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Searching for Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America Hardcover – October 6, 2009

by Rich Benjamin (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 96 ratings
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As America becomes more and more racially diverse, Rich Benjamin noticed a phenomenon: Some communities were actually getting less multicultural. So he got out a map, found the whitest towns in the USA -- and moved in.

A journalist-adventurer, Benjamin packed his bags and embarked on a 26,909-mile journey throughout the heart of white America, to some of the fastest-growing and whitest locales in our nation. Benjamin calls these enclaves "Whitopias." In this groundbreaking book, he shares what he learned as a black man in Whitopia. Benjamin's journey to unlock the mysteries of Whitopia took him from a three-day white separatist retreat with links to Aryan Nations in North Idaho to exurban mega-churches down South, and many points in between. A compelling raconteur, bon vivant, and scholar, Benjamin reveals what Whitopias are like and explores the urgent social and political implications of this startling phenomenon.

Benjamin's groundbreaking study is one of few to have illuminated in advance the social and political forces propelling the rise of Donald Trump. After all, Trump carried 94 percent of America's Whitopian counties. And he won a median 67 percent of the vote in Whitopia compared to 46 percent of the vote nationwide.

Leaving behind speculation or sensationalism, Benjamin explores the future of whiteness and race in an increasingly multicultural nation.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    368 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Hachette Books
  4. Publication date
    October 6, 2009
  5. Reading age
    18 years and up
  6. Dimensions
    5.88 x 1 x 8.5 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1401322689
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1401322687
  9. Lexile measure
    1190L
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starting in 2007, Benjamin, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan think tank Demos, and, more significantly, an African-American, spent two years traveling through America's whitest communities—patches of Idaho and Utah and even pockets of New York City—where, according to his research, more and more white people have been seeking refuge from the increasingly multicultural reality that is mainstream America. There's plenty of potential in this premise, but Benjamin writes without any sense of purpose, alternating between undigested interviews with policy experts, self-indulgent digressions on the pleasures of golf and real estate shopping and sketchy portraits of his subjects. Despite Benjamin's countless conversations with everyone from Ed Gillespie, former head of the GOP, to a drunk in an Idaho bar, he never offers any fresh insights or practical suggestions. He concludes by barraging the reader with a series of unearned musts: we must revitalize the public sector, we must work hard for a new universalism. If his time in the nation's whitest enclaves gave him any specific thoughts about how those ideals might be achieved, he would have done well to share them. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Benjamin examines the history, politics, economics, and culture of race and class as seen in the growth of these `whitopias,' racially and therefore socioeconomically exclusive communities from the exurb St. George, Utah to the inner-city enclave of Carnegie Hill in Manhattan. . . . This is a thoroughly engaging and eye-opening look at an urgent social issue."―Booklist, Starred Review

"It sounds like a recipe for a riot: an inquisitive black writer journeying into some of the most segregated neighborhoods in the country. But Benjamin...pulls off his quest with good cheer."―Time

"[Benjamin] offers in the end a chilling vision of the future for progressive values."―Daily Kos

"The revelatory chapters about New York City made me want to cry . . . Generous and understanding to all of its subjects, Searching for Whitopia is a eulogy for an unsustainable America lifestyle."―Christian Lander, creator of Stuff White People Like

"Exploring the identity, inhabitants, and social and political implications of...small towns...is the premise of Benjamin's provocative new book."―The Daily Beast

"Benjamin writes in rapturous prose."―- The Wilson Quarterly

"A lively and perceptive foray into communities that are trying to bail out of the melting pot."―Mother Jones

"A wry and chilling tour of America's all-white communities."―- Time Out New York

"Benjamin is clear in his conclusion that this trend is not healthy for either white or minority communities. Ideally, he writes, each group should thrive on . . . the influence of the other groups. Already, white communities are suffering from problems like unchecked sprawl and bad schools, and low-income minority groups are also losing access to the social capital of middle-class groups."―Kirkus Reviews

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hachette Books; 1St Edition (October 6, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1401322689
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1401322687
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1190L
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.88 x 1 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 96 ratings

About the author

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Rich Benjamin

Rich Benjamin

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An observer and an adventurer, Rich Benjamin has traveled throughout the US and to more than twenty-five countries.

He is the author of Searching for Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America, selected as an Editor’s Choice by Booklist and The American Library Association. Now in its second US printing, the book is also the subject of a 2015 TED Talk, which has garnered more than 2 million views across media platforms and has been translated into 25 languages.

Rich’s commentary on politics and culture appears regularly in public debate, including in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The New York Times Sunday Book Review, The Guardian, USA Today, The Idaho Statesman, NPR, PBS, CNN, and C-SPAN. Rich’s work has been covered internationally in France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Japan, Brazil, and Germany.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
96 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

ADRIAN T. CUTNER
5.0 out of 5 stars A most enlightening and entertaing book. The enterprising Mr ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2014
Verified Purchase
A most enlightening and entertaing book. The enterprising Mr. Benjamin takes you on a rather curious journey across America into the heart of whiteness. Frankly, I do not believe anyone should be surprised by any of the relevations or insights highlighted in this book, because most of us with any fundamental appreciation of American history and social psychology, probably were aware of these communities already. This book confirms that which we always knew to be true. Segregated America still exists in the hearts and minds of many people. It is rather disheartening, on one level, to think that any group of Americans should still feel the need to separate themselves from other Amerians; but, Mr. Benjamin has clearly illustrated the divide which still exists in American society in the 21st century.
8 people found this helpful
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Eric Bogosian
5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading to understand red/blue divide.
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2020
Verified Purchase
Loved this book. A very balanced and entertaining book about the two sides of the American sensibility. Also funny. Great writer. If you want to know why blue is blue and red is red, read this book! Essential!
5 people found this helpful
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Tache Noire
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Analysis but now 11 Years Old
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2020
Verified Purchase
A haunting look back at wealthy white communities circa 2009. Structural privilege filled with apparently friendly, non racist people. The author evokes a stagnant time when White people still seemed pleasantly clueless . It would be interesting to find out how many of the nice people he met are now flying Blue Live Matter flags from their porches.
7 people found this helpful
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Jerel Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars Communities based on Race, Class and Values
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2014
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this book. Mr. Benjamin did an exceptional job documenting the lives of White Americans in the whitest counties in the U.S. His interviews are insightful, as well as his commentary on housing policies, discrimination and the xenophobia that runs in these communities, be it latent or patent. This book saw publication in October 2009, merely 9 months after President Obama's inauguration. I would like to see a sequel to this book with updates on the characters' lives and how these communities have fared in the past 5-7 years or so.
13 people found this helpful
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emcube
3.0 out of 5 stars Didn't give me much to look back for
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2017
Verified Purchase
Long meandering tale of the great escape of whites into suburbs and counties, how people are hard on people who are just trying to escape to their Whitopias. The author doesn't seem to have much of an opinion, told more like a discussion piece. Could have used more gravitas.
3 people found this helpful
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Gove M Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars A book in very good condition was delivered promptly
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2022
Verified Purchase
A very timely subject presented in an ironic, humorous way.
2 people found this helpful
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Christopher B. Mobley
5.0 out of 5 stars I live in one
Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2009
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed the book. As I'm an African-American living in a "Whitopia" in Georgia, it's certainly different from other experiences in Chicago, Washington, New York, and Boston. I could have used this book to help inform me about the characteristics, etc. that make these locations interesting and unique. They will continue to take their place alongside urban and suburban America, and Benjamin's book will continue to be a reference towards our understanding.
10 people found this helpful
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yoleen faerber
4.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating study
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2014
Verified Purchase
This is a fascinating topic to me. I grew up in a very diverse place, then ended up living in a Whitopia, which has an odd vibe to it, when I think about it. The scenic beauty and outdoor activities are what drew me to where I live. I wanted to hear about other communities. Rich Benjamin took an amazing journey, and his insights are deep and thoughtful.
5 people found this helpful
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