The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together
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- Author：Heather McGhee
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Summary
One of today’s most insightful and influential thinkers offers a powerful exploration of inequality and the lesson that generations of Americans have failed to learn: Racism has a cost for everyone—not just for people of color。
“This is the book I’ve been waiting for。”—Ibram X。 Kendi， #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist
Heather McGhee’s specialty is the American economy—and the mystery of why it so often fails the American public。 From the financial crisis to rising student debt to collapsing public infrastructure， she found a common root problem: racism。 But not just in the most obvious indignities for people of color。 Racism has costs for white people， too。 It is the common denominator of our most vexing public problems， the core dysfunction of our democracy and constitutive of the spiritual and moral crises that grip us all。 But how did this happen？ And is there a way out？
McGhee embarks on a deeply personal journey across the country from Maine to Mississippi to California， tallying what we lose when we buy into the zero-sum paradigm—the idea that progress for some of us must come at the expense of others。 Along the way， she meets white people who confide in her about losing their homes， their dreams， and their shot at better jobs to the toxic mix of American racism and greed。 This is the story of how public goods in this country—from parks and pools to functioning schools—have become private luxuries; of how unions collapsed， wages stagnated， and inequality increased; and of how this country， unique among the world’s advanced economies， has thwarted universal healthcare。
But in unlikely places of worship and work， McGhee finds proof of what she calls the Solidarity Dividend: gains that come when people come together across race， to accomplish what we simply can’t do on our own。
The Sum of Us is a brilliant analysis of how we arrived here: divided and self-destructing， materially rich but spiritually starved and vastly unequal。 McGhee marshals economic and sociological research to paint an irrefutable story of racism’s costs， but at the heart of the book are the humble stories of people yearning to be part of a better America， including white supremacy’s collateral victims: white people themselves。 With startling empathy， this heartfelt message from a Black woman to a multiracial America leaves us with a new vision for a future in which we finally realize that life can be more than a zero-sum game。
“This is the book I’ve been waiting for。”—Ibram X。 Kendi， #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist
Heather McGhee’s specialty is the American economy—and the mystery of why it so often fails the American public。 From the financial crisis to rising student debt to collapsing public infrastructure， she found a common root problem: racism。 But not just in the most obvious indignities for people of color。 Racism has costs for white people， too。 It is the common denominator of our most vexing public problems， the core dysfunction of our democracy and constitutive of the spiritual and moral crises that grip us all。 But how did this happen？ And is there a way out？
McGhee embarks on a deeply personal journey across the country from Maine to Mississippi to California， tallying what we lose when we buy into the zero-sum paradigm—the idea that progress for some of us must come at the expense of others。 Along the way， she meets white people who confide in her about losing their homes， their dreams， and their shot at better jobs to the toxic mix of American racism and greed。 This is the story of how public goods in this country—from parks and pools to functioning schools—have become private luxuries; of how unions collapsed， wages stagnated， and inequality increased; and of how this country， unique among the world’s advanced economies， has thwarted universal healthcare。
But in unlikely places of worship and work， McGhee finds proof of what she calls the Solidarity Dividend: gains that come when people come together across race， to accomplish what we simply can’t do on our own。
The Sum of Us is a brilliant analysis of how we arrived here: divided and self-destructing， materially rich but spiritually starved and vastly unequal。 McGhee marshals economic and sociological research to paint an irrefutable story of racism’s costs， but at the heart of the book are the humble stories of people yearning to be part of a better America， including white supremacy’s collateral victims: white people themselves。 With startling empathy， this heartfelt message from a Black woman to a multiracial America leaves us with a new vision for a future in which we finally realize that life can be more than a zero-sum game。
Editor Reviews
★ 01/04/2021
Political commentator McGhee argues in her astute and persuasive debut that income inequality and the decline of the middle and working classes in America are a direct result of the country’s long history of racial injustice。 Many white Americans， McGhee claims， center their political beliefs and actions—often to their own detriment—on the false premise that social and economic gains for one race result in losses for another。 She traces the history of race relations in America from slavery through Reconstruction， Jim Crow， and the dawn of neoliberalism， documenting instances in which racism against Black Americans has diminished everyone’s quality of life and forestalled social progress， including the mass closure of public swimming pools in the 1950s and ’60s to avoid integration， and the American Medical Association’s “racist red-baiting campaign” to undermine President Truman’s efforts to pass universal health-care legislation。 McGhee holds up a recent economic turnaround in Lewiston， Maine， as an example of how communities can thrive thanks to immigrants and people of color， driving home the point that racial inclusivity benefits all Americans。 McGhee marshals a wealth of information into a cohesive narrative that ends on a hopeful note。 This sharp， thorough， and engrossing report casts America’s racial divide in a new light。 （Feb。）
Reviews
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Sarah
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The Sum of Us by Heather McGee is a well researched， well structured look at the racial divisions stoked by craven politicians and companies and how they affect everyone - even those with a modicum of privilege。 For myself， reading this book wasn't entirely revelatory in terms of how sowing racial division is beneficial for politicians looking to make cuts to services - however， I really enjoyed reading from McGee's perspective as a long time worker and eventual president of a think tank， as wel The Sum of Us by Heather McGee is a well researched， well structured look at the racial divisions stoked by craven politicians and companies and how they affect everyone - even those with a modicum of privilege。 For myself， reading this book wasn't entirely revelatory in terms of how sowing racial division is beneficial for politicians looking to make cuts to services - however， I really enjoyed reading from McGee's perspective as a long time worker and eventual president of a think tank， as well as her research with individuals and cities that triumphed against bigoted practices。I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting greater understanding of the way politicians speak and act - often against the greater good， and sometimes against what constituent polling wants。 An excellent Black History Month read！Thank you to the publisher， via NetGalley， for providing me with an arc for review。 。。。more
Randy A。
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The Sum of Us is very good。 It will deservingly spark great conversations， coalition building， arguments for policy change， and the change itself。 I didn't love the book's tone/organization， but that may be personal。The book is out today and I thank Net Galley for early access and the chance to read and review。 I jumped at the chance to read early both because （1） I am interested in racial injustice and policy avenues to a more equitable future and （2） every time Heather McGhee appears on televi The Sum of Us is very good。 It will deservingly spark great conversations， coalition building， arguments for policy change， and the change itself。 I didn't love the book's tone/organization， but that may be personal。The book is out today and I thank Net Galley for early access and the chance to read and review。 I jumped at the chance to read early both because （1） I am interested in racial injustice and policy avenues to a more equitable future and （2） every time Heather McGhee appears on television I feel like she raises the discourse and makes everyone in the room and tuning in smarter。 To make her argument， most chapters focus on a policy topic （though the wheels come off this organization by the last chapters）， such as residential/school segregation， climate change， voting rights， home ownership。 She marshals examples from her own life story， history， relevant support from others' work， and her in-person interviews to make the case that racial discrimination has hurt and continues to hurt everyone - including white people。 The author's discussion of drained swimming pools as a response to integrating pools was the most poignant and becomes a repeated metaphor throughout the book。 What makes this book very good over excellent is the way the book is laid out as a personal journey as opposed to a thesis with supporting proof。 Also the policy prescriptions are very brief at the end of the book but might have been given deeper treatment at the end of each chapter。 COVID-19 gets quick treatment in the last chapter， and I think it may have been worth slowing publication for a section on health disparities。 Still， I would recommend it and hope to hear/watch McGhee engaging with interviewers and audiences。 。。。more
Susan
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This is a book I suggest you put at the top of your Racism Education reading list！ Ms。 McGhee takes a solid look at what racism is costing every single American every single day in health， wealth， education， etc， etc， etc。 For example: this book doesn't have the basic math spelled out like Mr。 Metzl did in his Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment Is Killing America's Heartland， but she still strongly support her points on how the fear of "immigrants and welfare freeloaders" This is a book I suggest you put at the top of your Racism Education reading list！ Ms。 McGhee takes a solid look at what racism is costing every single American every single day in health， wealth， education， etc， etc， etc。 For example: this book doesn't have the basic math spelled out like Mr。 Metzl did in his Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment Is Killing America's Heartland， but she still strongly support her points on how the fear of "immigrants and welfare freeloaders" （my paraphrasing） using our medical system has crippled healthcare for millions of citizens， needlessly。 Again she returns to how the richest Americans use racism to help force down wages and benefits， hurting every single person they employee regardless of race。 Once again， someone is showing us what is wrong， what needs to be done， and how to do it。 I did wonder a bit， as reading this book， if Ms。 McGhee wishes she had waited another 6 months or so before publishing this book。 Completed before the election and ensuing madness， there were a few additional examples and maybe even chapters she could have added。 How sad is that， for all of us？Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of the book。 This review is my own opinion。 。。。more
KK
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I really enjoyed this book， and learned so much from within its pages。 We are not more when we make someone less; we do not lose our rights by extending them to others。 I want a copy for myself and a copy for each of several friends！ Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this work in exchange for my honest review。
Jim
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I am a long time admirer and follower of Heather McGhee and her work at Demos。 I regularly interact with Demos' work， and was not surprised by McGhee's elevated public persona over the past five or so years。 She is a singular voice on inclusive democracy， and has grown to become one of our best policy-minded speakers focused on racial justice。When Demos announced that McGhee would be moving on from her role as a day-to-day executive at the organization to move into a space more aligned with her I am a long time admirer and follower of Heather McGhee and her work at Demos。 I regularly interact with Demos' work， and was not surprised by McGhee's elevated public persona over the past five or so years。 She is a singular voice on inclusive democracy， and has grown to become one of our best policy-minded speakers focused on racial justice。When Demos announced that McGhee would be moving on from her role as a day-to-day executive at the organization to move into a space more aligned with her new public identity， I was excited to see what she did next。 The Sum of Us is among the first projects she undertook in this more ambassadorial role， expanding her own skillset beyond the erudition of economics and legal policy as a storyteller and communicator。 The book is in some ways McGhee's "coming out story" as she moves on from Demos and goes on a self-described journey across America to get a better understanding of a zero-sum theory of racial progress。McGhee has gone most viral online thanks to her compassion and capacity for difficult conversations; the clip that most comes to mind is McGhee answering a question from a CSPAN viewer on how he can best combat his own racism as a white person。 McGhee has been vocal about how transformative this conversation was for her and has even traveled to meet this viewer and have a deeper conversation。 This book seems to be born from that interaction， with an emphasis on how we can move on from racial resentment and make progress on racial justice as a means to lifting all disadvantaged persons， regardless of color。 As a result， the book is written with a particular audience in mind。 The Sum of Us fits well in the modern collection of books and studies for white readers who want to learn more about the history of American racism and how to be anti-racist。 These readers typically have a more shallow understanding of the subject matter， and McGhee does a good job of providing a primer on bigger issues that intersect with racial justice， with each chapter essentially focusing on a policy area （environmental justice， healthcare， housing， labor， etc。） and pointing to a potential reading list for an audience that may want to delve deeper into each topic。 I was not surprised to see Robin DiAngelo come up a number of times。 DiAngelo's book， White Fragility， has become incredibly popular in the past year with white audiences， and I imagine that the publisher is hopeful to replicate that books success （as well as books from other authors like Michelle Alexander， Ibram Kendi， and Richard Rothstein， also name checked in The Sum of Us）。Central to McGhee's argument is that racial justice is good for all of us， and that we should abandon an American zero-sum theory of prosperity and embrace what she terms the solidarity dividend， wherein communities come together to advance similar priorities。 Her arguments are compelling -- so often throughout history white Americans have cut off their noses to spite their faces。 I found this most compelling in McGhee's discussion of labor union politics。 Throughout the book she effectively uses opinion polling to explain how white Americans once approved of certain policies that eventually went out of favor as Black Americans were granted access to goods and services under the law。 In regards to labor unions， McGhee found that public approval of unions were highest in 1959 but trended downward starting in the 60s during the civil rights era when big unions， like the United Auto Workers （UAW）， began advocating for civil rights and supporting like-minded Democratic Party candidates。 All of this in spite of the serious gains that labor unions were able to achieve for Black AND white workers， alike。 What has occurred in the intervening 60 years has been an erosion of labor rights by conservative actors at the expense of wages and protections for all workers。 It underscores her thesis in compelling fashion。In general， I found McGhee to be most comfortable and confident a writer in sections where she is using data， economics， and legal theory to support her thesis。 This is unsurprising considering her background in the think tank world。 As she shifts into this new role as a thought leader and communicator， putting on the hat of American sojourner and seeking truth from real Americans about the way policy affects them to the most， I found her to be mostly able but in select cases less convincing of her central argument。 Taking a more ethnographic approach in some parts provides a policy at play perspective that is helpful， but sometimes seems as though McGhee can't find the data she needs to support her thesis so she relies on anecdotes that make her point but may be less universal。。 While I share McGhee's belief in the policy prescriptions needed and the sentiment behind their incorporation （particularly moving are stories of privileged middle class parents putting their kids "Global Majority" schools - ie Black and brown， minority white schools）， these anecdotes don't serve or substantiate her argument alone。 This doesn't invalidate her thesis， but provides room for bad faith critics to poke holes in an overwhelmingly well reasoned book。。As I finished the Sum of Us I was heartened by McGhee's optimism that we can advance a truth， racial healing， and transformation movement in America。 We must reconcile our past and reimagine what it is to be American。 In many ways we have never lived up to ideal of our democracy， but we can get there by seeing the humanity in one another and working together as a community。 I look forward to seeing how others engage with this book and am excited to see what McGhee does next！Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC。 。。。more
Shomeret
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Author Heather McGhee wants us to know that racist policies don't benefit anyone。 That's why she wrote The Sum of Us。 I downloaded it from Net Galley。 This book covers a variety of topics and provides historical perspective on each one。 I considered it thorough and insightful。McGhee argues that when racist whites are opposed to public services， it's not because they want smaller government。 It's because of their racism。 They don't want blacks to benefit。McGhee concludes that the strength of the Author Heather McGhee wants us to know that racist policies don't benefit anyone。 That's why she wrote The Sum of Us。 I downloaded it from Net Galley。 This book covers a variety of topics and provides historical perspective on each one。 I considered it thorough and insightful。McGhee argues that when racist whites are opposed to public services， it's not because they want smaller government。 It's because of their racism。 They don't want blacks to benefit。McGhee concludes that the strength of the United States is in its diversity。 If we capitalize on it， we can become the nation we were meant to be。 For me， this is self-evident， but there are those for whom it is not。For my complete review see https://shomeretmasked。blogspot。com/2。。。 。。。more
Vanessa
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This book is brilliant。 Written by an economist， this tells the story of the price we all pay for racism in our country。 Instead of being full of numbers， which you might expect， she uses stories of real people from a wide range of backgrounds to tell a cohesive story。 She covers everything from social programs to the environment。 It's compelling and incredibly easy to read。 I highly recommend it。I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 This book is brilliant。 Written by an economist， this tells the story of the price we all pay for racism in our country。 Instead of being full of numbers， which you might expect， she uses stories of real people from a wide range of backgrounds to tell a cohesive story。 She covers everything from social programs to the environment。 It's compelling and incredibly easy to read。 I highly recommend it。I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Robert Sullivan
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This is a well researched and well written book about America's original sin - racism - and the costs it exacts on all of us。 Balanced between personal stories and historical/political research， it explains the background of our current inequality， the damaging effects of white supremacy on white people as well as on people of color， and the benefits of working together。 McGhee tells a complicated story in a very readable way， with a measured and hopeful tone。It would be critical reading at any This is a well researched and well written book about America's original sin - racism - and the costs it exacts on all of us。 Balanced between personal stories and historical/political research， it explains the background of our current inequality， the damaging effects of white supremacy on white people as well as on people of color， and the benefits of working together。 McGhee tells a complicated story in a very readable way， with a measured and hopeful tone。It would be critical reading at any time， but in the current environment it is even more urgent。 。。。more
Jenni
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This was absolutely phenomenal。 While this definitely took me a while to read， it was worth it to take the time to dig into the numerous topics McGhee discusses here including the rising costs of higher education， the affordable housing crisis， the defunding of public K-12 education， and pollution and climate change。 Interweaving McGhee's personal experiences and projects with Demos， a progressive economic think tank; interviews with Americans from across the country and from all walks-of-life; This was absolutely phenomenal。 While this definitely took me a while to read， it was worth it to take the time to dig into the numerous topics McGhee discusses here including the rising costs of higher education， the affordable housing crisis， the defunding of public K-12 education， and pollution and climate change。 Interweaving McGhee's personal experiences and projects with Demos， a progressive economic think tank; interviews with Americans from across the country and from all walks-of-life; and extensive historical and sociological research， McGhee unpacks the myth of the"Zero-Sum Theory"--that white people somehow will be negatively affected by racial economic and social equity--and makes a clear case for the necessity of reinvigorating governmental social services and other public goods。 McGhee also reminds the reader， and Americans at large， of the value of community and of showing care for one another， which is a message I always appreciate hearing。I do think that those that are well-versed in arguments for racial equity through policy changes may not find this to be ground-breaking， but I think the personal anecdotes and the passion McGhee writes with make this a valuable contribution to this growing body of nonfiction。Thank you to One World （Random House） for providing me with a free early e-copy of this work through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review。 The Sum of Us is out this coming Tuesday， February 16。 。。。more
Kimba Tichenor
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A thought-provoking read that will make you rethink everything that you thought you knew about racism。Heather McGhee， political commentator and former President of Demos （a progressive think tank） has written a book with a deceptively simple premise: Racism costs everyone。 The harm that racism does society， while disproportionately affecting people of color， also harms working- and middle-class white people。 Sadly， too many white Americans have fallen for the lie propagated by wealthy white elit A thought-provoking read that will make you rethink everything that you thought you knew about racism。Heather McGhee， political commentator and former President of Demos （a progressive think tank） has written a book with a deceptively simple premise: Racism costs everyone。 The harm that racism does society， while disproportionately affecting people of color， also harms working- and middle-class white people。 Sadly， too many white Americans have fallen for the lie propagated by wealthy white elites that if a minority group makes gains， it is at the expense of the dominant white race。 The success of this zero-sum paradigm has resulted in a large portion of white Americans voting against their own best political and economic interests。 As a result， the gap between the haves and have notes in this United States has skyrocketed since the 1980s; today， nearly two dozen companies have CEO-to-worker pay gaps of over 1。0000 to 1 and the richest 1 percent owns as much wealth as the entire middle class。 To show how this economic disparity arose， the McGhee documents multiple instances in the twentieth and twenty-first century in which racism diminished the lives of all Americans， including the mass closure of public swimming pools by states in the 1950s and 1960s to avoid federal laws requiring integration， the American Medical Association’s communist fear-mongering campaign in the 1950s to block Truman’s efforts to pass universal healthcare legislation， the subprime banking crisis in 2007， and the current Covid-19 pandemic。This story of the disempowerment of working- and middle-class America can only be overcome， she concludes if we: 1） Recognize that we have reached the productive and moral limit of the zero-sum economic model that had driven US history from its inception。 2） Establish a social safety net for all， not one limited to any one racial or ethnic group 3） Accept that although racism has hurt all， it has disproportionately hurt persons of color; this means we must accept that there are different levels of need in different communities and address those needs accordingly。 One size does not fit all。 4） Realize that we do in fact need each other， that is replace the zero-sum mentality with one of solidarity and 5） we must write a shared history that is not based on myths and lies。I would like to thank the publisher， the author， and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review。 。。。more
Jade
，
The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee kind of knocked my socks off！ This is not a quick read， but a take your time， dig deep and listen type of read。 There is so much information in this book that I would not advise anyone to try and consume it in one sitting - I took my time， and let each chapter resonate properly before moving on to the next。 Heather McGhee uses her experience as an expert in economy and law in this deep and personal research journey into the foundations and continuation of the raci The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee kind of knocked my socks off！ This is not a quick read， but a take your time， dig deep and listen type of read。 There is so much information in this book that I would not advise anyone to try and consume it in one sitting - I took my time， and let each chapter resonate properly before moving on to the next。 Heather McGhee uses her experience as an expert in economy and law in this deep and personal research journey into the foundations and continuation of the racist policies that still govern the US， to portray how these policies affect all of us negatively。 She talks about the zero-sum paradigm， the idea that one group must progress at the expense of others， and shows exactly what is at stake when we accept this paradigm。 I really appreciate how the author brings her deep knowledge of the American economy and pairs it with sociological research and history from around the country to prove just how much we have lost and will continue to lose because of racism and white supremacy。 I also really appreciated the stories that the author gathers from around the country， they really help to illustrate the main arguments of the story。 My review really cannot do justice to this book - it is full of so much important information through a lens that will have you thinking and reacting long after you put the book down。An absolute anti-racist must read！Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Jennifer M。
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So first， this is not a book you would pick up for a bit of light reading。 This one was a bit of a struggle for me。 Not because it's long or boring， but because the content is deep。 There's lots of things to learn and it was absolutely an educational book。 It was eye-opening， and good for someone like me who is always wanting to improve and know more。 It took me a while to download it all in my brain， and definitely wasn't something I was able to consume in just a few sittings。 This one took me So first， this is not a book you would pick up for a bit of light reading。 This one was a bit of a struggle for me。 Not because it's long or boring， but because the content is deep。 There's lots of things to learn and it was absolutely an educational book。 It was eye-opening， and good for someone like me who is always wanting to improve and know more。 It took me a while to download it all in my brain， and definitely wasn't something I was able to consume in just a few sittings。 This one took me MANY days to finish。 But it was worth it。4/5 Stars 。。。more
Raymond
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In the January/February 2009 issue of The Atlantic， the writer Hua Hsu wrote an article titled “The End of White America？”。 It was displayed on the cover of the magazine beside a large picture of then-President Barack Obama。 I don’t remember much about the article but I do remember it made the argument that America was changing into a majority-minority nation in just a few decades。 For many White Americans， that is a fearful prospect。 Heather McGhee， former president of the think tank Demos， sta In the January/February 2009 issue of The Atlantic， the writer Hua Hsu wrote an article titled “The End of White America？”。 It was displayed on the cover of the magazine beside a large picture of then-President Barack Obama。 I don’t remember much about the article but I do remember it made the argument that America was changing into a majority-minority nation in just a few decades。 For many White Americans， that is a fearful prospect。 Heather McGhee， former president of the think tank Demos， starts off her new book showing how White Americans， regardless of their political ideology， became more conservative on issues when they were told that in a few years they would be in the minority。 They tend to oppose policies that would benefit everyone because it might also benefit people of color。 She reveals that this is a zero-sum game， Whites think that if Blacks and other minorities are doing better then White people must be losing out。 This is simply not the case。 In The Sum of Us， McGhee makes the argument that racism hurts everyone， including Whites。 She does this by showing racism’s effect on Americans across a variety of policy areas such as education， health care， housing policy， residential segregation， unions， the environment， and more。 She shows that racial resentment causes many Whites to have a negative opinion on policies that would benefit them。 In each chapter McGhee uses a good mix of history， social science studies， and conversations with real people （whom she describes with vivid detail） to make her points。 I personally loved her use of scholarly studies， she has a way to make them relatable to the reader。 One example is in her chapter on residential segregation。 In it McGhee presents studies that showed that Whites may say they want to live in an integrated neighborhood， but at the end of the day they tend to live in a segregated neighborhood that is at least 75% White。 Other studies show that segregated neighborhoods brings more pollution to White people， more so than in integrated neighborhoods。 In other words， racism can be a matter of life or death， even for Whites。She closes her book by covering her five “discoveries” on how we can all prosper together。 The zero-sum game that she opens the book up with does not have to be; all of us can address systemic racism together。 I think this book will be especially eye-opening to White people who may not be aware of the disparities that they face because of racism。 Racism is not just a minority problem it effects everyone negatively。 McGhee persuasively closes her book by saying that demographic changes will not unmake America， instead it will fulfill America。 Overall， Heather McGhee has written a powerful must-read book。 It definitely belongs on the shelf alongside other popular anti-racist works。Thanks to NetGalley， One World， and Heather McGhee for a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review。 This book will be released on February 16， 2021。Review published on Ballasts for the Mind: https://medium。com/ballasts-for-the-m。。。 。。。more
Elizabeth Giordano
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When I got the opportunity to read The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee through NetGalley and One World publishing， I did not know what to expect。 Heather McGhee is a lawyer and former leader of the inequality-focused think tank， Demos， an organization that advocates for equality and justice。 The author combines past and current issues in the United States with research and interviews from people living their lives amid these disparities and When I got the opportunity to read The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee through NetGalley and One World publishing， I did not know what to expect。 Heather McGhee is a lawyer and former leader of the inequality-focused think tank， Demos， an organization that advocates for equality and justice。 The author combines past and current issues in the United States with research and interviews from people living their lives amid these disparities and shines a light on the fact that not only marginalized individuals but also disenfranchised white people are similarly affected by the same concerns。 tI learned so much from this author about the history of our country and our government from the housing crisis and redlining to environment and climate change， to unions and the minimum wage and wage gaps in the United States。 I found it overwhelming and disheartening to hear that the government in our country used racism and the zero-sum factor to sway White voters to vote against things like unions， increasing minimum wage， voting to remove companies from areas that are affecting the health of the citizens by impacting the environment。 They did these things even though White Americans would benefit greatly from these policy changes， but they framed it so that the racial divide stays the same。 tI thought the author did a great job explaining the different aspects of government and the issues that we are facing as a country， but I did find the book to be technical at times; it took me longer than usual to finish the book because of the nature of the information。 I highly recommend this book because it sheds a light on the anti-racist movement and narrative that differs from the other authors I have read thus far。 。。。more
Susie Dumond
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In this book， political and economic researcher Heather McGhee explores how racism is at the root of most of America’s economic， infrastructural， and other public policy problems。 Her writing criticizes the paradigm that progress for some comes at the expense of others， instead arguing that racism has a cost for everyone， not just people of color。This is a truly genius book in so many ways， from how McGhee makes the political personal to how she chooses to categorize intertwining issues。 But the In this book， political and economic researcher Heather McGhee explores how racism is at the root of most of America’s economic， infrastructural， and other public policy problems。 Her writing criticizes the paradigm that progress for some comes at the expense of others， instead arguing that racism has a cost for everyone， not just people of color。This is a truly genius book in so many ways， from how McGhee makes the political personal to how she chooses to categorize intertwining issues。 But the most stunning part of The Sum of Us is the last chapter， and how McGhee uses examples from real communities and real people to show hope for the future。 This is absolutely an antiracist must-read。Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Justin Hall
，
This book is a must read or listen！ This book deals with all the heaviness of racism that is and has been plaguing our country。 From the over arching pool segregation to the redlining of America's housing communities this book is incredibly powerful。 This book needs to be in so many hands and sadly it will never reach some of the hands it really needs to be in。 I plan to buy a copy for myself and one to pass along。 I got people who could use this education。 She dispells so many myths and assumpt This book is a must read or listen！ This book deals with all the heaviness of racism that is and has been plaguing our country。 From the over arching pool segregation to the redlining of America's housing communities this book is incredibly powerful。 This book needs to be in so many hands and sadly it will never reach some of the hands it really needs to be in。 I plan to buy a copy for myself and one to pass along。 I got people who could use this education。 She dispells so many myths and assumptions on race and privilege。 I learned new terms and feel empowered to share this book with as many as I can。 Also， Heather McGhee reads it on Audio and she is a great narrator。 Her voice made this a tremendously good listen。 Pick this one up on February 16th and thanks to the great people at PRHAudio for this complimentary listen！ 。。。more
Eric
，
TL;DRThe Sum of Us by Heather McGhee is required reading for anyone building an anti-racism reading list。 McGhee， not only points out the problems and their roots， she gives us examples of people working to improve the nation towards its goal of freedom and equality for all。 Highly Recommended。 Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 The opinions in this review are mine and mine alone。 Review: The Sum of UsPolitics TL;DRThe Sum of Us by Heather McGhee is required reading for anyone building an anti-racism reading list。 McGhee， not only points out the problems and their roots， she gives us examples of people working to improve the nation towards its goal of freedom and equality for all。 Highly Recommended。 Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 The opinions in this review are mine and mine alone。 Review: The Sum of UsPolitics in the U。S。 can be seen from a macro viewpoint as a binary choice: Republicans and Democrats。 For another vast oversimplification of U。S。 politics， one could view the choices as a party of growth mentality versus the party that possesses a scarcity view。 As much as Americans like to think they’re making rational choices， it just isn’t true。 Sadly， many political decisions form around politician’s exploiting constituent fears。 （Both parties stoke the fears of voters; this is not a one sided tactic。） Politicians are excellent at exploiting the zero sum fallacy。 Voters， particularly， white voters fear that advances made by people of color must come at white people’s expense。 This racial resentment has a home in one party in the U。S。， but even the far left， class warriors often fail to see how this holds them back。 The country’s original sin of slavery continues to haunt us today， and politicians have used that sin to wedge a divide between the population。 In The Sum of Us， Heather McGhee shows how this wedge has been used to great effect， even when that effect harms white people。Heather McGhee left her job as president of Demos to travel around the country to learn how the U。S。 economy was bent to the already wealthy and powerful。 She found that white people in the U。S。 viewed the world through a zero-sum mindset whereas black people did not。 Her lessons came from visiting diverse areas and studying U。S。 history to see what policies， what movements， and what trends happened to get the nation to the state it’s in。 To support her research， she quotes a wide variety of sources， and a good solid reading list can be made from her references。 One of the most effective images in the book comes from McGhee’s look at the history of community pools， which she then shows a link from there to today’s unwillingness to fund infrastructure projects。 McGhee analyses the current student debt problems， and the backlash against funding education through a history of racial terms。 For example， she shows how a free college system in California， established in 1868， went to a system where tuition and fees increased eight-fold between 1978 and 2019。 McGhee posits that the backlash against public funding in the 1970s was a result of the civil rights gains of the ’60s。 The book also covers healthcare， voting， the labor movement， and environmental degradation。 McGhee ends the book discussing the solidarity dividend， a phrase that shows how working together pays off。 She does this by looking at Lewiston， Maine and the influx of immigrants there。 She highlights the economic boost immigrants have brought the town even while politicians seek to prey upon the zero-sum mindset。The Sum of Us has a broad target audience， and it shows how racism holds all of us back in many ways。 I think it’s a brilliant book， and I’ll need to read it again。 Her arguments are solid with historical references and researched studies。 McGhee’s ability to start with a present problem and trace it back to historical changes that coincide with the expansion of civil rights is compelling。 While it’s stacked with references， statistics， and case studies， The Sum of Us reads more like a memoir than a position paper。 Though the focus of the book wasn’t McGhee’s life， she did slip in some autobiographical paragraphs。 These paragraphs help convey how personal this journey was for McGhee。 In the end， I think it was a hopeful one for her。 I know it gave me hope that， with a lot of work， we can change things。While reading this book I couldn’t help but think of Dying of Whiteness。 Where Jonathan Metzl’s focus was that racism hurts white people （though he notes not as much as it hurts people of color）， McGhee’s thesis is similar but expanded to encompass and document racism’s damage to everyone。 In addition， she applies it to more than just the three areas that Metzl covered。 The fact that this subject has been covered in such stark terms by both a white and a black author shows the solidarity in the research， and it shows the realization that racism is hurting everyone， though it hurts people of color much， much more。 Each time a book like The Sum of Us finds larger and larger audiences， as movements like Black Lives Matter gain more awareness， this nation takes another step towards confronting the original sin of slavery。 Community PoolsThe metaphor of the community pool appears throughout this book， and it’s an excellent way to describe how a community benefit died out due to racism。 This metaphor works just as strongly when applied to public investment in shared resources。 McGhee’s search in the South for pools that were shut down rather than be integrated is heartbreaking。 It stands in for the larger trend in America of moving away from funding public infrastructure。 McGhee notes that after World War II many government programs and policies existed that helped build the middle class。 This aid， however， was exclusively available to white people。 As the civil rights movement gained victories， a backlash formed that targeted the same policies whites had used to climb the social ladder。 Instead of seeing opportunities for shared growth， white people sought to pull the ladder up behind them by defunding public works。 That this movement to stop funding infrastructure happened to occur at the same time as the Republican Party started implementing the Southern Strategy is surely not a coincidence。 This backlash against public investments hurts us all。 But too many people are willing to harm themselves if it means harming others more。 The Sub-Prime Lending DebacleMcGhee devotes a chapter to predatory home lending。 In it， she theorizes that if people had paid more attention to predatory lending practices to Black homeowners， the 2008 crisis might have been avoided or， at the least， lessened。 In this chapter， she looks at the practice of redlining and changes to housing laws brought about by civil rights activists。 Often， the media’s focus after the crisis was the borrower。 Were the borrowers too risky？ McGhee looks at whether the borrower mattered。 Would the loans have failed regardless of credit worthiness？ To answer this question， the author looked at the federal fair lending lawsuit against Wells Fargo to see what their practices were。 Witness testimony said that the goal was to try to refinance individuals into the more expensive subprime loans。 This means that customers， who were considered credit worthy enough to have a loan， were pushed into higher risk categories by the loans sold to them。 McGhee claims that refinances were at the root of the problem， not new home purchases。 Though there are no numbers to back up this assertion， I found the argument to be interesting and worthy of a deeper look。 Regardless of whether this is true or not， the most damning evidence comes in the form of testimony from Wells Fargo employees noting that company policy was to sell higher risk products even when the customer qualified for better loans。Why does this matter？ Because politicians and the media tied the risky loans to the borrowers and to people of color。 This protected the large banks from being seen as the culprits。 It was minorities and government that caused the problem， not predatory sales practices。 One of Ann Coulter’s headlines was: THEY GAVE YOUR MORTGAGE TO A LESS QUALIFIED MINORITY。 The zero sum mindset is encapsulated by that headline。 You lost out because of a less qualified minority。 Their gain was your loss。 And it’s specified that your loss was minorities， not a less qualified borrower， a less qualified minority。 Now， to be fair， headlines can be written by editors。 Well， here’s what Ann had to say in her article:‘Instead of looking at “outdated criteria，” such as the mortgage applicant’s credit history and ability to make a down payment， banks were encouraged to consider nontraditional measures of credit-worthiness， such as having a good jump shot or having a missing child named “Caylee。” In this article， Ann supports none of this with testimony from lawsuits， corporate policy documents， or anything other than the neurons firing in her brain。 Notice how she lets the banks off the hook。 They were ‘encouraged’ because we all know that banks do whatever anyone encourages them to do。 The point being that even though the predatory tactics that were tested on people of color spilled over onto white people， the banks were made out to be the victims。 That is unless you read the court transcripts and looked at corporate lending policies。 People， like Ann Coulter， further drove a wedge into racial relations with articles above because they pushed the zero sum mindset。 Others， like Heather McGhee work hard to undo the damage this divide causes。 Class versus RacismIn the The Sum of Us， Heather McGhee does the best job that I’ve seen of joining the fight against racism to the labor movement。 Too often， I read thoughtful essays about the class conflicts in America， and the essay is very often bewildered that the lower classes don’t band together to improve their lot。 These essays turn a blind eye to racism because that’s identity politics， not class politics。 But the big mystery isn’t all that mysterious if they were to incorporate the wages of whiteness into their class calculations。 The “public and psychological wage，” to quote W。E。B。 DuBois， paid to white workers separates the working class。 Until white workers recognize that these wages are illusory and not beneficial， the labor movement stays divided。 McGhee uses a union drive inside the Canton， Mississippi Nissan plant to show how the company sought to exploit the racial divide in order to squelch the organizing drive。 This chapter is the best that I’ve read about merging anti-racism activism with the labor movement。McGhee further supports this with poignant stories from the Fight for $15 movement。 Each one is powerful and effective。 They show that the labor movement can benefit from anti-racist activism if it rightly includes racism as a common enemy。 Now， I’m sure many in the labor movement would say， of course， it’s a common enemy。 But McGhee shows that assumption has cost black labor in the past。 That for it to be a part of the movement， it must be explicit， not understood。 Fight for $15 made inclusion a priority and didn’t let management divide the workers。 This chapter should be studied by labor organizers to aid their efforts。 I know I’ll need to study to figure out how I can be more inclusive with my coworkers will maintaining an explicit stance that racism is unacceptable。 ConclusionHeather McGhee’s The Sum of Us blew me out of the water。 Using historical analysis， McGhee unearthed racist policies and positions that led to today’s problems。 But she doesn’t stop with pointing out the problems。 Her book shows organizers on the ground working to make a difference。 We can take the lessons from here and apply them to our own lives。 And maybe we can shift ourselves out of a zero-sum mindset。 Maybe we can shift into a community mindset helping others is seen as helping ourselves。The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee is available from One World on February 16th， 2021。9 out of 10！ 。。。more
Elizabeth
，
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together is a fantastic read packed with information。 The author covers so many different facets of racism - housing， politics， climate change， inequality， COVID， immigration， religion and so much more。 This book is so informative and is full of interviews and examples of change。 I think this is a must read for 2021！ Highly recommend。 4。5 rounded upThank you to the author， Random House Publishing Group， and NetGalley for providing The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together is a fantastic read packed with information。 The author covers so many different facets of racism - housing， politics， climate change， inequality， COVID， immigration， religion and so much more。 This book is so informative and is full of interviews and examples of change。 I think this is a must read for 2021！ Highly recommend。 4。5 rounded upThank you to the author， Random House Publishing Group， and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy for review！ 。。。more
Jill
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5 starsThe Sum Of Us by Heather McGheeI can't believe how much I learned from the first chapter alone。 Wow。 This book is so enlightening。 The Sum Of Us is a very important book that shows the horror of racism and its effect across the landscape。 Racism affects everyone and everything。I truly thought I had learned a lot in the past year or so about systematic racism but this book showed me just how little I really know。 I appreciated the very last chapter showing how some towns have adapted to a 5 starsThe Sum Of Us by Heather McGheeI can't believe how much I learned from the first chapter alone。 Wow。 This book is so enlightening。 The Sum Of Us is a very important book that shows the horror of racism and its effect across the landscape。 Racism affects everyone and everything。I truly thought I had learned a lot in the past year or so about systematic racism but this book showed me just how little I really know。 I appreciated the very last chapter showing how some towns have adapted to a changing population and embraced it and adapted。 How wonderful it would be if more towns followed suit。 This book is incredible and it needs to be read by every person everywhere。 McGhee has written one of the most enlightening and informative books of 2021。I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley。 。。。more
Wally
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A very comprehensive work that addresses many of the economic， social issues our country has not dealt with well and that have held back not just people with ‘black and brown skins’ but also whites， particularly poorer whites。 She makes her points very clearly through statistical research and personal interviews。 For me， however， it was too repetitive。 I also was disappointed to not find any evidence of what we should do， knowing that rectification will be a addressed in multiple phases - not in A very comprehensive work that addresses many of the economic， social issues our country has not dealt with well and that have held back not just people with ‘black and brown skins’ but also whites， particularly poorer whites。 She makes her points very clearly through statistical research and personal interviews。 For me， however， it was too repetitive。 I also was disappointed to not find any evidence of what we should do， knowing that rectification will be a addressed in multiple phases - not in one ell swoop。 。。。more
Kimberly
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"The Sum of Us" by Heather McGhee is a very important book that should be read by all Americans。 It is one of the most powerful and insightful books I have read in a very long time。 Filled with information， yet easy to read， "The Sum of Us" delves into why so many Americans believe that we live in a zero sum society-that if life improves for people of color， it can only be at the expense of white people。 It also explores the hidden effects of racism on everyone， not just on people of color， when "The Sum of Us" by Heather McGhee is a very important book that should be read by all Americans。 It is one of the most powerful and insightful books I have read in a very long time。 Filled with information， yet easy to read， "The Sum of Us" delves into why so many Americans believe that we live in a zero sum society-that if life improves for people of color， it can only be at the expense of white people。 It also explores the hidden effects of racism on everyone， not just on people of color， when racism compels white voters to vote against their own interests just to keep people of color from benefitting。 This book makes it clear that by denying that racism still exists， white Americans are leaving themselves unprepared to thrive in an increasingly diverse society。This book dedicates chapters to how racism， either subtly or overtly， influences white Americans' views on the criminal justice system （particularly mass incarceration）， voting rights， universal health care， the financial system （particularly the sub-prime mortgage crisis）， unionization in the workplace， minimum wage standards， and education。 It opened my eyes to the fact that， even though slavery in this country ceased over 150 years ago， its effects are still being felt by everyone today。 And even though the tenets of Jim Crow were ended in the 1960's， their legacy of inequality continues on。Many thanks to NetGalley， the author， and the publisher for the incredible opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this truly fabulous book。 If everyone would read this book， there could be real change in this county; change that would benefit us all and not just the powerful white elites。 。。。more
Yahaira
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"We've found the enemy， and it's not each other。"I've always wondered why people vote against their self interests。 You hear this every election year to the point it's become a cliché。 After a while you realize the media is just dancing around what they don't want to say。 Thankfully， Heather McGhee doesn't have a corporation to protect and points to racial injustice as the center of it all。 McGhee traces this idea from slavery to Jim Crow to Covid in ten chapters that will have you screaming mad "We've found the enemy， and it's not each other。"I've always wondered why people vote against their self interests。 You hear this every election year to the point it's become a cliché。 After a while you realize the media is just dancing around what they don't want to say。 Thankfully， Heather McGhee doesn't have a corporation to protect and points to racial injustice as the center of it all。 McGhee traces this idea from slavery to Jim Crow to Covid in ten chapters that will have you screaming mad。 From housing， voting， wages， climate change， college tuition， and healthcare she shows us how a zero sum belief has lead to the income inequality and decline of the working and middle classes we see today。 White supremacy is not only self destructive， it is destroying us all。 As soon as I saw the beautiful cover and read the synopsis I knew I wanted to read this book。 I will admit to being worried it would be loaded with data， but I was happy to see how McGhee weaved in all her research through a narrative that included her travels around the country （don't worry， all the research notes are in the back of the book）。 The book ends on a hopeful note with examples from Lewiston， Maine and Dallas， Texas and ideas on how we can bend the arc of justice collectively when pushing the government to do it。 She calls this the Solidarity Dividend: gains that come when people come together across race， to the benefit of all involved。random thoughts:I have to say once again how much I love the coverThere were so many things I went in thinking I knew about， but as I read realized how the media and politicians warped my understanding of them。 The first example that comes to mind is the '08 financial collapse and the subprime loans that were a major part of it。 **arc received from netgalley 。。。more
Cheri
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’The white citizens burned the edifice of their own government rather than submit to a multiracial democracy。' The above quote references an election in 1872， but is， perhaps， more relevant today。I began reading this on January 8th， two days after the attack on the Capitol， made for difficulty concentrating。 I am pretty sure it took me as long to read this as it did to read Lonesome Dove， despite it being less than 450 pages - the essays comprise 61% of the book， the remainder including Acknowle ’The white citizens burned the edifice of their own government rather than submit to a multiracial democracy。' The above quote references an election in 1872， but is， perhaps， more relevant today。I began reading this on January 8th， two days after the attack on the Capitol， made for difficulty concentrating。 I am pretty sure it took me as long to read this as it did to read Lonesome Dove， despite it being less than 450 pages - the essays comprise 61% of the book， the remainder including Acknowledgements and Notes - vs。 864 pages。 This is an important， and impressive collection， and I wish I’d read it earlier， and not on the heels of the inexplicable destruction， mayhem and craziness that took place。 On the other hand， it made me appreciate this collection even more。 Racism exists， despite so many people not admitting that， and we all pay for it， one way or another。 If we are not the target of racists， we all still pay for it in other ways。 The history of racism still permeates virtually everything in the United States， although it is not the only country where it happens， but this covers racism in the U。S。， with some focus on the racism targeting those who emigrated from other countries more recently。 This isn’t limited to the kind of racism that relates to day-to-day interactions， as much as the way that it is shown in more insidious ways， as well as tackling the history of racism in such areas as credit card debt， shady subprime mortgages targeting primarily Black， Hispanic families， or others， which varies from place to place， and personal hatred based on personal racist views。 Throw in those Whites who believe that if non-White people have financial increase， it is at their own financial loss。 But the loss doesn’t stop at just a monetary loss。 ’Racism actually has a dehumanizing aspect not only for those who experience racism， but [also for] those who perpetuate it… Jewish tradition articulates。。。that everyone is stamped in the image of God。’ - Rabbi Felicia Sol Racism destroys every path to that promised land， for all of us。 As Wendell Berry writes， “If white people have suffered less obviously from racism than black people， they have nevertheless suffered greatly; the cost has been greater perhaps than we can yet know。”’ （quote from Berry’s The Hidden Wound）Racism has a cost， and it is one for which we all pay。 Published: 16 Feb 2021 Many thanks for the ARC provided by Random House Publishing Group - Random House / One World 。。。more
Lissa
，
This is a hard-hitting， clearly written and powerful exploration about how the racism inherent in public policy hurts everyone。 Interspersed with personal stories and interviews with interesting individuals， McGhee lays out the issues in a way that demonstrates how racist policy affects the economy and the prosperity and health of everyone。 I will say my reading of this book was one that I won't easily forget as midway through， a mob of white supremists （too easily） stormed the U。S。 Capitol Buil This is a hard-hitting， clearly written and powerful exploration about how the racism inherent in public policy hurts everyone。 Interspersed with personal stories and interviews with interesting individuals， McGhee lays out the issues in a way that demonstrates how racist policy affects the economy and the prosperity and health of everyone。 I will say my reading of this book was one that I won't easily forget as midway through， a mob of white supremists （too easily） stormed the U。S。 Capitol Building。 On one hand it brought an immediacy to her words but on the other it took away a bit from the hopefulness she tries to portray in the ending chapter。 I hope there is a turning point soon， and I hope that this book is read as widely as it needs to be。 I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Anya Leonard
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An interesting and in-depth precise look at how the disenfranchisement of one section of the population tends to disenfranchise us all。 McGhee uses a fine tooth comb to go through various issues - voter suppression， bank lending， credit， and more and give us an idea about how though the white population may not be the target of many of these practices that cause other parts of our world strife， it causes us to all lose out on things。 This is not to say we suffer as much as anyone else does， by f An interesting and in-depth precise look at how the disenfranchisement of one section of the population tends to disenfranchise us all。 McGhee uses a fine tooth comb to go through various issues - voter suppression， bank lending， credit， and more and give us an idea about how though the white population may not be the target of many of these practices that cause other parts of our world strife， it causes us to all lose out on things。 This is not to say we suffer as much as anyone else does， by far and wide this is not true。 But this book sheds light upon the fact that inequality and inequity in our capitalist society affects us all and this is why we should be fighting against it。 The Sum of Us means that we should be working for a better future for those who are being treated unequally in order to better the whole。 In all， a very interesting read。 This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Liz
，
The Sum of Us tackles the concept of racial zero sum - why so many whites believe that bettering the lives of racial minorities comes at their expense。 In truth， it’s a concept usually put forth by the upper echelon “to escape accountability for the redistribution of wealth upward”。 McGee takes us back even before the founding of the country to explain how and why this theory came to be。 She walks us through history giving us example after example of whites screwing themselves over rather than h The Sum of Us tackles the concept of racial zero sum - why so many whites believe that bettering the lives of racial minorities comes at their expense。 In truth， it’s a concept usually put forth by the upper echelon “to escape accountability for the redistribution of wealth upward”。 McGee takes us back even before the founding of the country to explain how and why this theory came to be。 She walks us through history giving us example after example of whites screwing themselves over rather than helping minorities。 For example， rather than integrating public pools， they often closed the pools entirely， depriving everyone of the benefit。 I’ve always wondered why so many poor whites， especially in the south， vote against programs that would inevitably help them more than racial minorities。 The Affordable Care Act springs to mind。 McGee writes about last place aversion as one reason。 But it was an awakening for myself as well。 How often had I used the phrase “fiscal conservative， social liberal”？ While she tackles big economic stories， like the decline in union jobs， the closing of rural hospitals because of the lack of health insurance or the subprime mortgage epidemic， the book is easy to read。 She lays out her hypotheses in down to earth terms。 She intermixes individual’s stories with research to keep the reader’s interest。 Like Caste， by Isabel Wilkerson， this is a necessary read。 My first five star book of 2021， I’m betting it will land on many “best of” lists for the year。 Having said that， I take exception with one of her arguments that racism is behind the white people’s climate change denial。 I felt that argument was a stretch and that the truth is much more down to plain old stupidity and an anti-science/elite liberal bent。 Still， that's a minor quibble and my advice is to read this book。 My thanks to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book。 Aside - I finished reading this book just as the Capitol was breached。 I can only hope that McGee’s plan for a Solidarity Dividend can take hold with a new， empathetic administration on January 20th 。。。more
Melissa
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I predict this will be considered an Important or Necessary Read of 2021。 It is EXCELLENT and an easily accessible read。 The Sum of Us lays out why life is not a zero-sum game， and therefore racism must be dismantled once and for all。 And why America will be stronger when we work together for the Solidarity Dividend - diversity makes us stronger。Heather McGhee's specialty is the American economy--and the mystery of why it so often fails the American public。 From the financial crisis to rising st I predict this will be considered an Important or Necessary Read of 2021。 It is EXCELLENT and an easily accessible read。 The Sum of Us lays out why life is not a zero-sum game， and therefore racism must be dismantled once and for all。 And why America will be stronger when we work together for the Solidarity Dividend - diversity makes us stronger。Heather McGhee's specialty is the American economy--and the mystery of why it so often fails the American public。 From the financial crisis to rising student debt to collapsing public infrastructure， she found a common root problem: racism。 But not just in the most obvious indignities for people of color。 Racism has costs for white people， too。 It is the common denominator of our most vexing public problems， the core dysfunction of our democracy and constitutive of the spiritual and moral crises that grip us all。 But how did this happen？ And is there a way out？McGhee embarks on a deeply personal journey across the country from Mississippi to California to Maine， tallying what we lose when we buy into the zero-sum paradigm--the idea that progress for some of us must come at the expense of others。 Along the way， she meets white people who confide in her about losing their homes， their dreams， and their shot at better jobs to the toxic mix of American racism and greed。 This is the story of how public goods in this country--from parks and pools to functioning schools--have become private luxuries; of how unions collapsed， wages stagnated， and inequality increased; and of how this country， unique among the world's advanced economies， has thwarted universal healthcare。But in unlikely places of worship and work， McGhee finds proof of what she calls the Solidarity Dividend: gains that come when people come together across race， to accomplish what we simply can't do on our own。The Sum of Us is a brilliant analysis of how we arrived here: divided and self-destructing， materially rich but spiritually starved and vastly unequal。 McGhee marshals economic and sociological research to paint an irrefutable story of racism's costs， but at the heart of the book are the humble stories of people yearning to be part of a better America， including white supremacy's collateral victims: white people themselves。 With startling empathy， this heartfelt message from a Black woman to a multiracial America leaves us with a new vision for a future in which we finally realize that life can be more than zero-sum。Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Bethany
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The Sum of Us is one of the most important books I read in 2020; I can only assume it will be a formidable contender in 2021 for "best of" lists。 McGhee strikes an excellent balance between solid economic data and poignant personal stories， giving the reader plenty to digest from multiple perspectives。 I imagine that the structure and content of The Sum Of Us will be able to reach audiences that would not otherwise engage with antiracist literature and， in doing so， will bring many new people to The Sum of Us is one of the most important books I read in 2020; I can only assume it will be a formidable contender in 2021 for "best of" lists。 McGhee strikes an excellent balance between solid economic data and poignant personal stories， giving the reader plenty to digest from multiple perspectives。 I imagine that the structure and content of The Sum Of Us will be able to reach audiences that would not otherwise engage with antiracist literature and， in doing so， will bring many new people to the table for these essential conversations。 Highly recommended。*I received an electronic ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。* 。。。more
Megan
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