About this Book

"Fresh and thought-provoking. McDermott contributes to the understanding of how even small daily encounters can be powerfully affected by racial stereotypes and preconceptions."--Julia Wrigley, author of Other People's Children

"A true 'insider's' account of how many whites now live and negotiate the color-line, McDermott deftly lifts the veil of the public ideology of tolerance to reveal the gritty durability of the racial divide. This book provides an important new sociological approach on racial attitudes and relations."--Lawrence D. Bobo, Martin Luther King Jr. Centennial Professor, Stanford University

"This bold new urban ethnography reveals the meaning of whiteness for the working class in their everyday lived experiences. McDermott offers an insightful, honest, and comprehensive account of everyday black-white interactions. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the tangled realities of race and class in 21st century America."--Mary C. Waters, author of Black Identities: West Indian Immigrant Dreams and American Realities

"Working Class White is an essential read for anyone concerned about the enduring problem of race in America."--Katherine S. Newman, author of Chutes and Ladders: Navigating the Low Wage Labor Market