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White Like Her

My Family's Story of Race and Racial Passing
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( 2,389 ratings, 322 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
White Like Her by Gail Lukasik is an intriguing exploration of family secrets and racial identity. The memoir delves into Lukasik's discovery of her mother's hidden Black heritage, leading the author on a journey to uncover their family's past. Through this personal narrative, the book addresses themes of race, identity, and belonging, as Lukasik seeks to understand her mother's decision to live as a white woman.
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Format: Hardback
$6300

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy compelling and deeply personal stories about identity, race, and family secrets. It offers a poignant exploration of a daughter's journey to uncover her mother's hidden past and the complex dynamics of navigating a dual identity in America.

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The story one woman's struggle with her identity, race, and finding out who she really is.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

White Like Her: My Family's Story of Race and Racial Passing is the story of Gail Lukasik's mother's passing, Gail's struggle with the shame of her mother's choice, and her subsequent journey of self-discovery and redemption.

In the historical context of the Jim Crow South, Gail explores her mother's decision to pass, how she hid her secret even from her own husband, and the price she paid for choosing whiteness. Haunted by her mother's fear and shame, Gail embarks on a quest to uncover her mother's racial lineage, tracing her family back to eighteenth-century colonial Louisiana. In coming to terms with her decision to publicly out her mother, Gail changed how she looks at race and heritage.

With a foreword written by Kenyatta Berry, host of PBS's Genealogy Roadshow, this unique and fascinating story of coming to terms with oneself breaks down barriers.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

White Like Her by Gail Lukasik is praised for its intimate and courageous exploration of the author's family history, particularly her mother's choice to live as a white woman. The book is noted for its meticulous research and emotional depth, providing significant insights into the complexities of racial passing in the United States. It contributes to the discussion about race and identity by examining the impact of institutionalised racialism through a personal lens.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781510724129

Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 02 November 2017

Country: United States

Imprint: Skyhorse Publishing

Illustration: Color photos

Contributors:

  • Foreword by Kenyatta D. Berry

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 508g

Pages: 316

About the Author

Gail Lukasik was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and was a ballerina with the Cleveland Civic Ballet Company. She has worked as a choreographer, freelance writer, editor, and college lecturer. Recently, Gail appeared on PBS Genealogy Roadshow (St. Louis Central Public Library). She said, "I'm a mystery author who's never been able to solve my own family mystery." The show solved the mystery and revealed her mother's life-changing secret. PBS was so intrigued by her story that they invited her back to update her story. She is also the author of several mystery novels featuring the character Leigh Girard.

Kenyatta D. Berry is a genealogist, businesswoman, and lawyer with more than fifteen years experience in genealogical research and writing. She is a host of the PBS broadcast Genealogy Roadshow and is the Past President of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) and on the Council of the Corporation for the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) in Boston. A frequent lecturer and writer, her area of focus is African American and Slave Ancestral research.

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