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Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

by Isabel Wilkerson
Compare to estimated retail price: RM138.00 MYR  

The item you've got your eye on is secondhand. You probably already know that, but just in case!

The estimated retail price shown next to any listed item represents the first-hand prices we've seen elsewhere, or the estimated original retail price of a comparable item of the same quality, construction and material offered elsewhere in new condition.

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

Incisive exploration of America's hidden social hierarchy.

If you've ever pondered the deep-rooted divisions in American society, "Caste" is an enlightening read. Isabel Wilkerson's meticulous research connects past and present, uncovering the foundational yet often invisible caste system underpinning American life. Through compelling stories and historical insights, Wilkerson invites a reflection on how unseen structures shape power, behavior, and the collective fate. It’s both a deep dive into sociology and a necessary conversation starter for anyone interested in the crossroads of history, identity, and justice.

  • PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction Nominee for Shortlist (2021)
  • Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Current Interest (2020)
  • Dayton Literary Peace Prize Nominee for Nonfiction (2021)
  • National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for Nonfiction (2020)
  • Kirkus Prize Nominee for Nonfiction (2020)
  • Goodreads Choice Award for History & Biography (2020)
  • PEN/Jean Stein Book Award Nominee for Longlist (2021)
  • Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize Nominee for Nonfiction (2021)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

by Isabel Wilkerson
Compare to estimated retail price: RM138.00 MYR  

The item you've got your eye on is secondhand. You probably already know that, but just in case!

The estimated retail price shown next to any listed item represents the first-hand prices we've seen elsewhere, or the estimated original retail price of a comparable item of the same quality, construction and material offered elsewhere in new condition.

Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

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This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

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This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

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We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Well Read Condition

This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

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ISBN: 9780593230251
Authors: Isabel Wilkerson
Publisher: Random House
Date of Publication: 2020-08-04
Format: Hardcover
Related Collections: Politics, Sociology, History
Related Topics: Sociology, American History, Race, History, Social Justice, Anti Racist, Historical
Goodreads rating: 4.53
(rated by 153111 readers)

Description

The Pulitzer Prize–winning, bestselling author of The Warmth of Other Suns examines the unspoken caste system that has shaped America and shows how our lives today are still defined by a hierarchy of human divisions. In this brilliant book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings. Beyond race, class, or other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences people’s lives and behavior and the nation’s fate. Linking the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more. Using riveting stories about people—including Martin Luther King, Jr., baseball’s Satchel Paige, a single father and his toddler son, Wilkerson herself, and many others—she shows the ways that the insidious undertow of caste is experienced every day. She documents how the Nazis studied the racial systems in America to plan their out-cast of the Jews; she discusses why the cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the middle to measure themselves against; she writes about the surprising health costs of caste, in depression and life expectancy, and the effects
 

Incisive exploration of America's hidden social hierarchy.

If you've ever pondered the deep-rooted divisions in American society, "Caste" is an enlightening read. Isabel Wilkerson's meticulous research connects past and present, uncovering the foundational yet often invisible caste system underpinning American life. Through compelling stories and historical insights, Wilkerson invites a reflection on how unseen structures shape power, behavior, and the collective fate. It’s both a deep dive into sociology and a necessary conversation starter for anyone interested in the crossroads of history, identity, and justice.

  • PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction Nominee for Shortlist (2021)
  • Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Current Interest (2020)
  • Dayton Literary Peace Prize Nominee for Nonfiction (2021)
  • National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for Nonfiction (2020)
  • Kirkus Prize Nominee for Nonfiction (2020)
  • Goodreads Choice Award for History & Biography (2020)
  • PEN/Jean Stein Book Award Nominee for Longlist (2021)
  • Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize Nominee for Nonfiction (2021)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.