't automatically go away. If a caste system exists, it exists whether it's acknowledged or not. This book presents caste as a neverending story. I'm not sorry that it was upsetting for me or that I had to read in short segments. Do whites really need to have a designated lower black class in our country - or else discontentment (which is a nice way of putting it) sets in and basically takes over? Is this our security? Ouch. Big ouch as in - ouch of a lifetime.What a landmark book. You can't read this and be the same person, whatever race you call yourself. Ok maybe you can. But I'm not. So many good wishes at the end of the book too. "A world without caste would set everyone free." Ms. Wilkerson then exonerates us to "make a connection" across caste. She doesn't use the word love, but that's what this book is all about. Hope and love.

Still reading since is quite long. Was advised by some american friends.

Excellent! Thoughtfully detailed work by the author. Can be informative and certainly very beneficial to anyone who may be curious about how “one up-one down/ “Us vs. them” mentality is still working its power and control in the larger society. The author put forth an incredible book.

The story of slavery and what followed in the USA. The author goes back and forth between now and then, and you realize that little has change for a black person today. Very well written and extremely intereting.