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Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race Paperback – January 9, 2014
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Debby Irving's powerful Waking Up White opens a rare window on how white Americans are socialized. Irving's focus on the mechanics of racism operating in just one life -- her own -- may lead white readers to reconsider the roots of their own perspectives -- and their role in dismantling old myths. Readers of color will no doubt find the view through Irving's window fascinating, and telling." -- Van Jones, author, Rebuild The Dream, The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems; President, Rebuild The Dream; Co-host, CNN Crossfire
"Waking up White is a brutally honest, unflinching exploration of race and personal identity, told with heart by a truly gifted storyteller. Much as Irving's family sought to shield her from the contours of the nation's racial drama, so too do far too many white Americans continue to do the same. For their sakes, and ours, let's hope Irving's words spark even more truth-telling. They certainly have the power to do so." -- Tim Wise, author, White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son
"I read Waking Up White in one sitting. To say I loved it is an understatement. It's such a raw, honest portrait .... Irving's experience on display - warts and all - will help white people, who haven't noticed the role systemic privilege has played in their lives, start to see the world in a new way." -- Jodi Picoult, author, The Storyteller, My Sister's Keeper
Irving's personal and moving tale takes us on an adventure to a world utterly new to her as she wakes up to the reality of how, without her knowledge or active pursuit, she lives in a society which is set up to reward her at the expense of people of color. I cannot imagine a more understandable and compelling invitation to learn about how racism lives on in our homes, communities, and nation. -- Bishop Gene Robinson, Retired Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire and Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, Washington, DC
"Deborah Irving's Waking Up White is a courageous, insightful, and critical contribution to awareness of race in the United States. A virtual one-woman Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Deborah's journey from an 'ah-ha' instant to consciousness is a journey for all Americans." -- Thomas Shapiro, author, The Hidden Cost of Being African American; Director, Institute on Assets and Social Policy
"Waking up White is a brutally honest, unflinching exploration of race and personal identity, told with heart by a truly gifted storyteller. Much as Irving's family sought to shield her from the contours of the nation's racial drama, so too do far too many white Americans continue to do the same. For their sakes, and ours, let's hope Irving's words spark even more truth-telling. They certainly have the power to do so." -- Tim Wise, author, White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son
"I read Waking Up White in one sitting. To say I loved it is an understatement. It's such a raw, honest portrait .... Irving's experience on display - warts and all - will help white people, who haven't noticed the role systemic privilege has played in their lives, start to see the world in a new way." -- Jodi Picoult, author, The Storyteller, My Sister's Keeper
Irving's personal and moving tale takes us on an adventure to a world utterly new to her as she wakes up to the reality of how, without her knowledge or active pursuit, she lives in a society which is set up to reward her at the expense of people of color. I cannot imagine a more understandable and compelling invitation to learn about how racism lives on in our homes, communities, and nation. -- Bishop Gene Robinson, Retired Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire and Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, Washington, DC
"Deborah Irving's Waking Up White is a courageous, insightful, and critical contribution to awareness of race in the United States. A virtual one-woman Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Deborah's journey from an 'ah-ha' instant to consciousness is a journey for all Americans." -- Thomas Shapiro, author, The Hidden Cost of Being African American; Director, Institute on Assets and Social Policy
From the Author
Dear readers - Thank you so much for your interest in Waking Up White. I hope it will give you or someone you know new insights into how racism works and why you (or white people you know) can get so anxious when it comes to talking about race and racism. Writing the book was not only my way to reach out to other white people confused and/or curious about racism, it was like writing a five-year long journal entry in an effort to make sense of all I learned and experienced in my research. Happy reading ~ Debby
More About the Author
Debby Irving is an emerging voice in the national racial justice community. Combining her organization development skills, classroom teaching experience, and understanding of systemic racism, Irving educates and consults with individuals and organizations seeking to create racial equity at both the personal and institutional level.
Irving grew up in Winchester, Massachusetts, during the socially turbulent 1960s and '70s. After a blissfully sheltered, upper-middle-class suburban childhood, she found herself simultaneously intrigued and horrified by the racial divide she observed in nearby Boston. Her career began in a variety of urban performance-art and community-based non-profits, where she repeatedly found that her best efforts to "help" caused more harm than the good she intended. Her one-step-forward-two-steps-back experience of racial understanding eventually lead her to dig deeply into her own white privilege, where she found truths she never knew existed. Waking Up White describes that journey and the lessons learned along the way.
Now a racial justice educator and writer, Irving works with other white people to transform confusion into curiosity and anxiety into action. She's worked in private and public urban schools, both in the classroom and at the board level, to foster community among students, teachers, staff, and families by focusing on honest dialog that educates and connects people through shared interests and divergent backgrounds. A graduate of the Winsor School in Boston, she holds a BA from Kenyon College and an MBA from Simmons College. Waking Up White is her first book.
Irving grew up in Winchester, Massachusetts, during the socially turbulent 1960s and '70s. After a blissfully sheltered, upper-middle-class suburban childhood, she found herself simultaneously intrigued and horrified by the racial divide she observed in nearby Boston. Her career began in a variety of urban performance-art and community-based non-profits, where she repeatedly found that her best efforts to "help" caused more harm than the good she intended. Her one-step-forward-two-steps-back experience of racial understanding eventually lead her to dig deeply into her own white privilege, where she found truths she never knew existed. Waking Up White describes that journey and the lessons learned along the way.
Now a racial justice educator and writer, Irving works with other white people to transform confusion into curiosity and anxiety into action. She's worked in private and public urban schools, both in the classroom and at the board level, to foster community among students, teachers, staff, and families by focusing on honest dialog that educates and connects people through shared interests and divergent backgrounds. A graduate of the Winsor School in Boston, she holds a BA from Kenyon College and an MBA from Simmons College. Waking Up White is her first book.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By
Malaga6
on May 19, 2014
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Debby Irving's memoir is a revelation: she dissects her life experience as a WASP baby boomer in a candid, insightful manner. She is open about her upbringing of privilege, access and comfort as a white American woman and how this upbringing skewed her understanding of American history, its social, economic and racial disparities. I highly recommend this book to anyone who cares about eliminating racial disparities in America and eliminating racial prejudice in their behavior.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By
N LeBantrim
on April 19, 2014
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Very thought provoking book and as relevant today as back in the 50's and 60's. Too many still think this problem was solved years ago. Depressing when one realizes how we kid ourselves into thinking we live in a democratic country with justice for all.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By
Jill Perry
on June 18, 2014
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I learned much from Ms. Irving's book and I plan to share with my students. Helped me identify my own cultural bias and gave clear practical advice for personal growth in this area.
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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By
Z. O'Toole
on May 19, 2014
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Excellent book about the difficulty of understanding race issues as a member of the dominant culture. If you're white and you've ever found yourself confused about the issues of race, racism and the legacy of slavery as it plays out in today's world, this is the book for you. Irving's honesty as she recounts her journey from confusion to understanding will strike a chord with many. Understanding the way things are is the first step toward making them better.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By
Emilia Rainwalker
on July 6, 2014
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this book is an easy read and shop up many of the assumptions I have believed about race. It is not easy to explain what "being white" means. Debby Irving does a very good job. this book is a good training manual for groups who want to work against racism.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By
Carolyn Mapes
on May 2, 2014
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Admitting to white privilege: what a concept! Not many people admit to it and even more aren't even aware of it. And that's really the point here.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By
Elizabeth Bellis
on June 11, 2014
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I didn't expect to find myself staying up late at night reading this book, but I did. Brave, inspiring, thought-provoking.
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12 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By
Kathryn Rosenberg
on January 26, 2014
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Irving's book, "Waking Up White" chronicles her transformation from being a person who never considered race to being a racial justice educator. It's an eye-opening and candid narrative, one we should all read -- particularly those of us who are white. Even those of us who strive to be anti-racist likely haven't yet figured out how to convert our yearning for diversity into a a deep understanding of race in the United States. This book will get you started. Read it, recommend it, and discuss it.
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