Dispatches From the Edge

by Tim Wise

Dispatches From the Edge by Anderson Cooper. HarperCollins Publishers,2006

Genres: Nonfiction, Social Justice, History, Sociology, Politics, Anti Racist, Essays

Unknown Binding

About the author

Tim Wise is among the most prominent anti-racist writers and activists in the U.S., and has been called the foremost white anti-racist intellectual in the nation, having spoken in 46 states, and on over 300 college campuses, including Harvard, Stanford, Cal Tech and the Law Schools at Yale, Columbia, Michigan, and Vanderbilt.

From 1999 to 2003, Wise served as an advisor to the Fisk University Race Relations Institute and in the early 90s was Associate Director of the Louisiana Coalition Against Racism and Nazism: the group credited by many with the political defeat of white nationalist, David Duke. His anti-racism efforts have been termed revolutionary by NYU professor and award-winning author, Robin D.G. Kelley, and have also earned praise from such noted race scholars as Michael Eric Dyson, Kimberl Crenshaw, Derrick Bell, Joe Feagin, Lani Guinier, and Richard Delgado.

Tim Wise is now the Director of the newly-formed Association for White Anti-Racist Education (AWARE) in Nashville, Tennessee. He lectures across the country about the need to combat institutional racism, gender bias, and the growing gap between rich and poor in the U.S. Wise has been called a "leftist extremist" by David Duke, "deceptively Aryan-looking" by a member of the Ku Klux Klan, and "the Uncle Tom of the white race," by right-wing author, Dinesh D' Souza. Whatever else can be said about him, his ability to make the right kind of enemies seems unquestioned.

Wise is a featured columnist with the ZNet Commentary program: a web service that disseminates essays by prominent progressive and radical activists and educators. His writings are taught at hundreds of colleges and have appeared in dozens of popular and professional journals. Wise serves as the Race and Ethnicity Editor for LIP Magazine, and articles about his work have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and San Francisco Chronicle.

He has contributed to three recent anthologiesWhen Race Becomes Real: Black and White Writers Confront Their Personal Histories (Chicago Review Press, Jan 2004); Should America Pay (HarperAmistad, 2003), a compilation of essays concerning slavery and its aftermath; and The Power of Non-Violence (Beacon Press, 2002)."

Reviews

[Keith Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those familiar or even well-versed in the work of Tim Wise, this collection of essays from the last year or so - and ending before the results of Nov. 2020 election and the 1/6/21 radical right wing domestic terror attack on the Capitol - Dispatches from the Race War is a superb checklist for you to see what essays of his you’ve missed over the last year. For those barely familiar with Wise, this book is your perfect primer/intro into the mind of the United State’s greater anti-racism educators/speakers/writers.

Wise’s style; his abrasive eloquence, his compassionate intellect are on display with every essay within. He is the human white American needs to hear and needs to allow the justified condemnation and criticism to come from. Wise’s final essay in the book is perfect in understanding the message he’s sent out from the beginning. It includes a message he personally received from Bishop Desmond Tutu - “you do not do the things you do because others will necessarily join you in the doing of them, nor because they will ultimately prove successful. You do the things you do because the things you are doing are right.”
Wake up white American (myself included) and acknowledge Tim Wise’s message in this superb collection of essays.

[Kit Longden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading topical essays without having to look at a computer screen. He writes very clearly about issues that many people would tell you were complicated. His writing style is very unfussy. He draws in historical points and references of other peoples' writing and work in a way that I appreciated. I particularly enjoyed the essays in the end section, writing about the role of hope, mistakes he's made in his approach and people asking for solutions. The business of talking about how to talk to other people about race is done well. Best book? No idea. Worth reading? Totally.

[Laura Valenziano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart, well written essays! This book should be used in high school classes so that our country can grow the knowledge necessary to make our country a better place to live for everyone! I highly recommend it. You don't have to read it straight through just pick it up, read a bit and think, or talk to someone else, about it.

[Tina Rieman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book of stand-alone essays, woven together. It is very good, though I do not feel like I really learned much that was new. Tim has many important messages, but in this case, he was "preaching to the choir." I read this as part of a racial justice discussion group.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some 5s, some 2s, some annoying bits of repetition. It's a compilation. Wise makes some important historical observations and connections and usually presents his arguments clearly.

[Paige McLoughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libs get the racial justice merit badge if they read this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTdFX...

Robin Deangelo stuff is annoying for sure and another corporate snare to get employees fired but deplorables are deplorable for a reason.

https://youtu.be/OiXnVtA45Yw

[alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

i like

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rages against injustice with outrage and humor. The pages turned. Gave me the warm feeling of recognition. No solutions other than “don’t elect racists” which seems a good place to start.