This book is astonishing. I haven't even finished it yet and it has opened my mind. Unlike some of the other books currently at the top of the best-seller lists, this is not written by a black person about their experience of racism. Nor is it about extreme racist brutality, violence or hate speech. It's written by a white author for ordinary, well-meaning, educated white readers. It is about something literally everywhere around us but we probably can't put our finger on: the strong, immediate, defensive, downright *angry* reaction white people have when asked to talk or even think about race inequality. I've had this reaction myself, you will have too. The 'but I'm not racist' offence-taking. It would be impossible to grow up in Britain or the US and never have had this defensive reaction; it is woven into the culture. -But I'm not racist. -But my friends/family are black. -Why can't we all just shut up about black & white. -I don't see colour. -I'm not prejudiced. -Black people can be racist too. -White people were also slaves actually. -I'm poor and my life is hard. I've never had 'white privilege'. -If they didn't break the law, they wouldn't have a problem. -My people were oppressed too. -Discrimination is all in the past. -Removing gollywogs and blackface characters from TV and food packaging is ridiculous. -I'M NOT RACIST SO WHY ARE YOU EVEN ADDRESSING ME???! I have heard all of these arguments in the last month alone, I'm sure you have too. This book explores the fascinating question why, as she puts it, 'the smallest amount of racial stress is intolerable - the mere suggestion that being white has meaning often triggers a range of defensive responses'. There's a great deal here and I thoroughly recommend reading the book but the most obvious takeaway is that 'racism' isn't individual acts of nastiness done by mean people, it's inherent in the systems we live in. It isn't something any of us can distance ourselves from. Fish don't notice the water they're swimming in; white people don't notice the white supremacy we are swimming in and we get uncomfortable and cranky AF when someone points it out. A scorching read which requires frequent staring off into the distance while you mull over just how much your mind is being blown.

This book is uncomfortable and difficult reading for white people, and for that exact reason you should read it. I came to this book with a slightly smug self-image - racist, me?! How absurd. Within a few chapters, Diangelo undermines your assumptions and challenges you to be truly honest with yourself and your place in society. Although she is writing from an American point of view, her arguments and insights are still valid for British people. Drawing on both anecdotal, personal and academic resources, she quickly and concisely breaks down what it means to be a white person living in an inherently racist social structure and how it's up to us to ensure that we keep learning and educating ourselves to break down the latent racism in our everyday lives.

I've always thought of myself as a fundamentally decent human being, so imagine how I felt when I learnt that I'm a fundamentally decent human being who's also a racist. Well, I'll tell you - I exhibited every one of the symptoms of white fragility described in this tour de force book. I tried very hard to justify and explain why this book didn't relate to me - it's based on American society and I'm British, so it doesn't count. Bullsh1t. It counts. When I'd got over my anger and the urge to stop reading, I found uncomfortable truth after uncomfortable truth presented to me. It became harder and harder to dismiss the idea that racism is a fundamental part of our society and that we're all guilty of it. I originally picked up this book hoping to gain insight into how I can use my white privilege in a positive way, and while it doesn't necessarily address this particular issue, it's done far more in opening my eyes to the reality of the world we live in. I've not got answers to questions I didn't even know I should be asking, and more questions than I know what to do with - but fortunately the excellent 'further resources' section at the back has given me a starting point for where to look next. This is not an easy read, and it isn't meant to be. If you're white, don't expect to be coddled. You will be generalised - "white people are guilty of..." - and your instinct will be to shout "not all white people!" and throw the book across the room. Don't. Sit and think about it. Think about the times in your life you've said "black people are..." or "Asian people are..." - it's the same thing. If you can generalise about them, expect to be generalised about yourself. Don't pick up this book if you're not prepared to do the work. Do pick up this book if you believe you're not racist. Read it, and then read it again.

I bought this book out of curiosity , having watched a video clip of Robin Diangelo. I was curious about the concept of white fragility. Clearly I couldn't be racist myself as a brown person who has suffered racism. I bought this book, thinking it would give me some clues on how to spot and deal with passive, low level racism which I have come across and made me uncomfortable but been unable to pin down or tackle. I knew racism exists in England but I've always thought, based on personal experience, that this country was one in which if you work hard enough and grab opportunities when they arrive, you will succeed in the end. So having finished this book, it's been unsettling/horrifying to now realise that in situations where I have enjoyed power i.e. as a recruiter/employer, I have been participating in racism. It's brought back memories and now the veil has been ripped away, I see things differently. I had fully bought into the idea of white supremacy, without even knowing about it. To read this book, is to understand yourself, our society, your place in this society and how we are all subconsciously perpetrating racism. I highly recommend this book to absolutely everyone.

Stars are for inaccessibility of edition, not content! Ordered during lockdown, so not able to see the book before ordering. It arrived and I was surprised at how thin the book was. Opened it up and discovered why - the font size is absolutely tiny! I do not need or use glasses, so this is not an eyesight issue; the font is just ridiculously small and for apparently no reason, as the book could easily be double the thickness without being at all big. I'm really disappointed and am sending back for a refund. Now shops are open I will go in and see if the £14.99 edition has an accessible size print.