Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents is a nonfiction book by the American journalist Isabel Wilkerson, published in August 2020 by Random House. The book describes racism in the United States as an aspect of a caste system—a society-wide system of social stratification characterized by notions such as hierarchy, inclusion and exclusion, and purity. Wilkerson does so by comparing aspects of the experience of American people of color to the caste systems of India and Nazi Germany, and she explores the impact of caste on societies shaped by them, and their people.
Cover image, based on a photo by Bruce Davidson at Magnum Photos | |
| Author | Isabel Wilkerson |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | Robin Miles |
| Cover artist | Greg Mollica (based on photo by Bruce Davidson) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Random House (US) Allen Lane (UK) |
Publication date | 4 August 2020 |
| Media type |
|
| Pages | 496 |
| Awards | |
| ISBN | 978-0-593-23025-1 |
| OCLC | 1147928120 |
| 305.5122 | |
| LC Class | HT725.U6 |
| All identifiers refer to the hardcover edition unless otherwise noted | |
Caste, which followed Wilkerson's 2010 book The Warmth of Other Suns, was met with critical acclaim and commercial success. It won or was nominated for several awards, and was featured prominently on nonfiction bestsellers lists and year-end best-books lists.