Customer Reviews

The Education of a WASP (Wisconsin Studies in Autobiography)

5 star:		(9)
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3 star:		(1)
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Lois Stalvey came from a middle-class white Midwestern background in the 1950s-60s. She was ignorant of racial problems. She thought that outright racism never occurred in her community. That perception was changed when she made friends with an African-American doctor who was trying to buy a house. She then discovered the substantial vein of racism running through her community, in her friends and neighbors. She was ostracized and shunned for trying to help out this black family. She then continually got more and more involved in fighting for civil rights for black people. This is her story. An excellent introduction to race relations for Midwestern/ rural whites like me who saw few black people when we were growing up. Also the book gives a glimpse into racial attitudes of middle-class whites in the Midwest in the 1950s and 60s.

I worked in the library in college and happened on this book in the stacks. I had started a group to end white racism but never found another resouce to help me with this process. I read this book cover to cover, send it to the elders of my church, gave copies to friends...spent all my money buying copies so this womens journey from a total unconsciousness about white racism grew and grew and grew, She didn't know, she didn't understand but when she did, she did something about it. Not only in the midwest, but after encountering more"subtle" racism when she moved East to Philadephia. I loved this book. Still give it away. Admire her courage and her journey and her willingness not only to change but to do something to change the injustcie she learned about around her.

I read this book for a Diversity in the Workplace class I took at college. I can never tell you how much it opened my eyes. Being married to a black man and having bi-racial children didn't teach me as much as this book did. If you have the time and the inclination, please read this book. The only draw back is the price. Using it for a textbook has given the sellers a license to charge as much as they can on it. And it is a shame because more people should read this but they can't afford to buy it.

I had to buy this book for a graduate class. The book came in the condition as described and was shipped in good time. The book is an okay read. Not something I would read for my own enjoyment.

Stalvey's The Education of a WASP is by no means an easy read. It is captivating, surely, the type of book that is difficult to put down. Yet her story is also a wrenching account of witnessing egregious injustice and learning that she has no recourse. This autobiography, set in 1960s Omaha and Philadelphia, chronicles Stalvey's awakening to the reality of American racism. Her middle class, protestant, white experience and belief system are challenged as she very intentionally examines the black experience of 1960s America.

Woven throughout this valuable examination of an historical period is an exploration of marriage, child rearing and friendship. Stalvey responds gracefully time and time again through lost friendships, a ruined career, and fear for the safety of her family. Throughout her education, perhaps her greatest asset is her willingness to listen, to hear what people have to say, even when her reflex is to cover her ears. This ability to listen enables Stalvey to chronicle many different lives and provides both profound perspective and richness in her narrative.

This is the best book about race I have ever read written by a white person. Stalvey's memoir of her personal relationships with black people during the 1960's when our country was finally beginning to come to terms with its deep-seated racism is both inspiring and enlightening. Not only does she discuss race, she delves into other kinds of prejudice and how important it is for each of us to examine where our prejudices come from if we are ever to move beyond them. I recommend this book to anyone who doesn't think we have a race problem in this country, for even though decades have passed since its initial publication, we still have a long way to go to resolve the schism racism has cut into our national psyche.

I purchased this book for my teenage daughter to add to her homeschooling summer reads. I had read the book for a Diversity class in college and personally think it is a book that should be read by everyone. She is very interested in equality, diversity and acceptance, so I know this book will be a page-turner as well as an eye-opener for her. Knowing that it is a "true story" just adds to the amazing read that this book is. If you have any wonders or interests in segregation, equal treatment for all humans, or just want an intersting character study to read, this book is exactly what you're looking for!!

Maybe it's because I grew up in Mount Airy (the setting for most of the book) and I take pride in being the product of such a unique place, but I enjoyed this book thoroughly. Interestingly, I saw a news recap of the protest march for the Jena 6 tonight, where well-tanned white anchorman interviewed the highschool football coach, who had no idea that there were ratial tensions in his town - "there's no rule that says they can't go to our church, they just don't want to" - RIGHT... This book touches on the ingrained bigotry of white suburbia in the 50's (not that it's come so far) and the tenssions in more-urban Philadelphia surrounding the process of "white flight," which was occuring in urban communities nation-wide. It's notable however that this story probably would never have been written if the author had moved even a few miles away to west Philadelphia where the racial make-up of the neighborhoods were almost completely turned over (and where another turnover has been ongoing for a decade or so). It is a testament, not only to the author but many of her neighbors who chose to stay that Mount Airy is considered one of the first successfully integrated communities in America, having been noted for this in Oprah's magazine (bette late than never) and US News & Word Report. Anyone interested in learning about mid-century "white flight" and the undercurrent oooof racism in America in general will find this book and the community described to be a welcome stand-out.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it led me to understand some of the truths of society that I had somehow ignored and denied. This book will cause you to examine yourself and the society you live in in an entirely new light. It changed my outlook on my life dramatically.

This book deserves ten stars! I am at a loss to adequately praise it. One of the most intelligent and insightful tomes on racism. First published in 1970 it is even more relevant today.

Who can deny that the failures of the past are still haunting us today? Stalvey's work in 1970 gives great insight into the frustration and unrest of the 60's and forty years later the continuing problems can be seen as a result of society's failure to properly address them.

I was reared with racial prejudices and still deal with them daily. I wish I had read this book in high school or college in the 70's. I could have progressed so much more in my understanding than I have.

An excellent companion to this book is James Loewen's Sundown Towns. Also his book Lies My Teacher Told Me and Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States.