Examining "his" kind of people

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	• Our Kind of People: Inside America's Black Upper Class Lawrence Otis Graham Harper Perennial, 2000 - 448 pages average customer review:based on 255 reviews view larger image
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Examining "his" kind of people

I can understand and relate with some of the previous reviews of this book that label it as "pretentious" and "snobbish"...to mention just a few of the adjectives used to describe it. However, that is exactly why I give this book 4 stars. It is truly eye-opening. Not because it is brilliantly written or because Graham is some fascinating person -- but because he isn't. I knew nothing of the "black elite" before reading this book, and now that I have read it, I am completely convinced that I never want to be a part of it, regardless of how much money I may make in the future. Graham makes more of an impact with what he doesn't say than what he does say. He takes a "critical" look at these "elite" while still holding steadfastly to their ways. His "criticalness" is confined in a certain class="textlinks">kind of way. It is clear that he is trapped by the same pettiness and insecurites that engulf many of the people that he is speaking about. Being a darker-skinned Black woman who comes from a family that is by no means wealthy and who has never stepped foot on the campus of Harvard or Yale...perhaps I am biased in my thinking. But after reading this book, I am truly convinced that Graham and his ilk are not "our kind of people."

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A Great Book

Though some parts of the book may seem a bit overly pretentious or braggish, the book is very good and sends out a postive message. And though many members of the upper class are embarassed or cautious about many of the truths reveraled by the book, it shows that we do exist. Many blacks prefer to deny the existence of a wealthy, successful group amongst them. But this group is steadily increasing and should serve as role models to the greater community. Instead of aspiring to be sports stars, actors and rappers, black youth should instead look to the successful black doctors, lawyers, bankers, CEO's, etc. As a member of Jack and Jill and having parents and grandparents that are members of the organizations described in the book, I know that the group maintains a level of exclusivity and is quite hard to permeate but it still stands to show that blacks have come a long way and that many have acheived tremendous success in life.

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, page 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

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