White Fragility

Plot:

The subtitle of this book is “why it’s so hard for white people to talk about racism”, and I think that sums up this book so well. White Fragility looks at the concept of whiteness in America, and how whiteness and racism interact. Most white people don’t grow up talking about race, and how race shapes their world; most people of color do. This book addresses why we as white people are so uncomfortable talking about race, why we get so defensive when it’s brought up, and what we can do to change the way we think about and talk about race.

What I loved most:

I’ve been doing a lot of reading this year about the experiences of people of color in America – check out my list of stellar anti-racist books here. I think it’s crucial for white people to listen to people of color, and to learn from them whenever possible. However, we also have to look at ourselves, and what it means to be white in America in 2020. White Fragility is a super complicated book, and it’s definitely going to challenge the way that you think about race and about your own complicity in America’s structural racism. But it’s worth the effort, friends.

Read this book if you like:

Analyzing your own attitudes and beliefs, personal growth, anti-racism, sociology

Book details:

• Author: Robin DiAngelo
• Publisher: Beacon Press
• Date of Publication: June 26, 2018
• Interest Level: Adult
• Look up White Fragility on WorldCat to find it at a library near you!