A Washington Post staff writer describes his journeys through a black world, evoking his efforts to cross over and engage blacks in a way whites generally do not. National ad/promo.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
A white man married to a black woman, spurred by a racist joke to feel "fear and anguish" for children, Washington Post Magazine writer Harrington decided to "go out and travel America's parallel black world" to explore the nation's racial conundrums. As he traverses the North, South and West, Harrington deftly paints vivid, brief scenes: a black businessman visits prison inmates, a worker in a road crew lights up at meeting Jesse Jackson, students at a small college in southern Illinois discuss interracial dating. He meets "hard cop" Charleston police chief Reuben Greenberg, filmmaker Spike Lee and novelist James Alan McPherson, who says, "I'm not a great man, but I'm not just a race person." Reflecting on his own relationships with blacks, Harrington revisits relatives and former college classmates. While the insight "racism still rages, but it is for too many blacks also an excuse" hardly merits its presentation as a revelation, Harrington rightly observes that America's racial conflicts also involve culture and class. "Blacks and whites in America are the same and different," he concludes, and his thoughtful mosaic should encourage fresh dialogue. Illustrations not seen by PW.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
YA-- A provocative and moving look at black America. From taped interviews and notes, Harrington, a white journalist, documents a 25,000-mile journey across small towns and cosmopolitan cities. He spent time talking to individuals--a filmmaker, a baseball player, a jazz musician, a convicted murderer, a welfare mother, a former campus radical, and young black kids. They share their experiences in school desegregation, sharecropping, jobs in small towns, and in military service. His encounters are enlivened with conversations flavored by local colloquialisms, residual prejudices, even latent hostilities, countered with surprising good humor. They will startle and inspire liberal and conservative readers alike. Careful details of food, money, music, dress, and especially hair will capture the interest of YAs who might sample these sketches and come away realizing that this book cuts across regional, age, occupational, and economic-class lines. Indexing by themes, such as anger, black affluence, stereotypes, and interracial dating, makes it even more valuable to students of American culture and sociology.
- Betta Hedlund, Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, VA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
- Betta Hedlund, Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, VA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fascinating journey that touches the lives of heroes,
By A Customer
This review is from: Crossings: A White Man's Journey into Black America (Paperback)
I absolutely loved this book. What a journey? As an African Canadian I've had a long fascination with the history and lives of my brothers and sisters to the south. When I was very young I would pore over my father's old Ebony magazines from the 60s absorbing all the knowledge I could about people who I found incredibly complex, strong, loving, generous, heroic....The many stories of courage, achievement and triumph made me very proud. Walt Harrington's book has allowed me to continue my fascinating journey. Today I have many African-American friends who are often astonished with my knowledge of their history and culture. Harrington's book is one that every American should read. Mainly because it's not a book about African Americans, as much as it's a book about America. Every chapter is a journey into complexities of American culture and it's people. They say that the best stories are true - this book is living proof of that. The fact that Harrington is white, makes this journey all the more interesting. Him experiencing things for the first time that we as Black people have long been privvy to is often funny (in a sad way). There are many examples of the accepted ignorance that white privilege creates. However, we find Harrington asking himself questions that would be so easy to sugar coat with a great white liberal response, but he instead answers with the unexpected - brutal honesty (what you suspect he is thinking, but would never say). Some of Harrington's experiences and stories scrape the depths of despair (Chicago projects), while others show the will of a people (Oklohoma cowboys). Harrington is generous in his writing style, recreating Black people's lives and experiences with the greatest detail and vividness. Walt, thank you for your commitment to expanding your horizons and allowing others to be part of your journey - I enjoyed every minute of it. This book is one I look forward to revisiting.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
very interesting,
By Jessica (Montgomery, AL) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Crossings: A White Man's Journey Into Black America (Paperback)
I have always been very interested in the role of race in our society. There is no real answer to the questions of its importance, but Harrington does an exceptional job in giving his readers nonbiased, objective research. He travels the country interviewing many different African Americans in different socioeconomic backgrounds, regions, and lifestyles. It is incredibly interesting reading about their different beliefs on the subjects he brings up, and their openness to discuss these things also intrigues me. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about race, whether it is your own, or one you want to know more about.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A true portrayal of Black America,
By A Customer
This review is from: Crossings: A White Man's Journey into Black America (Paperback)
This book was written ironically by a white man who is married to a black woman. Instead of assuming things about the largest minority group in America, he goes on a fact-finding mission that stretches from Washington, DC to Oregon. After his long journey, he asks himself some important questions about race and how they affect this great country of ours. If you are white and you know nothing about the black community, read this book
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