The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together
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- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Heather McGhee
- ISBN：1788169654
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Summary
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Soon to be adapted by Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground podcast
'With intelligence and care （as well as with a trove of sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes heart-opening true stories） Heather McGhee shows us what racism has cost all of us' - Elizabeth Gilbert
Picked for the Financial Times Summer Books by Gillian Tett
What would make a society drain its public swimming baths and fill them with concrete rather than opening them to everyone？ Economics researcher Heather McGhee sets out across America to learn why white voters so often act against their own interests。 Why do they block changes that would help them， and even destroy their own advantages， whenever people of colour also stand to benefit？
Their tragedy is that they believe they can't win unless somebody else loses。 But this is a lie。 McGhee marshals overwhelming economic evidence， and a profound well of empathy， to reveal the surprising truth: even racists lose out under white supremacy。
And US racism is everybody's problem。 As McGhee shows， it was bigoted lending policies that laid the ground for the 2008 financial crisis。 There can be little prospect of tackling global climate change until America's zero-sum delusions are defeated。 The Sum of Us offers a priceless insight into the workings of prejudice， and a timely invitation to solidarity among all humans， 'to piece together a new story of who we could be to one another'。
Soon to be adapted by Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground podcast
'With intelligence and care （as well as with a trove of sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes heart-opening true stories） Heather McGhee shows us what racism has cost all of us' - Elizabeth Gilbert
Picked for the Financial Times Summer Books by Gillian Tett
What would make a society drain its public swimming baths and fill them with concrete rather than opening them to everyone？ Economics researcher Heather McGhee sets out across America to learn why white voters so often act against their own interests。 Why do they block changes that would help them， and even destroy their own advantages， whenever people of colour also stand to benefit？
Their tragedy is that they believe they can't win unless somebody else loses。 But this is a lie。 McGhee marshals overwhelming economic evidence， and a profound well of empathy， to reveal the surprising truth: even racists lose out under white supremacy。
And US racism is everybody's problem。 As McGhee shows， it was bigoted lending policies that laid the ground for the 2008 financial crisis。 There can be little prospect of tackling global climate change until America's zero-sum delusions are defeated。 The Sum of Us offers a priceless insight into the workings of prejudice， and a timely invitation to solidarity among all humans， 'to piece together a new story of who we could be to one another'。
Reviews
Michele
，
Fascinating and illuminating。 McGhee's deep dive into how racism negatively affects all Americans （apart from the 1%， of course， who seem impervious to everything） is well researched， clearly laid out， and convincingly argued。 McGhee has solid data chops to support her argument， too， having spent years researching the vagaries of the US economy。 As with Ava DuVernay's Thirteenth， there were elements of this story I had known but quite a lot I hadn't， and the connections McGhee draws are both enl Fascinating and illuminating。 McGhee's deep dive into how racism negatively affects all Americans （apart from the 1%， of course， who seem impervious to everything） is well researched， clearly laid out， and convincingly argued。 McGhee has solid data chops to support her argument， too， having spent years researching the vagaries of the US economy。 As with Ava DuVernay's Thirteenth， there were elements of this story I had known but quite a lot I hadn't， and the connections McGhee draws are both enlightening and sorrowful。 Most compelling， perhaps， is her discussion of the economic motives for investment of government dollars in infrastructure and public works （e。g。， libraries， schools， parks， etc。） -- in a free economy， cities， counties， and states do this sort of thing in order to attract talented workers， to create an educated populace from which to hire， to ensure that their own kids have a good place to go to school， and so on。 On the other hand， states in the South that relied on enslaved people for their economy basically had none of these incentives: plantations were family-owned so they didn't need to attract talented managers; there wasn't a sizable enough population to warrant good public schools; and so on。 As a result， these states are still， 150 years later， far behind the rest of the country in things like schools， health care， etc。 which hurts *all* citizens of those states （in fact， given the Great Migration， it disproportionately hurts white people in those states）。A very readable book with solid foundations， and an excellent addition to the list of books that explain the many reasons that yes， we all need to care about the persistent harmful legacy of racism。 。。。more
Julie
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Outstanding。 Review to Come。
Freya
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This is not a fast read， but it is a compelling read。 This is a book to be read chapter by chapter so you can digest each one in turn and extract its lessons。 It points out the folly of assuming that life is a zero-sum game， that gains by one group hurt another one。Racism pervades just about every aspect of our country， just about every system。 All too often， white people have been willing to not just cut off their noses to spite their faces， but cut off their entire heads to spite their noses j This is not a fast read， but it is a compelling read。 This is a book to be read chapter by chapter so you can digest each one in turn and extract its lessons。 It points out the folly of assuming that life is a zero-sum game， that gains by one group hurt another one。Racism pervades just about every aspect of our country， just about every system。 All too often， white people have been willing to not just cut off their noses to spite their faces， but cut off their entire heads to spite their noses just as long as nonwhites didn't get to enjoy benefits they felt were for whites alone。 For example: Closing public swimming pools as soon as they were integrated， and replacing them with private pool clubs。 Those clubs were too costly for poor whites， so they bore the brunt of a racist tactic as much as Blacks。This is IMHO a must-read to open our eyes and show not only the extent of racism in the USA， but also solutions that have worked and benefited everybody regardless of skin tone。 If you have a strong sense of justice， this book will anger you， but it will also inspire you。 。。。more
Kimberley Ann Johnson
，
Interesting and informative。 The thesis is that racism always harms white people in addition to people of colour， and if for no other， more moral reason， this should motivate us to change systems and beliefs that perpetuate racism。 We all do better when we work together。 When we undermine others， we inevitably undermine ourselves。 I will start by saying i agree。 But I will also say that if the purpose of the book was to change the minds of those holding less enlightened views， I doubt this book Interesting and informative。 The thesis is that racism always harms white people in addition to people of colour， and if for no other， more moral reason， this should motivate us to change systems and beliefs that perpetuate racism。 We all do better when we work together。 When we undermine others， we inevitably undermine ourselves。 I will start by saying i agree。 But I will also say that if the purpose of the book was to change the minds of those holding less enlightened views， I doubt this book would do it。 Her arguments are often supported primarily by quotes from others who agree with her， easily dismissed as "cherry picking" and "confirmation bias" by someone seeking to undermine the points she makes。 The choir she preaches to clearly believes this book is wonderful。 As a member of that choir， I agree。 But I dont think this will bring anyone else into the church。 。。。more
E2d2
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McGhee deftly illustrates America's zero-sum mentality where （wealthy， white people in charge） deny benefits to all because it would benefit people of color。 She does so with historical research， expert interviews， and personal narratives of transformation。 The only weakness I found in her argument was the lack of direct acknowledgement of capitalism's reinforcement of this zero-sum mentality and thus racism's political value。 She alludes to capitalist effects， but doesn't critique it directly。 McGhee deftly illustrates America's zero-sum mentality where （wealthy， white people in charge） deny benefits to all because it would benefit people of color。 She does so with historical research， expert interviews， and personal narratives of transformation。 The only weakness I found in her argument was the lack of direct acknowledgement of capitalism's reinforcement of this zero-sum mentality and thus racism's political value。 She alludes to capitalist effects， but doesn't critique it directly。 For folks looking for a broad， readable set of examples of systemic and institutional racism in 20/21st century: this is a stellar starting resource that is easily readable and compelling。Also， the illustrations by Tulk-Hart are incredible。 。。。more
David Ritter
，
This was a hard， honest look at America 1。0 built on a belief in a racial hierarchy， with a fallacy of zero-sum thinking that has fomented racism and “otherism” and has cost us all。The book ends strong with a clarion call to live into a Solidarity Dividend and rebuild America 2。0 where “liberty and justice for all” truly IS for ALL。
Juliet
，
A very readable history book emphasizing zero-sum paradigm。 I highly recommend reading this！！！
Jennifer Redmond
，
One of the very best books I have ever read in terms of consolidating information about a broad subject in a thoroughly readable way。 This is an important book。
Sheryl Cox
，
Books like this aren't easy for us to read but they challenge what we have been told about our country， ourselves and who we are now。 I grew up in an all white community in rural Texas--I was taught that we "pull ourselves up by our boot straps" and failure to be successful meant that you just didn't try hard enough。 I only gradually became aware of my own prejudices when I moved and was exposed to others。 Over time， I also became aware of how differently others can be treated by our institution Books like this aren't easy for us to read but they challenge what we have been told about our country， ourselves and who we are now。 I grew up in an all white community in rural Texas--I was taught that we "pull ourselves up by our boot straps" and failure to be successful meant that you just didn't try hard enough。 I only gradually became aware of my own prejudices when I moved and was exposed to others。 Over time， I also became aware of how differently others can be treated by our institutions and I have become very disillusioned by our ability to see clearly--this book shines a light on the uncomfortable truths that we stare at and ignore every day。 I didn't agree with everything in the book but the truth is there。 We only have to be open enough to see it。 。。。more
Kit Ledvina
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I’m glad I finished my reading goal for this year 52/52 with this。 Would recommend to absolutely anyone。
James Hendrickson
，
There are some great insights in here。 The author approaches racism from the perspective that racism hurts everyone。 She approaches this largely from finance and economics with hard numbers to back it up。
Ian Allan
，
Sobering。She's a very knowledgeable writer， with good ability to compellingly present many of the economic， social and political decisions that have helped create many of the race and class problems in our country。I like that she not only explains these issues but also offers some possible corrections for how we as a society can get better。 Sobering。She's a very knowledgeable writer， with good ability to compellingly present many of the economic， social and political decisions that have helped create many of the race and class problems in our country。I like that she not only explains these issues but also offers some possible corrections for how we as a society can get better。 。。。more
Amber
，
A deep dive into the literal root of our problem in this nation and a hopeful narrative about solidarity and diversity。 We are greater than， and greater for， the sum of us。
Howard N。 Nemerovski
，
An eloquent primer on our sad past that is essential to our creating a just and universally productive future。 Ms McGhee musters facts and history to teach all of us the basis for our comprehensive inequalities and how those inequalities damage white people to an extent even greater than people of color。 She then explains how we all can teach each other about the lies inherent in the “zero sum game” mythologies used by destructive public figures to preserve power initially stolen by their usage An eloquent primer on our sad past that is essential to our creating a just and universally productive future。 Ms McGhee musters facts and history to teach all of us the basis for our comprehensive inequalities and how those inequalities damage white people to an extent even greater than people of color。 She then explains how we all can teach each other about the lies inherent in the “zero sum game” mythologies used by destructive public figures to preserve power initially stolen by their usage of those same myths。 In a time when we are flooded by superficial books， articles and cable punditry crying havoc， THIS BOOK is the rare “must read” if we are to save our democracy and our economy。 Our children and grandchildren deserve effective， broadly-based public demands for massive yet effective reforms。 Ms。 McGhee paves the way with this convincing and remarkably well-written challenge。 。。。more
Laila Taji
，
Super important book！ Well-researched！ Spoiler: It is not a zero-sum game。 We need unions， we need equitable housing and employment policies， we need some form of reparations， we need election reform and equal voting rights/access to voting。 We are better together！Read this book if you need the data or anecdotes to drive home those points。Loved this book！
Elizabeth Bostelman
，
Great book！！ I really appreciated the author's use of statistics and looking at the issues as a whole not just for one segment of the population。 Definitely recommend！！ Great book！！ I really appreciated the author's use of statistics and looking at the issues as a whole not just for one segment of the population。 Definitely recommend！！ 。。。more
Rachel Rosenberg
，
Strongly recommend。 An excellent lens to apply to an array of topics。 I thought I would read a few chapters and get the idea， but I read it cover to cover。
R
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I love that this book shifts between talking about economics and racism within the American framework。 It is apparent after reading this book that consumerism/capitalism and racism go hand in hand with one another。 The implications and effects of our racist economic system effects everyone。 McGhee shifts between talking about banking， housing， schools， segregated communities and ties it into our history of racism and oppression。
Kendall King
，
While this book is dense & took me a while to get through， I would highly recommend it as I gained SO much from it。 The author's main point is that racist policies in all forms （education， healthcare， housing， employment， environment， etc。） hurt all people， not just those they're designed to exclude。 I was learning new things every single page and constantly highlighting and trying to process。 Also this book just came out in 2021， so it's super relevant， even talking about the pandemic and Summe While this book is dense & took me a while to get through， I would highly recommend it as I gained SO much from it。 The author's main point is that racist policies in all forms （education， healthcare， housing， employment， environment， etc。） hurt all people， not just those they're designed to exclude。 I was learning new things every single page and constantly highlighting and trying to process。 Also this book just came out in 2021， so it's super relevant， even talking about the pandemic and Summer 2020。"My darker skin would afford me little privilege in life， except in one arena: the privilege of being born among the heroes in the American story of social progress， not among the villains。" 。。。more
Bethany Hudson
，
One of the most important books to be published this year。 McGhee succinctly and engagingly lays out her thesis for the costs of Racism in America—historically and currently， for BIPOC and white Americans—then develops it with deep thought， thorough investigation， and the occasional poignant anecdote， enough to add flavor but not detract from her argument。 I appreciated that the text was left readable， with extensive endnotes available to satisfy any skeptics。 The Sum of Us is a thoroughly engag One of the most important books to be published this year。 McGhee succinctly and engagingly lays out her thesis for the costs of Racism in America—historically and currently， for BIPOC and white Americans—then develops it with deep thought， thorough investigation， and the occasional poignant anecdote， enough to add flavor but not detract from her argument。 I appreciated that the text was left readable， with extensive endnotes available to satisfy any skeptics。 The Sum of Us is a thoroughly engaging read， but by no means an easy one。 。。。more
Rebekah
，
4。5 stars。Really compelling， well-researched and supported， interesting， maddening stuff。I was struck by SO much in this work - the statistics alone floored me again and again。 But what I came away from this book with was really just a profound sense of hopeful frustration。"In short， we must emerge from this crisis in our republic with a new birth of freedom， rooted in the knowledge that we are so much more when the "We" in "We the People" is not some of us， but all of us。 We are greater than， a 4。5 stars。Really compelling， well-researched and supported， interesting， maddening stuff。I was struck by SO much in this work - the statistics alone floored me again and again。 But what I came away from this book with was really just a profound sense of hopeful frustration。"In short， we must emerge from this crisis in our republic with a new birth of freedom， rooted in the knowledge that we are so much more when the "We" in "We the People" is not some of us， but all of us。 We are greater than， and greater for， the sum of us。" 。。。more
David
，
Heather McGhee does a wonderful job using the easy-to-understand example of privatizing or draining public pools in response to the 1964 Civil Rights Act to highlight the often-counterintuitive claim that racism hurts， rather than helps， most white people。 I appreciate the ways that she weaves individual narratives into broader analysis， and the variety of fields that the "drain the pools" attitude has affected: public education， the environment， policing， labor rights， democracy。 I think I read Heather McGhee does a wonderful job using the easy-to-understand example of privatizing or draining public pools in response to the 1964 Civil Rights Act to highlight the often-counterintuitive claim that racism hurts， rather than helps， most white people。 I appreciate the ways that she weaves individual narratives into broader analysis， and the variety of fields that the "drain the pools" attitude has affected: public education， the environment， policing， labor rights， democracy。 I think I read the "how we can prosper together" part of her subtitle as promising a how-to manual， rather than an argument that prospering together is possible， and was a bit disappointed by my misinterpretation， but otherwise this is a really excellent， readable book。 I particularly recommend the endnotes， as a reference， given her depth of research。 。。。more
Mac Love
，
Eye-opening to the accumulative cost of bigotry。 Many scenes described in this book， I have experienced。 I cannot speak the praises of this enough， a must-read for anyone trying to understand our convoluted society。
Ryan
，
I am going to say 4。5 stars， but only because there was a lot of ground covered in this book that has been specifically covered elsewhere。 If you have read Michelle Alexander， Richard Rothstein， Jonathan Kozol， Andre M Perry a lot of what supports her argument will not be much of a surprise。The beautiful thing about this book is the deeply human narrative and the effortless way the author makes connections to countless people living seemingly incongruent lives across the United States。 I feel li I am going to say 4。5 stars， but only because there was a lot of ground covered in this book that has been specifically covered elsewhere。 If you have read Michelle Alexander， Richard Rothstein， Jonathan Kozol， Andre M Perry a lot of what supports her argument will not be much of a surprise。The beautiful thing about this book is the deeply human narrative and the effortless way the author makes connections to countless people living seemingly incongruent lives across the United States。 I feel like Heather McGhee is the kind of person who could sit down with anyone and identify the most luminous aspect of their character while still holding them accountable for decisions they have made。“We are the worlds most radical experiment in democracy， a nation of ancestral strangers that has to work to find connection even as we grow more diverse every day “ -Heather McGhee 。。。more
Ma'Belle
，
I was introduced to Heather McGhee several months ago while attending a three-day virtual conference held by the organization called GARE （Government Alliance on Racial Equity） as part of my Equity， Diversity， and Inclusion （EDI in my org's vernacular） work at the public library I work at。 I had never heard of GARE before but was glad to have the opportunity to attend。 This year's conference was titled Democracy for All: Governing for Racial Equity。 I was immensely impressed with the content （in I was introduced to Heather McGhee several months ago while attending a three-day virtual conference held by the organization called GARE （Government Alliance on Racial Equity） as part of my Equity， Diversity， and Inclusion （EDI in my org's vernacular） work at the public library I work at。 I had never heard of GARE before but was glad to have the opportunity to attend。 This year's conference was titled Democracy for All: Governing for Racial Equity。 I was immensely impressed with the content （including the boppin' DJ sets in between speakers！ （view spoiler）[I'm linking you to the private recording of the conference except for the keynote speeches， including McGhee's - use the password 2021ammGARE） （hide spoiler）] and remain deeply curious about what high-ranking officials were present and paying attention， and what calls to action they will respond to， even if those actions demand self-sacrifice （i。e。 reparations and letting go of white-held power）。McGhee was the final speaker for the third day's closing plenary （which I had to look up）， and I loved what she had to say and made note to find her brand-new book。Though some of the book felt a bit dry， compared to overlapping and crucially important work such as The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness， See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love， or Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents， overall I loved it and assert that The Sum of Us offers key information and a thesis argument that our salvation and future as a culture requires。The chapter on labor unions' history - that most anti-union rhetoric is unconsciously derived from anti-blackness/brownness - felt particularly relevant to struggles in which I involved， as did the chapter on religious communities and small town economies。 。。。more
Becky Weinstein
，
An important book。 A bit dense for me， but I would recommend it for people that like this type of nonfiction。
Marla
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Very current， thoughtful， thorough & provoking。
J Katz
，
What a fantastic book- Her writing is clear， well researched， and she makes her points one after the other。 The main one being we can all have a good life with enough and take care of each other and the planet。 Also that racism is at the root of many problems and it hurts everyone。 The chapter The Same Sky was especially important to me in showing how， in the U。 S。 people of color （per Yale researchers） care much more about the environment than white people。 Made me realize that diversity work a What a fantastic book- Her writing is clear， well researched， and she makes her points one after the other。 The main one being we can all have a good life with enough and take care of each other and the planet。 Also that racism is at the root of many problems and it hurts everyone。 The chapter The Same Sky was especially important to me in showing how， in the U。 S。 people of color （per Yale researchers） care much more about the environment than white people。 Made me realize that diversity work and anti-racism work is also environmental work。 Getting people in power who can make the world better for all without thinking they have to withhold so people of color don't get anything- even if it hurts everyone including whites-that's what we need to work towards。 Excellent book that is startling and sad in the history it uncovers but ultimately shows how with eyes open to our past we can come together to change。 。。。more
Lesley Levine
，
Excellent review of the many ways we all suffer due to white supremacy。 The author does a great service by sharing stories and interviews that are highly relatable。 She gives a few realistic pathways for our shared future。 Did I mention it is very well written。 Highly recommended。
Suzanne Artis
，