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katy_ryn's review against another edition
4.0
A little dense, but incredibly important and well-researched. A necessary read, especially for other white folks.
kdahlo's review against another edition
5.0
Speaking as someone who works directly with human genomic data and studies evolution in humans, I think this book is essential reading for the field. Even though this book is now several years old it is shockingly prescient, I was continually amazed that a writer thinking through these problems in 2010 would be so readily able to predict what the science and politics of race would look like in 2019. I certainly wasn't able to see the writing on the wall at that time, but Dorothy Roberts did.
Whether you are a scientist, or just want to better understand how science can act to reinforce ideas of race and racism, this book is meticulously researched and will give you nearly everything you might need to know. I was seriously impressed and would really like to participate in a course built around this book.
My one caveat is that it is a dense book with a lot of information, not a quick breezy read. Expect to read a chapter and then take a break to digest. It took me over a month to read it (taking some breaks to read other books), but I kept coming back for the great ideas and insights. Truly one of the best books I've read and super relevant to my work.
Whether you are a scientist, or just want to better understand how science can act to reinforce ideas of race and racism, this book is meticulously researched and will give you nearly everything you might need to know. I was seriously impressed and would really like to participate in a course built around this book.
My one caveat is that it is a dense book with a lot of information, not a quick breezy read. Expect to read a chapter and then take a break to digest. It took me over a month to read it (taking some breaks to read other books), but I kept coming back for the great ideas and insights. Truly one of the best books I've read and super relevant to my work.
hende_j's review against another edition
challenging
informative
medium-paced
3.0
Good premise, pretty repetitive. My recommendation would be to read intro to each section and then decide which pieces are interesting to read
s_smiadak's review against another edition
3.0
The content is important to understand but I don't feel like I learned anything new that I didn't already learn from similar books I read before this one which is why I gave it a 3 star and not 4.
ninakeller's review against another edition
5.0
The crux of this book is that race is a social category (made up and perpetuated by people) and not a scientific one(with any genetic basis or implications). Bad science has cited previous bad science to perpetuate the unscientific idea that correlations of health problems and black communities have a genetic basis. The truth is that government policy based on social categories have long imposed conditions for illness and many stereotypes.
Very well researched, simple in its truth, convincing.
Very well researched, simple in its truth, convincing.
klptenn's review against another edition
3.0
Needs an update as science and tech have evolved, but good points.