Customer Reviews

Beyond The Whiteness of Whiteness: Memoir of a White Mother of Black Sons

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I picked up Beyond the Whiteness of Whiteness because I was curious. I couldn't put it down because I was overwhelmed. As an Italian-American, I have spent a great deal of time considering the construction of whiteness and its effect on ethnicity, culture and race. Many of the pieces I read on whiteness are written with the intent to complicate an ethnicity, to make it more than "just white". There has not been enough conversation on the complexities of whiteness and white privilege. Jane Lazarre does what most of the other books haven't done: writes about whiteness after developing an intimate relationship with Blackness. This puts her in a very different position than someone, like me, whose whiteness is often understood only in relation to other white people. I read this book and found myself trembling. Race is a subject that I spend a lot of time thinking about, writing about, and wondering about. What this book managed to do was get me past what I think I know and pull me into another place entirely. A bone body place. This book needs to be read by those whites who say that racism has melted away in the U.S. and by those whites who think they have read and understood as much as they need to. This book will change you.

Jane Lazarre echoes my own thoughts and feelings when she writes of the "invisibility of whiteness". I too am a white woman married to a black man. I will never feel the firsthand racism that my husband or our children will feel. Like the author, I can slip away from racism at any time, alone on the street, I am simply a white woman, with my family I become an oddity, something for strangers to stare at. By myself, my whiteness makes me invisible. Jane Lazarre explains this in a compelling, moving manner. This book will definatly open the eyes of many a reader.

As the mother of a biracial child, I was able to relate to Jane Lazarre-White's experiences. Much of her writing struck me with great familiarity. One thing that she repeatedly addressed was the shame she felt due to the privilege her "whiteness" afforded her. This I could not relate to or understand. As a white female, I am never ashamed of who I was brought into this world to be. I think, instead, that we should be ashamed that the same privilege is not afforded to all. The inequities between racial and social classes is so incredibly divisive; however, we need to ensure that ALL PEOPLE are afforded equalilty and fairness as opposed to stripping it from those who already receive it. Jane Lazarre-White is obviously a well-educated woman...just goes to show us that although we can feed our minds with boundless history on other cultures, we cannot escape our own identity. I hope that Jane Lazarre-White can accept her own identity while embracing the culture of her husband and sons...as we will all leave this world the same "color" in which we entered it!

This book succeeds on two levels at the same time. Jane Lazarre has written a beautiful memoir of her life as a white woman who first marries a black man and then becomes the mother of black sons. She has reflected on her experience, and given it deep meaning, which she shares in this book, as well.

This is an incredibly powerful book, which goes right to the heart of what it means to be white in America. Lazarre's experiences are her own, but the lessons she draws from her life are important lessons for all of us, especially those of us who are white. I recommend this book without reservation to anyone who wants to think again about race, ethnicity, and integrity.

I love this book and this woman because of the honesty. My father is white, my mother is black. Let me tell you, when one of your parents are black-you are black. Jane tells you this in so many words. This whole biracial thing is a lie because American blacks are a multiracial and biracial people because our blood has been mixed since we were brought from Africa. I love the fact that Jane is honest with herself and understands that her sons are black and they must be taught the pride in that. She is absolutely correct to ingratiate herself in to black culture because that is the society her kids will forever live in and she must understand and be a part of that-after all, she is their mother. Most people won't be able to wrap their minds around many of Jane's ideas, but they should definately try. Life changing book, if you haven't read it. Be honest and be real.

This is a thoughtful, well written, well considered book. Anyone who is interested in the subject and has a sincere desire to learn and grow will appreciate this book.

Let's get something straight right up front; The book is well written but its' message will leave anyone not suffering from mental illness in a state of rage.

The author is not just white but is more specifically Jewish which puts her claims of white privilege on their head.

Here's another interesting nugget of information: She writes she was raised as a Communist by her father and imbued with the ideas of Marxism. Couple this with the fact she grew up tortured by not having her mother,died young,and you got the makings of someone with SERIOUS mental problems.

Shorthly after the birth of her two sons she begins to lose her identity (hell I'm being nice, she outright becomes ashamed of 'being white) and begins to adopt the racial identity of being black; she makes the argument she is because her sons are black and her husband is black so she magically becomes black by association and ultra close approximation.

Her pedantic is absolutely intolerable and reaches its' zenith when she asserts whites owe blacks such a huge debt that the only way we as whites can ever repay that debt is to stop being white (one is left with the ditinct impression she means as a race altogether).

The only agreeable truth in this book comes at the end when she realizes her two sons are black and (thankfully, from her point of view) not white; she originally believed them to be biracial,a term she comes to realize is laughable and a fantasy. There is truth in this. Remember the recent 2002 Movie awards when Hally Berry won best actress? Hally's mother is white,her father is black. Which half accepted that award? Which half does Hally Berry see herself as?

All you people who write reviews on how great this book is especially on issues of race and gender and ethnicity etc etc did you even read the book??? SHE SAYS VERY CLEAR THAT RACE DOESNT EXSIST....most people know that...so how can she write so well on race if she says right off the top that there is no such thing???? hmmmmm

For all those who havent read the book it is very interesting...im sure if she could sew her lips to bell hooks bum she would :)