Book Review: The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

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The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray is a historical fiction novel that spans many years and tells of the friendship between former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune. I don't know if I would have picked up this book if it hadn't been the August selection for one of the book clubs I belong to in my area because I don't read a lot of historical fiction. However, I am so glad that I read it and was able to learn many things I hadn't learned about in any of my history classes.  I don't recall learning anything about Mary McLeod Bethune, and she is an important part of American history. The things she helped spearhead to provide African American people equal rights is quite impressive. One of the things I was horrified to learn about is Franklin D. Roosevelt's resistance to stop lynchings because he was afraid of losing the Southern Democrats backing for his New Deal Bill. Another thing that I fo...
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Book Review: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

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caste by isabel wilkerson

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson is a non-fiction book taking a look at the history of the United States of America, specifically racism as a caste system and compares it to other caste systems like those in India and Nazi Germany. Using specific examples from history, Wilkerson takes a hard look at how we got to where we are now.

Isabel Wilkerson's Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents is an eye opening book that everyone should read, and it should be required reading in high school. The amount of history included is amazing. There were things that I already knew and some that I didn't. I think what surprised me the most is how much of the history I learned in school was glossed over. 

One such example of history being glossed over is when people were hanged for their crime that photographers would be on hand for the crowds so each person or family could have their photo taken with the the guilty person hanging from the tree. Then, they would send a postcard of the photo to friends and family. 

The amount of history that I learned about in this book was jaw-dropping, and I am shocked that it wasn't taught in school. It is such important information that it should be included in our textbooks. It only helps people learn, be more aware, and hopefully, learn something from it so that history doesn't continue to repeat itself.

Wilkerson also speaks about immigration throughout the history of the United States and how that plays into the caste system. This just reinforced the information I already knew but is such an important part of our history as well and definitely plays into racism and the caste system that is laid out in Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.

Isabel Wilkerson did a phenomenal job with Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent, and I definitely think everyone should read this book and should be required reading for all high school students. I gave it five out of five stars. 

If you liked Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson, then we recommend reading The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander.


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