Black, White, Other: Biracial Americans Talk About Race and Identity

by Lise Funderburg

In Black, White, Other journalist Lise Funderburg presents the lives and views of forty-six adult children of black-white unions. Topics include love and marriage, racism in the workplace, and bringing up children in a racially divided world. The New York Times lauded the book as "important...an example of how we can talk about race with feeling, humor, and dignity." The Buffalo News said that the "pages seethe with a tapestry of life....No book is more likely to force a reader to confront his beliefs about race than this one." Numerous readers responded that they had waited their whole lives for this book. The first book ever to explore the lives of adult children of black-white unions, Black, White, Other is for the millions of biracial Americans, and for everyone who is interested in the subject of race and the prospects for achieving true pluraism in America.

Genres: Nonfiction, Race, Social Science, Cultural, Psychology, Sociology

391 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

I'm a writer based in Philadelphia. I've written for many national magazines and newspapers, and my latest book is called "Pig Candy: Taking My Father South, Taking My Father Home." It's a memoir/social history about race, filial duty, mortality, and barbecue."

Reviews

[Cardyn Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding examination of the personal devastation caused by entrenched racial stereotypes, especially for individuals who physically appear to be neither 100% one thing or another.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book compiling interviews with 40+ mixed individuals. I was at times inspired and excited for raising children with these struggles, and at times concerned. I hope I can do my best to raise children with a healthy sense of identity and a realistic view of the world.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helped me to know there are others that go thru what I do.

[Amy Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am an African American/Native American. So, I can really relate to some of the people that she interviewed. It is a powerful and realistic book of what interracial people go through in this country. It is sad that most people believe that being light skinned, and near white, or passing for white is a great thing. The comments about "good hair" etc.,. But, what it actually does is make people jealous of you, and not like you. Some of the real accounts were disturbing, sad, and eye opening.

[Alex Piven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. This is the first book I have read that deals with biracial people as the subject, and I found it incredibly insightful. It stimulated me in thinking about my own experience as a biracial person. Above all, it highlighted how different each and every one of our experiences are, growing up as a biracial person in America.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

well organized and an easy read but not sure that I learned any thing new.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dated, yet sadly still relevant.

[Latham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about 20 years old and was an interesting read. I'd like to think that our notions of "different" or "other" continue to evolve.