Review of "Race and Ethnicity in America," by John Iceland, 2017. Oakland: University of California Press, paper, 155 pages.

...an essential book for advocates and counselors to read and digest

Advocates and counselors should read this important book on topics relating to the homeless and the people living on the streets.  Included in Iceland’s book are some of the possible causes for the great differences in income and health experienced by persons of different races and ethnicity.  This is important reading—and also an essential reference book to keep nearby as we work, do our fundraising, write out grant proposals, and write our letters to elected officials.  

John Iceland is known for his work on the poverty, inequality among the races, figures and statistics relating to these topics, and the lives of many homeless in the USA.  In this book, he focuses on the intersection of race, ethnicity, and poverty specifically and lays out some excellent questions for the reader.  While Whites and Asians in the US have long, mostly healthy and successful lives, Blacks and Latinos do not necessarily fair as well…

 in terms of long lives, healthy lives, or successful lives.

He shows us here the nitty gritty of what happens in the US.  How well do people do?  What are the causes of the great differences?  Iceland lays it all out here, and he lets the reader try to figure out what is behind all the chasms among the data.  Great differences indeed.     

He also wrote the famous book Poverty in America: A Handbook (2006)…

in which he interviews and tracks several American families as they lose everything, become homeless and almost disappear.  That book is another one counselors and advocates should read.

Thorough information with graphs and with text explaining those graphs, show up throughout the book to help the reader understand—in different ways—what Iceland has uncovered in his careful and wide-reaching research.  Technically, there are 11 figures and 5 tables. 

The information on affirmative action here is now very outdated (pp. 140-145) and there is news about there on this topic available to readers in many locations.  For example, CNN tells readers what is happening now because of the recent decision coming down from the US Supreme Court (https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/29/politics/what-affirmative-action-ruling-does-scotus/index.html).  The New York Times also offers an explanation on the current status, and the implications, of affirmative action (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/29/us/politics/affirmative-action-equal-protection-clause.html).

This is an essential book for advocates and counselors to read and digest.  It also has uses in the classroom.

I would recommend this book most definitely as a “required text” for courses dealing with the topics above – this would be the book to go to.  It is also a wonderful resource and should be kept handy for advocates and counselors who deal with programs, services, and grant-writing for agencies and offices.  This is a good resource book also for courses focusing on the intersection of race, ethnicity, and poverty.