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A review by hfjarmer
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
I rated Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson 4.5 stars on StoryGraph but am rounding up to 5 stars here. It feels contraindicative of everything I learned while reading it to give it anything less. Annotations for days.
Wilkerson examines caste systems as we know them from India and Nazi Germany, then explores how the term provides a more accurate framework for understanding race relations in America than the language we’ve historically used. As she puts it, “Caste is the bones, race the skin”—a structural system that underpins American society, often invisible in daily life, which makes it all the more dangerous.
While some might categorize Caste as part of an "anti-racism starter pack," I found it to be a profound and insightful addition to my own education about the roots of racism and casteism in the United States. Wilkerson's writing is compelling and thought-provoking. She reminds us, “We are responsible for our own ignorance or, with time and openhearted enlightenment, our own wisdom.” She likens the responsibility of the dominant caste to inheriting a dilapidated house: even if you didn’t cause the damage, the house is crumbling around you—and you can’t simply ignore it.
Wilkerson skillfully blends research with personal anecdotes to illustrate her points. The researched sections were gripping, and many of the anecdotes strengthened her arguments. However, some anecdotes felt less productive in advancing her thesis, which was the primary reason for my half-star deduction. That said, I recognize the importance of lived experience in a social analysis such as this one; anthropological and sociological works inevitably weave together research and personal narratives, though I can see how some would be put off by this approach.
I won’t delve too deeply into the specifics of her arguments, as her work speaks for itself. But I found Caste deeply impactful and highly recommend it. This book reaffirmed my commitment to reading more works centered on social justice—a goal I began pursuing in late 2024 and look forward to continuing into 2025.
Wilkerson examines caste systems as we know them from India and Nazi Germany, then explores how the term provides a more accurate framework for understanding race relations in America than the language we’ve historically used. As she puts it, “Caste is the bones, race the skin”—a structural system that underpins American society, often invisible in daily life, which makes it all the more dangerous.
While some might categorize Caste as part of an "anti-racism starter pack," I found it to be a profound and insightful addition to my own education about the roots of racism and casteism in the United States. Wilkerson's writing is compelling and thought-provoking. She reminds us, “We are responsible for our own ignorance or, with time and openhearted enlightenment, our own wisdom.” She likens the responsibility of the dominant caste to inheriting a dilapidated house: even if you didn’t cause the damage, the house is crumbling around you—and you can’t simply ignore it.
Wilkerson skillfully blends research with personal anecdotes to illustrate her points. The researched sections were gripping, and many of the anecdotes strengthened her arguments. However, some anecdotes felt less productive in advancing her thesis, which was the primary reason for my half-star deduction. That said, I recognize the importance of lived experience in a social analysis such as this one; anthropological and sociological works inevitably weave together research and personal narratives, though I can see how some would be put off by this approach.
I won’t delve too deeply into the specifics of her arguments, as her work speaks for itself. But I found Caste deeply impactful and highly recommend it. This book reaffirmed my commitment to reading more works centered on social justice—a goal I began pursuing in late 2024 and look forward to continuing into 2025.