Rating: 
Summary: I have read the book and applaud Mr. Graham for his courage.
Review: I have just finished reading "Our Kind of People" and applaud Mr. Graham for writing about a not too well understood sector of the black population in this country. As an "Alpha",a Ph.D. scientist at a leading research institute, and a medical school professor, I have had much contact with the so-called "black elite" on a professional and social basis. However, after reading Mr. Graham's book, I have a much better understanding of the lives of a unique group of successful people who happen to be black. As for the critics of this book who have spewed forth vitriolic comments and unwarranted personal attacks on the author, I say "shame on you." Do you attack white authors who write condescendingly about blacks? - I think not. Yes, I agree that the subject matter in this book is uncomfortable to some extent (no one likes snobs), but it is also inspiring to read about blacks who have a legacy of success. I look forward to Mr. Graham's book tour to my city so that he can autograph my book and I can personally congratulate him on the courage to write a book that he knew would be controversial. Let us all encourage this brother to write more books.
Rating: 
Summary: Tell the Truth and Shame the Devil!
Review: this book is fascinating although it lacks a creative literary style. However, what would you expect from an attorney turned author who probably writes more briefs than prose. Regardless, this book seems to have an honest and remarkably objective view of elite black organizations. The traditions, values and attitudes are so familiar. Anyone black reading this book will immediately recognize a friend, neighbor, co-worker or enemy in the lines of this book who has tried to separate themself from the "ghetto" or "middle class" ranks of their black peers. The quotes from people are very honest and almost brutal at times. I wouldn't read this if you can't stomach the thought that there may be a different "race" of blacks in America. However, Graham is very cautious not to indict those groups and people he has closely aligned himself. He tries to point out the good and the bad, but I think he only scratches the surface of the UGLY. It's a good read. It reinforces the notion of black America's three greatest missed opportunities because of our inter-racial divisivness..1)Marcus Garvey & W.E.B. DuBois, 2)Booker T. Washington & Federick Douglass and 3)Martin Luther King, Jr. & Malcolm X. After reading the book I realize that there's nothing wrong with forming circles based on social and economical means. Whites do this all the time, but we take it to another level including skin color and hair texture. How sad. Whites would view this as laughable while at the same time denying any shade of black access to eat at the food counter of life and true freedom. Thank you, Mr. Graham for the TRUTH.
Rating: 
Summary: Author has an identity crisis and loves to name drop
Review: Lawrence Otis Graham details the history and social world of the black elite through its exclusive clubs, sororities/fraternities, and preferred colleges, vacation spots and organizations. As a white person, I was eager to learn more about this world that was indeed unknown to me. What I learned is that snobbery and arrogance are not limited by color. It apparently is just as strong among people of color as it can be among elite whites. A snob is a snob.Graham talks about groups such as Jack and Jill, which has chapters across the country, for the children of the black elite to mingle, visit museums and travel abroad. Also included are groups such as the Links and the Girl Friends (for elite black women), and the Boule and the Guardsmen (for elite black men). Also included are college sororities and fraternities. If you aren't in one of these groups, or your parents weren't, well, you're just not worthy of notice, Graham explains and confirms. I had two major difficulties with this book. First, the author seems both repulsed and entranced with his long-standing involvement in these groups. He goes to great pains to say he wasn't fully entrenched (his parents went to the wrong schools and he went to (gasp!) Princeton instead of Morehouse) and yet he was actively involved in Jack and Jill and is now in the Boule. He contradicts himself constantly, pointing out how scathing elite blacks can be about those less fortunate of their race, and then agrees with how uncomfortable such "low lifes" make him feel. Second, the book does more name dropping than any I've ever read. It gets incredibly tedious after a while. I did, however, find the stories about those who attempted to pass for white fascinating. I had heard of this but never seen it detailed, even if it was briefly. Had there been more attention given to this, it would have definitely been a better book.
Rating:
Summary: Shallow, pretentious and repetitive
Review: I thought this book was going to be a fascinating read...boy was I fooled. What started out as a fairly interesting study of the Black "upper class" quickly turned into Mr. Graham's vain attempt to impress the readership with his own "distinguished" pedigree...gag me with a spoon. Save your money...the following items highlight all you'll learn from this silly book: a. If you want to be considered in the Black upper class, you need to be a well educated mulatto who either went to Howard, Morehouse, Spelman or an Ivy and is now either practicing medicine or law b. The elite spend their holidays on Martha's Vineyard or in Sag Harbor, LI c. The REALLY bourgie Blacks live in D.C. or Atlanta d. To be elite in DC is to be able to pass for white (which the author seems to imply throughout the book is an extremely desirable trait...) and have gone to Howard...and oh yeah, be a physician or Vernon Jordan (who, coincidentally, is very dark...but is marrried to the mulatto Ann Jordan) e. The author went to Princeton and Harvard Law...and if you didn't catch it in the first two chapters, he repeats it about 12 times throughout the book...in addition to the fact that his wife (who, by the way, is so light you'd have to do a double take before you figured out she was Black) has THREE (count 'em) degrees from Harvard f. That the author has a huge complex about his own Blackness...as evidenced by his nose job and continued fascination with finding his own vague connections to the Black Elite...and the art of "passing" (dream on Larry) g. Just say Boule', Links and Jack & Jill three times... I could go on and on. If you want to read a good book about the Black Elite, check out ARISTOCRATS OF COLOR by Bill Gatewood (AMAZON carries it)...infinitely more scholarly...and interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Examining "his" kind of people
Review: I can understand and relate with some of the previous reviews of this book that label it as "pretentious" and "snobbish"...to mention just a few of the adjectives used to describe it. However, that is exactly why I give this book 4 stars. It is truly eye-opening. Not because it is brilliantly written or because Graham is some fascinating person -- but because he isn't. I knew nothing of the "black elite" before reading this book, and now that I have read it, I am completely convinced that I never want to be a part of it, regardless of how much money I may make in the future. Graham makes more of an impact with what he doesn't say than what he does say. He takes a "critical" look at these "elite" while still holding steadfastly to their ways. His "criticalness" is confined in a certain kind of way. It is clear that he is trapped by the same pettiness and insecurites that engulf many of the people that he is speaking about. Being a darker-skinned Black woman who comes from a family that is by no means wealthy and who has never stepped foot on the campus of Harvard or Yale...perhaps I am biased in my thinking. But after reading this book, I am truly convinced that Graham and his ilk are not "our kind of people."
Rating: 
Summary: The "Real" Black Elite.....
Review: The title of the book (as one review mentioned) should be "African American Upper Middle Class" not black elite. Elite is Oxford Educated (3 generations), Eton/Harrow (or one of the better boarding Schools in Switzerland), Sorbonne (3 or 4 generations going back to the 1880s). Elite is having the Prince of England come to your wedding (ex. the King of Swaziland), a home near Lake Como, weekend trips to Zanzibar, a truly blue-blooded family history that dates back to the 1000s (many noble families of Nigerian, Ugandan descent, etc., etc. have this). The fact is that if anyone wanted to profile the "Black" elite I say look at the source. In this book he brags about how someone was a great great great great great grandchild of one of Martha Washington's slaves. Is this what the African American elite brag about? Being a decendent of someone's slave? This is sad. If black people in America want to look up to anyone, I say look up to those blacks who have the bluest blood lines, global exposure and REAL WEALTH (oil money, diamond money, etc.) that rival any of the noble houses of Europe, Asia, etc. The African Amerian "upper class" as described in this book is a second best imitation. Lastly, I think one of the best comments made in an earlier review was true: let's focus on our spiritual worth and not this bravado/rubbish about being the decendent of someone's slave. And remember the old saying "if you think you are outclassed, you are!" For anyone who desperately wants to be accepted by this group but is not, just remember that Power is simply the ability to exclude: a person cannot exclude you from something that you don't wish to be a part of however! And if that doesn't work, just marry a titled African or European and you can be something that none of those silly individuals Graham talks about could ever have (just being flippant here ;) ). I mean come on! Half of those people the author looks up to don't know the difference between Turkey and Tanzania, Sweden and Switzerland. They are such fish out of water when you take them away from their small-world settings. "Elite??" When is the last time you heard someone say "Ooh wee, I'll skip high tea at Claridge's to go to a Links meeting??" or "Gee, I really want to go duck hunting with King Gustav but I have to skip it for my skin bleaching session at the AKA house in Atlanta". OK, I will stop being cheeky. And lastly for those that those who suffer from the pain of skin shade based racism, please know that the typical blond, blue eyed European (as good as it gets by mainstream standards) sees the mixed-raced look as second best. I mean why go for a light skinned woman/man when you can have a beautiful Finnish blond? You can never out white man/woman a white man/woman. On the other hand, if you are being your natural BLACK self, no one can compete! Just my thoughts. I say if you really want a good read, check out Joseph Murphy's "Power of Your Subconscious Mind" or "Elizabeth of Toro" (the story of a REAL African (black) princess). Both are available via search of this site. Be inspired and be well!
Rating:
Summary: no critical analysis of the problematic aspects of elites
Review: Although this book is a somewhat interesting insight into a specific culture in African american society, it fails to critique the rabid shadism (color discrimination that has its roots in slavery) inherent among these so called black elites. It is amazing that people only a few generations removed from slavery would set up structures that appear to mimic the exclusion and oppression that brutalized millions of african americans for centuries. This backwards way of thinking, like encouraging young children not to play in the sun so that they don't become darker, is never really questioned. Instead, the author seems to idolize the features and light skin of the elites.
Graham even writes that he is disappointed when people within the elite circle start talking about become more inclusive of other black people. Mr. Graham clearly has some self-hatred issues, and it shines through in this book. For example, Graham admits he has had a nose job so that he could have a less negroid appearance. Shameful.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book
Review: Though some parts of the book may seem a bit overly pretentious or braggish, the book is very good and sends out a postive message. And though many members of the upper class are embarassed or cautious about many of the truths reveraled by the book, it shows that we do exist. Many blacks prefer to deny the existence of a wealthy, successful group amongst them. But this group is steadily increasing and should serve as role models to the greater community. Instead of aspiring to be sports stars, actors and rappers, black youth should instead look to the successful black doctors, lawyers, bankers, CEO's, etc. As a member of Jack and Jill and having parents and grandparents that are members of the organizations described in the book, I know that the group maintains a level of exclusivity and is quite hard to permeate but it still stands to show that blacks have come a long way and that many have acheived tremendous success in life.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, but starts to get repetitive
Review: I'm a white person of working class origins, the first generation to attend college, so I'm pretty unfamiliar with elite society of any race, and on that level, I found this book an interesting peek into high society. I was also amazed by the size, affluence and power of the "Black elite," a group about which we hear very little. I'm only giving 3 stars because I felt the book sorely needed editing and grew repetitious. He frequently makes a statement, then restates it (slightly altered) shortly thereafter, sometimes within the same paragraph. e.g. In the chapter on fraternities he tells us at least three times that his alma mater, Princeton, had no fraternities - twice within 2 pages. Like another reviewer, I was also confused by his insistence that membership in the elite is based upon a snobby checklist including light skin color, fraternal connections, etc. If that's the case, how did he become a member of the elite when, by his own (repeated) admissions, he lacks many of the items on the checklist? Is he simply the exception proving the rule, or is he overreaching to prove a thesis? He touches slightly on the accomplisments/contributions/influences of the Black upper class and I wish he'd spent more time on that, rather than simply rattling off names and quoting examples of snobbery. But I suppose this was intended as an expose and I will investigate some of the other books suggested by other reviewers. An interesting read if, like me, you're unfamiliar with the topic, but I'd get it at the library.
Rating:
Summary: elitism is just so enticing...
Review: Know the right clubs, the rights schools, the right religion. Know the people who controlled black society... once upon a time. I grew up visiting the white upper class, and Graham's stories are all very familiar. I know about the people who won't go to certain resorts any more because entertainers and athletes go there. There is a certain stability to knowing exactly where you stand.
But in general, even rich people aren't immune to the draw of wealth and fame. It may be fun to sniff at entertainers and athletes, but you can't enjoy snubbing them if they aren't even around. Fortunately the social turmoil that is America, with more regional and socio-economic mobility than ever, doesn't allow anyone to stay in power for very long. Because one thing the rich are definitely not immune to is becoming poor.
What I really like about this book is that you can see how Graham himself is torn between the stability of elite values and the turmoil of American values. On the other hand, he likes the values that the elite preserves. He is fully aware of the intelligence and ambition he has inherited from that culture. And yet he knows very well that new money buys the same things as old money, and that a man is free to marry white if he happens to fall in love, and that the quality of a person isn't about what his parents did with their lives but about what he does with his life.
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