The World's Best Book Summaries
Who is the Pixar founder? How did Ed Catmull get started in computer-generated animation? Ed Catmull, one of the Pixar founders, studied computer science at the University of Utah before working on computer animation at the New York Institute of Technology. As a Pixar founder, Catmull saw the company through its early struggles. Read more about Ed Catmull, Pixar founder, and the early years of Pixar.
What is the connection between Rose McGowan and Harvey Weinstein? Why was she hesitant to divulge what happened during their encounter at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival? In her interview with the investigative reporter Ronan Farrow, Rose McGowan accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault. However, she was unsure about going public with her story. Keep reading for more about what happened between Rose McGowan and Harvey Weinstein and why she was reluctant to let the world know.
What is cultural racism? How does it use subcultures within a race to rationalize the superiority of one group over another? Cultural racism is built on the combined identities of one’s race and culture. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi discusses the discrimination against Black youth because their style is perceived to be “thuggish.” Keep reading to understand cultural racism, how it started, and Ibram X. Kendi’s experiences with it.
When was the invention of race? How does the origin of race correspond to racism and slavery? The invention of race did not come before slavery. In fact, the self-serving policy of enslaving Africans was justified by creating the notion of race. Keep reading to understand how the invention of race came about and the historical context.
What is colorism and what are some colorism examples? How do racism and colorism interact? For many people and cultures, light skin is considered better than dark skin. So, what is colorism? It is a type of skin-based discrimination and is related to racism because it builds on the perception that White people are better. Read on for the answer to the question, “what is colorism?”
When did Jean-Bertrand Aristide become the president of Haiti? How long did his presidency last and why did it end? Jean-Bertrand Aristide was a Catholic priest and the ousted president of Haiti. In October 1994, Aristide was reinstated as president with the help of a medical doctor and anthropologist Paul Farmer. Read more about Jean-Bertrand Aristide, including his political rise, fall, and second coming to power.
Who was Gomes de Zurara? How did Zurara contribute to the invention of race as a concept? Gomes de Zurara was a biographer from the fifteenth century. In writing a biography of Prince Henry the Navigator, Zurara was the first to propose terminology relating to the hierarchy of difference races. Keep reading for more about Zurara and how the notion of an African race did not exist before his work.
What is biological racism? How does it use biology and genetics to rationalize the superiority of one race over another? Biological racism is the idea that one race is better than another because of the biology of that race. But How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi notes that there are no biological or genetic differences between races. Keep reading to understand biological racism, how it started, and Ibram X. Kendi’s experiences with it.
What was the Blue Vein Society? How did the Society and the one drop of blood rule demonstrate colorism in the 19th century? The Blue Vein Society was a type of organization that aimed to identify who was “white enough” to be considered white. If your skin was so dark you couldn’t see blue veins through it, you were not considered white. Read on to learn more about colorism with the Blue Vein Society and the one drop of blood rule.
Who is Tracy Kidder and how did he meet Paul Farmer? Why did he want to learn about Farmer’s life? Tracy Kidder was embedded with US Army officials during a political intervention in Haiti: the US was attempting to restore Haiti’s leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power, after he had been removed by the military junta. Read on to learn about Tracy Kidder and Paul Farmer.