Lost Boundaries

by William Lindsay White

The true story of an American family.

91 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1948

About the author

William Lindsay White (June 17, 1900 – July 26, 1973) was an American journalist, foreign correspondent, and writer.

He succeeded his father, William Allen White, as editor and publisher of the Emporia Gazette in 1944. Among White's most noteworthy books are They Were Expendable (1942) and Lost Boundaries (1948), which was adapted into the film Lost Boundaries in 1949.

Reviews

[Alice Teets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting book, written in the 50's, about a black family who lived in New Hampshire, "passing" for white. It was interesting to read about how they related to both black and white people and how they felt disconnected to both at times. Enjoyable read.

[Joe Keefhaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an obscure and very intriguing little book of 91 pages, written by William L. White, the son of William Allen White. First published in 1947, it tells the true story of Albert Johnston, M.D., and his family of New Hampshire. Particular attention is given to his son, Albert Jr. Dr. and Mrs. Johnston are very light-skinned people of African-American background who are living as whites. Their children don't know they are "Negroes" until their parents tell them. The resulting experiences of the family help us explore the attitudes toward race in America, especially during that period and especially in polite Northern circles. White tells the story in simple terms and offers little or no analysis of the situation. It's a unique way of approaching such a complex issue.