A History Book You May Like

Just finished a great book by professor Roland Takaki. I have been working on for a while, I started reading this book few months ago, but sort of went on to read another book and another one. Until last week where I was determined to finish this book. This is a history book, a history about the little guy. America's history through the eyes and struggles of different minority groups. The Indians, the slaves, the Irish, the Chinese, the Japanese, the Hispanics, and the Jews. The author is a Japanese American professor who seems to be a history buff in terms of finding a lot of great journals and writing of each of those groups to describe. The book was in good in terms of telling the history of this country through the eyes of the little guy and their struggle to make it in here.

Another thing I liked how the author was unafraid to show a different side for the Founding Fathers and their early attitude about minorities and slaves. He digs deep into the matter of Indian land and how the US government handled the Indian territory problems. This was a history of the United States since day one ending with the LA riots of 1992, you can imagine there is a lot of history in there.

If you have the time to read 500 pages and you are interested in this subject matter, please check this book out. I loved how he describes the ups and the downs, the highs and the lows of each group. I like how from what he wrote it seems that WWII is a turning post for American history where everybody had to pitch in to proof themselves as worthy citizens of this nation. I loved how the author talked about the inter immigrant politics, the black attitudes toward the Irish (at the start the Irish were sympathizing with Blacks, later that changed that)

I especially took interest in the special relation between the the African American and Jewish groups an leaders working hand in hand toward civil rights. The first turning point was in the 1967 war when some voices in the African American community condemns Israel's war and grabbing Arab land. Only then when some Jewish leaders started abandoning civil, rights. Another turning point in the relationship was when the civil rights moved from political rights into social and economic justice, some Jewish voices started to give their involvement a second thought. He goes to great length to describe the great work done by Jewish groups and individuals to advance the civil rights movement.

I would have liked to talk about other little known immigrant groups, he has never mentioned Muslim or Arab immigrant. But I imagine this was not a "major" factor in American history. Maybe he is planing on writing a book about the post 9/11 immigration policies.