 | Living Color: The Biological and Social Meaning of Skin Color Subjects: Human skin color; Human skin color -- Physiological aspects; Human skin color -- Social aspects; Human skin color -- Cross-cultural studies; "Children begin to attribute significance to skin color at about three years of age," observes anthropologist Jablonski (Skin: A Natural History). "But," she continues, "they don't develop ideas of race based on what they see." The book's first half addresses the biology of skin color, lucidly explaining the science of what happened with skin color as "people moved into solar regimes markedly different from those under which their ancestors had evolved." The second half focuses on the social consequences of skin color; Jablonski moves succinctly through recorded history from ancient Egypt, the early faiths (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), the European Middle Ages and Renaissance, a review of the "natural philosophers" (such as Kant), a consideration of the impact of slavery and the slave trade in modern Europe and the Americas, and a review of how skin color is regarded in South Africa, Brazil, India, and Japan. In the concluding chapters, Jablonski brings biology, culture, and health together. Her fresh approach to the skin color/race conundrum is not only provocative, but persuasive and exceptionally accessible whether she's writing about the science of skin color or Kant ("one of the most influential racists of all time"). Agent: Regina Brooks, Serendipity Literary Agency. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. Jablonski Nina G. : Nina G. Jablonski is Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at Pennsylvania State University. She is the author of Skin: A Natural History , (UC Press), and was named one of the first Alphonse Fletcher, Sr. Fellows for her efforts to improve the public understanding of skin color. |
