#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • OPRAHS BOOK CLUB PICK • “An instant American classic and almost certainly the keynote nonfiction book of the American century thus far.”—Dwight Garner, The New York TimesThe Pulitzer Prize–winning, bestselling author of The Warmth of Other Suns examines the unspoken caste system that has shaped America and shows how our lives today are still defined by a hierarchy of human divisions.#1 NONFICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR: TimeONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, O: The Oprah Magazine, NPR, Bloomberg, The Christian Science Monitor, New York Post, The New York Public Library, Fortune, Smithsonian Magazine, Marie Claire, Slate, Library Journal, Kirkus ReviewsWinner of the Carl Sandberg Literary Award • Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize • National Book Award Longlist • National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist • Dayton Literary Peace Prize Finalist • PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction Finalist • PEN/Jean Stein Book Award Longlist • Kirkus Prize Finalist“As we go about our daily lives, caste is the wordless usher in a darkened theater, flashlight cast down in the aisles, guiding us to our assigned seats for a performance. The hierarchy of caste is not about feelings or morality. It is about power—which groups have it and which do not.” In this brilliant book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched, and beautifully written narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings. Beyond race, class, or other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences peoples lives and behavior and the nations fate. Linking the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more. Using riveting stories about people—including Martin Luther King, Jr., baseballs Satchel Paige, a single father and his toddler son, Wilkerson herself, and many others—she shows the ways that the insidious undertow of caste is experienced every day. She documents how the Nazis studied the racial systems in America to plan their outcasting of the Jews; she discusses why the cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the middle to measure themselves against; she writes about the surprising health costs of caste, in depression and life expectancy, and the effects of this hierarchy on our culture and politics. Finally, she points forward to ways America can move beyond the artificial and destructive separations of human divisions, toward hope in our common humanity.Original and revealing, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents is an eye-opening story of people and history, and a reexamination of what lies under the surface of ordinary lives and of American life today.
Discover the thought-provoking and groundbreaking work of Isabel Wilkerson in her book, "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents." This powerful and meticulously researched book delves into the intricate system of caste that has shaped human societies for centuries, examining its origins, manifestations, and enduring consequences.
Wilkerson draws upon a vast tapestry of historical accounts, personal narratives, and sociological analysis to uncover the insidious nature of caste, tracing its roots from ancient India to the present day. She reveals how caste has operated not only in countries like the United States and India, but also in societies across the globe, perpetuating hierarchies of power, privilege, and oppression.
Wilkerson's exploration of caste goes beyond mere historical recounting. She uncovers the subtle, yet pervasive ways in which caste continues to shape our lives, influencing everything from our relationships to our opportunities, our identities, and even our perceptions of ourselves and others.
In "Caste," Isabel Wilkerson offers a profound and nuanced understanding of this complex and deeply entrenched system, shedding light on its profound impact on individuals, communities, and nations. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the roots of inequality, discrimination, and the enduring struggle for justice and equality.
Get your copy of "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" today and embark on a journey of enlightenment, empathy, and a deeper understanding of the world we live in. Join Isabel Wilkerson in this powerful exploration of one of humanity's most enduring and insidious social constructs.
