Oprah's Book Club (Official) discussion

I just started reading cast about a week ago. There are so many interesting and compelling elements of this book to discuss. For example the section I just read Nazis studied the u.s. race laws for inspiration when they were devising their own schemes of segregation and subjugation. So many things that we see as normal because we've always done them were born out of the desire for those in power to keep their power. For example requirements of race questions on birth certificates and so many other documents was really specifically designed to enforce discriminatory laws. Just got me thinking what would happen if we stopped asking those questions on everything? What would happen if we just declare ourselves human? I would love to hear your thoughts on what you've read so far. I'm still early in the book.

the book sounds interesting...will read it...and can discuss

I love her writing style of weaving facts and events of history with a narrative voice.

I can’t wait to read it. Have asked my local library to order it. Will weigh in once I get it.

Hi I'm Kathy, this is a book I definitely want to read and I have a sample on my Kindle and plan to buy. Is there any plan for the speed at which the group is going to read the book? Based on reviews I've read, it seems like it's going to be a tough read because the history is so disturbing (not because I'm sure the book isn't excellent). And having a schedule will make me stay on course even if I'm going through a tough section. Thanks!

I didn't set like a timeline. I just thought people could write their thoughts or reactions to different parts of the books as they read. I thought Oprah's Book Club would have a discussion here on Goodreads, but I figured I'd start fun Since there wasn't one on here.

one thing that I love that she does and she did this in warmth of another son as well, is she'll Sheeran events in all its details and then reveal the person who was connected to the event. it's fascinating because he can see how a memorable or horrific event shapes a person's whole life.

Darcy, ok. I belong to the history book club on Goodreads and the moderators are a lot more active. I find that it helps me be disciplined about reading along at the same pace. I do want to read this book since I think it's so important. I've got a few going already and I want to finish one of them before I tackle another on my own. Thanks.

I agree... this book is going to be consequential to serious conversations in our near future!! I need to pick it up!!

May, well if any one is interested, I could try putting together a schedule. The only thing is the table of contents doesn't have page numbers and the Kindle version doesn't have page numbers either so trying to split it by week into smaller chunks may be a bit challenging when I haven't read the book yet. But let me know if there is any interest and I'll sit down and do it to force myself to get started. The history book club keeps it to 20-30 pages a week so people have time to think about what they read to be able to absorb it. And then we can have discussions about the chapters that are under consideration for the week.

Kathy...I think that would work. We could have discussions about information presented in different chapters and even if people are ahead of others, they can still reflect on their impressions of a particular set of chapters.

I am on Chapter 10 right now.

Darcy, ok we will see if anyone else responds in the positive. Since you are on Chapter 10, approximately how long is each chapter? If she has kind of a set number of pages like a lot of authors do, I figured I could just split it up by Chapters. Anyone who joins later can just catch up and start commenting when they will. It’s nice if someone who is reading the book introduces themselves to the feed and says where they are from, even if they don’t comment for awhile.

I am listening to this one. I was just thinking, I bet Oprah has a reading timeline and questions as she has done for her other recent picks. I will have to find. I don't want to make this too formal, but questions could serve as a point of discussion. I live in Chicago.

Darcy that would be great if you could find it. I looked but couldn’t but I’ve never followed along in Oprah’s book club before. I live in N Vt but I’m a relatively recent transplant from the NYC area. I did an early retirement and got myself out of the rat race.

Nice to meet you.

Oprah's Book Club on Facebook and Instagram has a reading schedule. Next week August 17th the focus will be on part 1 of the book.

Darcy, thanks. I’ve asked to join the BOTM club on Facebook. I haven’t been accepted yet. Social media freaks me out so I belong to as few as I can get away with so I’m not on Instagram. Facebook I was finally forced onto it...a long story. Thanks again. Will check back in once I get in the group.

Darcy, I did find the syllabus and I’ve bought the book and read through chapter 4. I think they are doing the discussion on Twitter which I’m not going to join. Still haven’t gotten accepted to the BOTM club but I don’t think they are going to post there. The book is excellent and gives one a lot of food for thought. I’m not sure anyone is going to post here, even though this is my preference, will just have to see.

Oprah has a book club for this book on Facebook. I'm sure it is on the other ones too. Discussion starts Monday Aug 17. Discussing Part 1

Carol, I know. I think most of the discussion is going to take place on Twitter if I read the posts on Facebook correctly.

Kathy ...Feel free to share thoughts here. I am making notes of thoughts and impressions as I read. One question that has popped into my head is how do we learn from the past, but live in the present to build a better future? Some of the events in the book are so horrific, it seems that people could be traumatized again and again from these stories, yet this is a truth people lived. what is the way forward?

Darcy, agreed. I always thought that as time went on our society would get more just as the country became more open to African Americans and other people of color through the changes in the laws in the 1960s and 1970s.. I could see it in my own career with myself as a white woman where more women were getting advanced and there was a huge number of people of color starting to advance. The murder of George Floyd showed me the lie of that. I think we are only going to be able to advance by forcing people to confront our past. How to fix the system since it’s so ingrained in all of us is the hard part. Where do you start? And what needs to be done? I’m willing to help since I think it is my duty and my belief that if we don’t fix it our country will fail. It can’t go on so divided. The problems however seem overwhelming.

Darcy, we will all be traumatized by knowing more of the past but it also will make it clearer to us the path forward because it will show us what was put in place to support the caste structure and give us an idea of what needs to be dismantled and/or reformed.

yes. Then there's also the question I posed earlier what would happen if we stopped classifying and labeling ourselves and others in regard to this system? One thing I find interesting which is mentioned early in this book but also in another book that I'm reading about the beginnings of anthropology, is this idea that who is classified as white has constantly shifted over the last couple of centuries. I saw an interview with actor who is from India and he stated in some question about race that there wasn't a place for somebody from India and he was told that he would have to put himself as white. He was completely confused and said look at my skin I'm not white. but according to them he would be classified as white because he was from India. This was a young actor so this is something current I just don't remember who the actor was. Since this was created by people, people can undo it. However we all have to stop participating in any of these systems of classification and that's going to be a much deeper roots to undo.

Darcy, most people don’t question why things are the way they are. They are content just following along in the role that was given them. It’s only when the structure bites them do they even notice it exists. The people who have money and power like the system just as it is and view any change as a threat and fight back with all the resources they have to stop it. And they convince enough of the other people who benefit but not as much to fight against any change. It’s convincing enough people in power that they have to change in order to not lose it all. That’s what FDR did. He saw that the people of his class had to give up some to save the capitalist system from total collapse. And so he instituted social welfare programs like social security. Other wealthy people fought him the whole way and so he wasn’t able to get in everything his administration advocated, hey they are still trying to dismantle social security by making sure it stays underfunded.

Oprah's Question for Part 1: What word phrase or sentence gave you the best aha moment in the section?

The comments about how Europeans had to learn that they were white and Africans had to learn that they were black. They weren’t that before they came to the US and the UK. They were their various ethnic groups before they came. My grandparents were from Ireland and that is so true. They didn’t think about themselves as white just Irish. They learned that after being here awhile.

Yes. Along those lines the comment that no one is black in Africa. again because they recognize each other through language and tribe. it's also interesting how who is considered white is constantly shifted.

For anyone interested in a live conversation on Caste, we're hosting a youtube live discussion starting Aug 30 @ 730p ET with a diverse panel representing various races, geographies, veterans, genders, & sexual orientation. We just felt this book needed a face to face dialogue. Check out the promo at 99pagesclub.com! Here's the reading schedule:
Aug 30 (730p ET): Parts 1-2
Sep 13 (730p ET): Parts 3-5
Sept 20 (730p ET): Parts 6-7

Thanks Rajiv for sharing.

I look forward to reading cast after I finish the warmth of other sons which I am halfway through I like the author and ended up buying warmth of other sons after I had already purchased the Audible to try to take it a bit more slowly go buy a copy of cast to be able to read it in more depth glad there is a book group that I can look forward to discussing this

BTW I have begun to leave sections on race, age, education and gender blank
I am of Eastern European origins and was naturalized at age 13- i have an advanced degree-
Neither of my parents finished grade school but worked hard u til the day they died-

is that anyone’s business when I am filling out an anonymous survey ? If I think it matters I check the boxes but sometimes I think it’s irrelevant and I now leave them blank

Yodelmama- I loved her other book as well. Her writing is so insightful and allows the reader both an intimate and bird's eye view. I just finished the book today. It will stay with me a long time.