Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America

A history of white male America and a biting critique of the social, economic, and political costs come from the author of the New York Times bestseller So You Want to Talk About Race.

New York Times bestselling novelist Ijeoma Oluo found herself in conversations with Americans around the nation following the election of Donald Trump, and the subsequent rise in white male wrath and hate against immigration. She was thinking about one main question: How did we get here?

Oluo addresses that topic in this comprehensive examination of the previous century of American history by highlighting the intentional actions of white men to undermine women, people of color, and the underprivileged. Oluo explores the history of America's development through research, interviews, and the moving, intimate writing that has won her acclaim. She looks at everything from immigrant migration to our nation's inventive spirit, from the creation of economic policies to the defense of sociopolitical movements that uphold male dominance. In the end, she demonstrates how white men have severely hampered everyone's ability to pursue pleasure and have long maintained a tight grip on leadership positions.