Rating: 
Summary: Lawrence Otis Graham is confused
Review: Having some familiarity with this subject, it is clear that Mr. Graham has confused the posession of certain things that can be purchased (such as clothing, cars, houses and degrees)with social class. I truly believe that when he had graduated from Princeton and Harvard that he thought would be accepted into both black and white society. His immediate failure to do so in both groups has led him to write exposes on both groups! He clearly wants to belong, but he has not realized that social acceptance cannot be bought but takes time and discretion if that is what one desires, particularly if you were not born into it. Many of the black elites are dark and did not grow up wealthy (i.e. Vernon Jordan). His accomplishments catapaulted him to prominence, not his color and hair texture!Another concern were the "catty" comments throughout the book about dark skinned and less well off people that were never attributed to anyone. Perhaps these were apochcryphal stories. I believe many of the incidents in this book were. I seriously doubt that this book could stand up to rigorous fact checking. Graham, I believe is like the Washington reporter who was exposed because her articles may have been rooted in truth but the actual FACTS could not be supported! Other factual errors include his telling about his parent's friend who told him snottily about sorority life at Spelman in the 50's, but as he even states later, sororities did not even come to Spelman until 1979! This book is clearly an attempt of Graham to prove that he is in black society to someone (perhaps himself?), not a fact based study of this socio-economic group. All Mr Graham has done is expose his desire to belong to this group and simultaneously destroyed his chances to be accepted by those who truly matter in this group. He will continue to live his life on the fringes of the black bourgeoise as he has done his entire life!
Rating: 
Summary: Comments aside, just get the facts right!
Review: I only have one comment regarding the chapter dedicated to fraternities and sororities. There is one small omission, there are 9 members of the National Pan Hellenic Council. Mr. Graham, although thorough in most other sections, made a sophmoric mistake, or maybe it was a concious oversight. My organization, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. was somehow not included in the current member organizations listed. Now, I know, we are not by any means "elite" in black society;however, before you print something - get your information correct. Founded at a historically black college (at the time), now a university,(Morgan State) on September 19,1963 , 12 different non-conforming men of various walks of life made a daring stance against the so-called mainstream organizations.I also realize that Morgan is not one of the "elite" schools either-so says Graham. On November 12,1996 we were officially inducted into the NPHC some 33 years after the fact. Since we are anything but elite (according to those who are), perhaps Mr. Graham simply did not feel the need to include us in his adventure in black high society. It's ok Mr. Graham, we've been slighted by better people for less important reasons. Anyway, you might want to check any of our websites or the NPHC National Website for more information for ACCURATE details!
Rating: 
Summary: Engaging yet sad book
Review: I cannot believe the vitriol directed towards Mr. Graham for writing Our Kind of People. He has attempted to chronicle the history and social mores of the black upper middle class, warts and all. The result is an engaging yet sad book that unveils the self-hatred that unfortunately permeates the black experience in this country. I don't view the book as merely a gossipy expose. Instead, I view it as a possible catalyst for black people to openly discuss the issues of skin color and class that halt us from making further progress together.
Rating:
Summary: Worthy subject, second rate book
Review: I would first like to commend Mr. Graham for writing a book about this subject. I think it is one that has been sorely missing from the African- American literary diaspora, BUT, I think the definitive book on this topic is still to be written. Some of my concerns with the book were the shoddy research and all the negative quotes that were anonymous. Every time there was an ignorant comment it was something like "who are those dark-skinned children, said a light-skinned matron." Would none of the ignorant people be quoted on the record? Are those comments something to be proud of? Is that not crassness/ignorance/self-hate? Then there is a problem with who he says is a part of the Elite; it was so arbitrary. On the one hand, Betty Shabazz (who I admired greatly) is, but someone like Oprah, one of the most powerful Black people in this country, is not. Reginald Lewis, who climbed from the GHETTOS of east Baltimore to the pinnacle of Wall Street is, but Bill Cosby is not. Then to disparage those Black people who never wanted to be a part of the Black elite like, Colin Powell, Diana Ross or any such person. The response was always, again anonymously, "oh, she was so crass, or his son married a white woman." The fact is they never wanted to be a part of the black "elite" in the first place. Don't get me wrong, the parts of the book relating to African-American accomplishment are something to celebrate and be proud of. As are the groups listed like the Links, Deltas, or Boule. And if people get together and decide that they want to have a Cotillion, why not. But why would I want to celebrate people who feel that being light- skinned/Eeuropean-looking is the best character trait for someone of our race to have. Is that not ignorance/self-hate? Why would I want to talk to them? Even if some prominent person quoted in the book said I don't like the term "elite," or all the emphasis placed on pretension, Mr. Graham shoved them aside quickly as not the norm. It was as if he was saying, I don't care what they say, they are as pretentious and elitist as I am. I would really like to hear what the people of the Links, Boule, Deltas, etc. think about this book. Do they think these characterizations accurately depict them? In one chapter you talk about Blacks succeeding against the most virulant racism, but then you go right back to the light-skinned vs. dark-skinned elitism. Are we to feel sympathy? Then there is the problem with research. There were small errors where it was said that Isabel Powell was Adam Clayton's widow. She was not. But there were many such errors throughout. Also, are we to believe that Reginald Lewis, who made it to the upper echelons of Wall Street needed to talk to Mr. Graham to find out how to gain entry into the Black "elite?" He didn't have the resources/nerve to call the most prominent people in Jack and Jill or the Boule to find out how to gain entry? But, then Mr. Lewis is dead, so I guess we will have to go by Mr. Graham's account. Then there are the people he didn't talk to, like Jill Nelson. But he spoke with her mother. Why not speak to Ms. Nelson? Could it be because her account of the Black "elite" would fly in the face of all your descriptions about it? Jill Nelson, whose family has summered on the Vineyard for decades, wrote about her life in the great book, Volunteer Slavery. Is she still part of the Black "elite?" In closing I think Mr. Graham's emphasis on skin color, hair texture and European features clearly overshadowed the many accomplishments of the this group, accomplishments that are clearly worthy of a more well-researched, balanced book.
Rating: 
Summary: A society tale with a moral
Review: Yes, a moral. The many generation of families discussed in this book have a common root. Education. All the criticism of color, snobbery, the elite, exclusiveness, and the author's alledged desire to fit in the society does not negate the value of the many generations of education these families have as a tradition. And people of common interests tend to find one another. And yes, snobs and pretense are everywhere even among BLACKS. This is a book that will properly cause discussion. Some of the comments already submitted show the controversey sparked by the author's topic. As a person who grew up in that society, whose relatives, friends, and acquaintances were interviewed or made reference to for their accomplishments, this book was like a reunion. The only research fault was his failure to interview the real old families of Sag Harbor. He largely focused on some of the newer residents. I wonder if his experience with non-talkers was more wide spread than the old guard in Atlanta. Besides the repetitiveness of facts in most chapters it does indicate the closeness of the society throughout the US. It's easy for an outsider to resent that society. But it's a society that has for years lead the struggle for civil rights in this country. And that society has financially supported the civil rights movement quietly and behind the scenes. Mr. Graham relates all of these facts in his book. He should be praised for revealing a class of people that have taken pride in their background and accomplishments. Black people deserve to know that we have made it. Mr. Graham has shown that there is more history to the African American than the stories portrayed in the media. Congratulations!
Rating:
Summary: Informative history lesson sullied by Graham's unchecked ego
Review: The good news: "Our Kind Of People" is an interesting and occasionally uplifting look at the history of some of Black America's most prestigious institutions. I was inspired to learn that despite overt racism, Black Americans were able to achieve success in America as early as the 17th century. The bad news: 1) L. Graham is clearly out of touch with the "exclusivity" of these institutions in the present day. Anyone who's been to college within the last 10 years knows that nowadays *anyone* can join the black frats (even non-blacks). 2) By not criticizing "his people"'s exclusion of those "not like them", especially darker-hued blacks, L.Graham NULLIFIES 'Member of the Club'; after all, one could argue that whites are doing the same thing in their clubs, and therefore Blacks have no right to complain about being excluded. 3) I found it disturbing that L. Graham makes no attempt to counter the racist statements made by his "people" regarding darker-skinned blacks. One wonders if L. Graham hasn't internalized these prejudices himself. 4) Finally, L. Graham confirms what I suspected from reading 'Member of the Club': that he is a name-dropping, status-obsessed wannabe. His nonstop references to clothing labels, summer homes, Ivy League schools and "black elite ___" would turn Robin Leach's stomach. Even worse, for each of these references, he labors to impress the reader that he has partaken of these things. Bottom Line: the historical perspective is worth a look, but L. Graham's self-aggrandizing is nauseating. (with his silly nose job)
Rating:
Summary: pretentious, disgusting, and sad
Review: As an african-american who can trace her lineage back to the American Revolution (my 6th great-grandfather was a free mulatto who fought in the revolutionary war), it pains me to think that there are people of "our kind" who think that they are better than the many african-americans who are successfully striving to better themselves. They may not be as rich or professional as the people mentioned in Mr. Graham's book but nevertheless, they are striving. What I found most disturbing about Mr. Graham's book was the fact that he thinks that the majority of blacks are jealous of those who have succeeded. That is DEFINITELY not true. I applaud those who have. What I don't applaud are the successful black hypocrites! It would seem that they did not succeed (against extreme odds) because they wanted a better future for their children but rather because they were jealous of white people as a whole. This jealousy would explain why the black elite would go out their way to emulate them (white elitists). They would rather exclude than include the many african-americans who have the potential and the desire to better themselves. Fifty years from now, the chapter on elitist blacks will be the most tragic.
Rating:
Summary: An Unworthy Effort
Review: This piece of trash should be re-named "How to Succeed by Being White" and include a fake Harvard degree; a mule-atto spouse; and the business card of a plastic surgeon.
Rating:
Summary: Wannabe
Review: Laurence Otis Graham would do which of the following things to be a member of a so-called elite group: a.) bleach his skin b.) get a nose job c.) "texturize" his naturally nappy hair d.) attend an ivy league school e.) marry a "white-looking black" woman f.) write a book whining about why he can't get in e.) all of the above Answer: GET A LIFE OF YOUR OWN!!
Rating: 
Summary: Exposed, embarrassed and upset.
Review: An excellant follow-up to his "Members of the Club." More needs to be written on this topic. It appears that many of our kind of people (judging from their responses) can not stand the light of exposure.
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