The Trouble with Friendship: Why Americans Can't Think Straight About Race

by Benjamin DeMott

In this lively book, a well-known social critic draws on evidence from movies, TV, literature, and advertising to argue that many Americans have been lulled by the media into believing that racial problems can be substantially mitigated, even vanquished, by blacks and whites working together, one on one, to reconcile their differences. Benjamin DeMott believes that this position of "friendship orthodoxy" oversimplifies the causes of racism and allows us to ignore the harsh socioeconomic realities faced by many blacks in this country. "A fresh, witty and pertinent essay on race in America. . . . DeMott advances his simple yet subtle argument in graceful, nuanced writing."―Edward T. Chase, Nation "DeMott draws carefully and intelligently from the well of cultural evidence and delivers the boldest contribution to America's ongoing racial dialogue to come along in years."―Quinn Eli, Philadelphia Inquirer "A refreshingly original assessment of the state of black-white relationships in the United States."―George M. Fredrickson, New York Review of Books "DeMott argues his case persuasively in this important book, a clarion call to those still willing to consider the lessons of history before TV and advertising erase them completely."― Kirkus Reviews "Critical reading for anyone interested in the intersections of culture, race, and policy."―Kristal Brent Zook, LA Weekly "A uniquely fine book . . . on race relations in America. . . . A powerfully crafted call for a revolution in the way we see ourselves."―Courtland Milloy, Quarterly Black Review of Books

Genres: Nonfiction, Sociology, Race

223 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1995

About the author

Benjamin Haile DeMott was an American English professor and cultural critic. The author of more than a dozen books, DeMott was known for his cultural criticism in popular magazines and a trilogy, The Imperial Middle: Why Americans Can't Think Straight about Class (1990), The Trouble with Friendship: Why Americans Can't Think Straight about Race (1995), and Killer Woman Blues: Why Americans Can't Think Straight about Gender (2000).
He wrote glowingly of Otis Redding, The Beatles' "Blue Jay Way" and "the supergorgeous Mantovanian Motown Sound", while mocking Marshall McLuhan and Mary Ellmann.
One of DeMott's last pieces was a scalding dissection of the 9/11 Commission Report that appeared in Harper's Magazine in 2004. His final piece, "Battling the Hard Man: Notes on Addiction to the Pornography of Violence", was published in Harper's in August 2007.
DeMott taught English at Amherst College for more than 40 years. He graduated from George Washington University (BA) and Harvard University (PHD).
DeMott was survived by Margaret, whom he married in 1946, and their four children.

Reviews

[Stephanie]

I truly enjoyed this book. Of course few people actually want to deal with this topic but it's real and so I have to say - a must read.