This is the revised addition, with extra chapters added in 2008 to more fully reflect the history of various groups in America including Afghan immigrants and the post-9/11 world. A solid introduction to American history and the parallels between various groups as they immigrated, were forcibly brought here, or were invaded. I'm a bit loathe to say this is the "hidden" part of American history, but if you think back to your schooling, how much space is given to immigration, and how often is it a paragraph about Ellis Island?

The most striking aspect to me was how much of American's immigration waves are due to labor, in a very cyclical way: "oh hey, we need cheap labor so let's import as many of these folks as we can; oh no there's too many of them we don't want to be taken over so let's ban them/send them home; oh wait we need cheap labor where's another place we can exploit", rinse and repeat. I'm a fourth generation Chinese American so it's a familiar story to me (familial, even), and I am quick to remind my social feeds of how the Chinese Exclusion Act set the blueprint for restrictive immigration police in the United States. The frustrating aspect to my more organized-labor minded friends is how often solidarity would've bonded the working class immigrants together, if not for the easy division tactic of xenophobia.

Strongly recommend this to supplement or educate yourself about the history of this country, and certainly for the reading lists y'all made in 2020 that you're definitely going to get around to reading in 2021, right? ( )

Takaki's sweeping text is an excellent introduction to the history of people in the United States who have been oppressed and exploited by the dominant White culture. Really, what he writes in this book is a robust, and concentrated narrative of history that does not shy away from real hurt, violence and affords the reader many opportunities to reflect on how racist and fearful policies of the past are recapitulated in a modern context. While Takaki goes into the violent and painful legacy of violence in the United States he also offers his own story, and a tangible vision of hope for a pluralistic multi-cultural society where all people are treated with dignity and respect.

I found this book a profoundly moving, profoundly sobering look at the history of our country. It is also a book I couldn't recommend more enthusiastically. In my opinion it is a "must read." I first came across the title on a book table set up by two women who came to NCF to talk about Reba Place's experience with racial reconciliation. I carried the title around with me for a year or two and finally checked it out at the public library. I don't know if I've ever been impacted so strongly by a book before. Takaki, a third-generation American (as is my mother) covers American history from the perspective of some of the various minorities that have made America their home, and one that is indigenous. He covers African Americans, Irish Americans, Mexican Americans, Chinese Americans, Native Americans, Japanese Americans, and Jewish Americans from the beginnings of our country to the early 1990s. He evenhandedly paints a picture of the reality of American experience for these different groups. He describes the difficulties they had both on a societal level and on an official government policy level. For those who shudder at the thought of reading through a dry history, never fear. This book is most readable. In fact it is downright engaging. Even eloquent. It is heart-changing. Read it.
(Carolyn Vance)

Such an informative book! ( )

Takaki does an absolutely phenomenal job in exploring the history of multicultural America highlighting the often ignored and left out parts of history that showcase just how badly the "white european" treated anyone else. It's a great introduction to real American history not the whitewashed versions heard in grade school. It covers nearly every "race" and ethnicity except the Arabs which is why I can only give it 4 stars. By leaving out Arabs it's left out the immigrants from an entire region of the earth. Otherwise the book covers pretty much everyone. Takaki's writing style is fluid and easy to follow making it easy to read an understand yet contains enough depth that it stimulates thought and discussion. ( )