During the worst years of official racism in South Africa, the story of one young girl gripped the nation and came to symbolize the injustice, c... read full description
reviews
Mar 02, 2008
Sherese
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The life of Sandra Laing can be described as tragic, impossible and unqiuely South African. I first heard of Sandra Laing and this biography by Judith Stone while reading an issue of Essence magazine over the holidays. The story of a South African woman born to white parents who was born white, later classified by the government as "coloured" and thrown out of school at age ten. Only to be reclassifed as white 18 months or so later and then as a runaway teen with older black boyfriend
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Jan 19, 2008
Tina
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It's amazing people will focus so much negative energy on something that is so trivial as someone's looks and the color of their skin. I almost didn't finish reading this book, especially the beginning when Sandra Laing's parents were fighting to keep her classified as a white person. But I am glad I hung in there because it got better. You really get an understanding of how racism affects a person mentally and physically and the many ways they defend themselves against racism. Till this day
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Jul 26, 2007
Stephanie
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Even though I know how interracial and interrelated we all are, I love reading books that are clear examples of that. 'When She Was White' is the true story about a black girl, born in South Africa to white parents during the height of apartheid. White parents who believed in and supported the segregated system. White parents who didn't acknowledge their daughter's curly hair or darker skin, and who had no desire to change the apartheid laws to protect her. White parents who wanted the governmen
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Jul 26, 2007
Wendy
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I really didn't care for this book. Supposedly this is the story of how the absurd practice of racial classification in South Africa caused the subject's many troubles.
Instead we have a long tale of the author's interaction with Sandra. Certainly we can take Sandra's many troubles, financially, with men, with "the system" and link them to early and ongoing confusion about her identity in a country where identity is so entirely linked to racial classification. However the a More...
Instead we have a long tale of the author's interaction with Sandra. Certainly we can take Sandra's many troubles, financially, with men, with "the system" and link them to early and ongoing confusion about her identity in a country where identity is so entirely linked to racial classification. However the a More...
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Jan 16, 2008
Allyse
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This story made me angry (if I could underline that I would) and yet the story of Sandra Laing should be read. I think it's important to understand how humans can use science, pride, and lies to completely take away basic human rights. This story happened less than 50 years ago. The mentality that allowed this story to happen still persists. Read this book. Read the footnotes also. Thanks for sending it to me Micah.
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Jan 27, 2012
Mike
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After I saw the provocative movie "Skin", I had a lot of questions, which is why I read this book. I was also interested in learning a little more history of South Africa than the movie provided. Ultimately, the book was disappointing, not because of the writing or research, but because Sandra Laing's story is an imperfect vehicle to discuss racism and what happens when a technologically advanced culture conquers a less advanced culture.
Not unsurprisingly, the story is much More...
Not unsurprisingly, the story is much More...
Jan 14, 2012
Diane
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Sandra's story is very important and needs to be told. The only reason I gave this 2 stars instead of 1 is because it helped put her story out there.
I don't like reading stories that say, "this is how I'm going to tell the story. This is what I looked at." Tell the story. Footnote the resources. Don't distract from the story but forcing stuff all about yourself/the author and how hard you worked on the book. You are stealing the story from Sandra.
The author More...
I don't like reading stories that say, "this is how I'm going to tell the story. This is what I looked at." Tell the story. Footnote the resources. Don't distract from the story but forcing stuff all about yourself/the author and how hard you worked on the book. You are stealing the story from Sandra.
The author More...
May 21, 2010
Valarie
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This is a heartbreaking story about one of the many victims of South Africa's apartheid system. Sandra Laing's "racial classification" was officially changed three times, and she was expelled from her all-white school because her skin was too dark, though both her parents are classified as white. Unlike many biographies which try to put a happy ending onto the life of someone still living, Judith Stone is very honest with her readers. We get to see the psychological toll that her diffe
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Dec 16, 2009
Steph
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This biography examines the history of South Africa's systematic racism while telling the story of Sandra Lang, a national symbol of the cruelties of apartheid. Although I loved the story of Sandra and felt the horror of what she endured, I was not impressed with the author, Judith Stone. She was too present in the story, too much a character in the way of the real events going on behind her. She over-analyzes Sandra's every decision and feeling. She meanders through the events and repeats herse
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Nov 14, 2007
Pam
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This is a well written and I believe "fair" book - in that it makes clear that no one has the real story - from Sandra, to her parents, to her brothers, to the people who left her dangling between cultures.
Stone documents the irregularities in Sandra's memories and backs them up with published explanations and professional opinions - as to how this might be true (that Sandra cannot remember a fact, or grasp a evident concept) and not a fabrication or a deliberate misdirec More...
Stone documents the irregularities in Sandra's memories and backs them up with published explanations and professional opinions - as to how this might be true (that Sandra cannot remember a fact, or grasp a evident concept) and not a fabrication or a deliberate misdirec More...
Jan 10, 2008
Bethany
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When She Was White: The True Story of a Family Divided by Race is a powerful work about one child’s coming-of-age during the apartheid in South Africa, and the problems her physical appearance brings. Sandra Laing was born to white parents but looked like a black child. She was removed from her whites-only school, declared to be colored, then declared to be white again, and back and forth for most of her life. Judith Stone includes many details about the apartheid and history of South Africa
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Jan 09, 2008
jSarie
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An interesting story, and one that’s worth a better book than this - the writing is so poor that it’s almost impossible to pay attention – surely a decent editor should have caught things like the fact that 1994 – 2000 is a span of six years and not four, or that quotes don’t need to be attributed both before *and* after the quotation (“Kobus says…. .say Kobus”). Not to mention all the silly little errors like - there’s a comic strip mentioned on the last page of the book and apparently the au
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Aug 30, 2011
Barbara
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After watching the movie SKIN I wanted to read this book--a book about the same girl, Sandra Laing, and her family in South Africa. The story is heartbreaking yet still filled with hope. It is also an important reminder to be aware of the stories of others. They not only teach us much about them but also much about ourselves.
Dec 17, 2009
Christy
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We read Cry, the Beloved Country about South Africa and that was my first real introduction to the country. This book is set in the South Africa of the 1960's and I cried over the description of the lives of blacks under apartheid.
The author subtly shows how racism is passed through generations; the children of the whites mimic and carry on the racism of their parents. I was shocked that while the whites were intent on classifying race, there was a fluidity that allowed them to ch More...
The author subtly shows how racism is passed through generations; the children of the whites mimic and carry on the racism of their parents. I was shocked that while the whites were intent on classifying race, there was a fluidity that allowed them to ch More...
Sep 08, 2009
Sandra
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Nonfiction; somewhat unlikable person is the main subject, but an interesting look at a girl raised white, then determined black, the fight to restore her status, etc. in South Africa during apartheid.
Dec 03, 2009
Rebecca
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The subject of the book has a compelling story. Unfortunately, the author seemed less informed about South Africa than she should have been and was pretty judgmental of the subject.
Apr 11, 2008
Su
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This tells the tale of a South African family caught up in the legal wranglings of apartheid during the 1960's and through til today. Their only daughter was classified as "colored" which actually meant they couldn't send her to her brother's school, couldn't eat at restaurants with her, couldn't attend movies with her etc. Her parents vehemently denied that anyone other than the two of them were her biological mom and dad. The psychological damage that is done to the girl is unimag
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Jan 12, 2010
Courtney
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I really liked this book. It had a lot of interesting information about apartheid-era South Africa and the impact it had on individuals and families. I would definitely recommend it.
Nov 19, 2009
Shekika
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Sad, yet fascinating. This book is an example of the how racism touches lives so much deeper than we can imagine. Excellent book.
Mar 21, 2010
Amy
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Disappointing; fascinating story, but the wholly intrusive presence of the author kept me from finishing it. Book club book.
Jan 20, 2009
jeanne
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I really learned a lot from this book, as I knew very little about aparthied before. I thought the content was great, but I had a hard time reading due to the writing style. It seemed a bit choppy to me. I would like to give it 2 1/2 stars...
May 20, 2008
Kristen
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This book was recommended to me by my good friend, Mary, and so far seems very interesting. It's the true story of a girl born to a white family in South Africa during apartheid and what happened when the state classified her as "coloured" despite her parents both being classified as white.
*** update ***
I finished the book over the weekend and found it quite interesting. At times I felt a bit like it was a tabloid exposing this woman's life. But overall I fee More...
*** update ***
I finished the book over the weekend and found it quite interesting. At times I felt a bit like it was a tabloid exposing this woman's life. But overall I fee More...
Jul 04, 2011
Linda
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I read this in 2007 in South Africa. I never saw the film but would love to.
Dec 24, 2011
Tessa
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After seeing the recently released, Skin, I had to know more about Sandra Laing. Laing grew up in an Afrikaner family during the heyday of apartheid. Although she was born to white parents, physically she appeared biracial. Under the laws of the time, Sandra was classified first as white, then as coloured, then back to white, and finally as coloured. Crazed laws/social policies will eventually drive people to act irrationally,
In addition to Sandra's story, the book addresses life u More...
In addition to Sandra's story, the book addresses life u More...
Oct 15, 2008
Justin
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Apartheid was terrible. This lady suffered tremendously because of it. These are things that one can learn from various history books, documentaries, and wikipedia entries that are far more interesting than this book. On the "books that co-workers forced me to read" scale, I give this a 1 out of 10. (hopefully I successfully navigated the SWPL rules and offended no one with that review...oh, who am I kidding... go ahead and BE OFFENDED!!! My gift to you.).
Aug 24, 2010
This woman's story exposes the farce that was apartheid in a unique way - she was born into a white family but looked "coloured" and was thus reclassified by the government of South Africa, resulting in her having dramatically less rights than her family. It was actually against the law for her to live with them as anything but a servant, to sit with them in public, etc. I'm definitely finding this fascinating.
Dec 16, 2009
KIM
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One day in So. Africa a little girl woke up 'white' and went to bed classified 'black.' In South Africa that meant she would have fewer rights and opportunities than her white biological family. This book examines the unjust practice of appartheid, and how it tore one family apart. Though I found the information interesting, I thought the book was so badly written I can't give it more than three stars.
