Race and Culture

A World View

By: Thomas Sowell

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

Thomas Sowell is one of America’s leading voices on matters of race and ethnicity. In his book, Inside American Education, he surveyed the ills of American education from the primary grades to graduate school with “an impressive range of knowledge and acuity of observation”, according to the Wall Street Journal. Now, in his book Race and Culture, he asks the question: “What is it that allows certain groups to get ahead?” and the answer will undoubtedly create debates for years to come.

The thesis of Race and Culture is that productive skills are the key to understanding the economic advancement of particular racial or ethnic groups, as well as countries and civilizations—and that the spread of those skills, whether through migration or conquest, explains much of the advancement of the human race. Whether this body of skills, aptitudes, and disciplines is called “culture” or “human capital”, it explains far more than politics, prejudice, or genetics. Rather than draw on the experience of one country or one era of history, Race and Culture encompasses dozens of racial and ethnic groups, living in scores of countries around the world, over a period of centuries. Due to its breadth and scope, this study is able to test alternative theories empirically on a vast canvas in space and time. Its conclusions refute much, if not most, of what is currently believed about race and about cultures.

Thomas Sowell has taught economics at Cornell, UCLA, Amherst, and other academic institutions, and his Basic Economics has been translated into six languages. He is currently a scholar in residence at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He has been published in both academic journals and such popular media as the Wall Street Journal, Forbes magazine, and Fortune, and he writes a syndicated column that appears in newspapers across the country.

©1994 Thomas Sowell (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“For the better part of the last decade, Mr. Sowell’s books on race, economics, and markets have constituted a rare repository of insights on some of the most pressing social-science concerns of our times.” (The Wall Street Journal)

“Sowell…draws on a worldwide range of examples and more than a decade of research in this intriguing exploration of the role of cultural attributes on group advancement…He tackles a host of issues: the costs and benefits of residential segregation; how affirmative action primarily helps better-off members of preferred groups; how prominent political leaders are not crucial to group success; how low-scoring groups on intelligence tests do their worst on abstract questions devoid of ‘cultural bias.’” (Publishers Weekly)

“Thomas Sowell is a unique national resource. Almost alone among academic economists, he fulfills the true calling of the intellectual, which is to explain the world so that we can know how to save what we cherish—so that we have no excuse for ignorance.” (Washington Times)

One of Thomas Sowell's key works - in his words.

Thomas Sowell always has historical facts for his analysis. His books are a good foundation to be able to cut through the "narrative" that most reporting on both sides of the political spectrum espouse without regard to facts.

Thomas Sowell. Enough said.

The topic of race and culture is such a hot button issue it is hard to address it without using data to justify one's preconcieved notions. Dr. Sowell does his usual thorough analysis of the available information to reach a logical conclusion that cannot be dismissed except through emotion. It is now 24 years since publication but still is worth the time.

The big picture of the people of the world

This book is a truly deep and interesting research, observation of patterns and analysis of races and cultures. If you ever wanted to understand why certain nations, races and cultures are/were more successful than others in certain periods of human history (or at least, get closer to understanding, because even the author says many things are yet to be explained) - buy this book. If you're genuinely interested in history of human development as a civilization and different subtle patterns of interactions between different cultures and races - buy this book.

You will not only get some of the desired answers to those questions, you will also be presented with various fascinating examples from the history of different cultures and will learn a great deal of facts you may not have known. For example, a chapter on slavery is one of the most interesting ones in the book, as it portrays this institution in great detail pointing out not only the slavery in the western world, but in the rest of the world as well, describing various customs and peculiarities of slavery in different cultures. Turns out, Arab world imported a number of times more slaves from Africa than the US did during the same period of time, but because western world was much more concerned with slavery very little data and literature exists about slavery in the Arab world.

To sum it up: great book, very interesting story telling with lots of facts, superb narration.

What a Great Thomas Sowell !!!

Thomas Sowell always give us a surprise! No matter what you agree to disagree with Thomss sowell, His book worth your time.

A Must read book!

Fantastic as Always

Thomas Sowell is one of the greatest authors and thinkers of our time. This country would be a better place if his books were standard reading requirements in our high schools and colleges.