A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America

I don't believe Takaki has a score to settle with this book. Nor do I believe he is racist or *overly* slanted, but I can see how some might feel that way. His focus on nontraditional perspectives seems to me an effort to balance the scale a bit by emphasizing the viewpoints, stories and facts that have been under-emphasized in the past. Perspectives include those of the Irish, Japanese, blacks, Native Americans, and others as various times throughout American history. To me, Takaki does a very good job of putting the reader in the mindset of the people at a certain place and time.

Stories in this book are not sugar-coated, which may at times be unsettling, but the facts and research that back the stories up are indisputable. Takaki uses many direct quotes and indirect references to underscore his points. His accounts are credible, believable and educational. This book should be required reading in all high schools, but should not be considered a replacement for traditional American history texts. It is more a book about cultural perspectives in history than about historical facts. As an example, Takaki will devote many pages to very specific events in history to catch a specific cultural perspective, while completely glazing over many larger and arguably more historically significant timeframes.

The book is a good read, but because of several references, chapters should probably be read in order. For example, at the start of the book Takaki sets up the story of Shakespeare's Tempest as a point of comparison throughout. (It was tempting to me to skip around, since each perspective seems well encapsulated in a chapter.)

I hope you enjoy it!


Very realistic (and inclusive) social/historical work.   December 10, 1999
nicole (oxford, ohio)
25 out of 30 found this review helpful

I was introduced to Takaki as an undergrad in Louisiana, reintroduced as a gaduate in New York, and again as a Graduate Assistant in Ohio. I don't believe my instructors in three states could all be wrong. Takaki does what many American writers seem to be wary of doing: putting the emphasis where it belongs. The multicultural history of this country has been based on little more than exploitation. It doesn't necessarity matter who it was being done to, because it had similar results with nearly each minority group. One thing I have to teach my conservative, mid-Western students is to move beyond the "white guilt" many Americans seem to suffer from in order to see that the oppression minorities were victim to was a systematic process based on totalitarian ideals, and not some inherent white evil. I believe by presenting the information the way Takaki has, he allows readers to read a multifaceted version of American history (not the myopic, one dimensional history taught in American schools) that effectively places different groups within a specific time and place in history. If you are not afraid to read some truth about America (without the artificiality of "Pomp and Circumstance"), this is for you. This book does not make America out to be the melting pot it wishes it were. I will teach this book in my future classes.


A Biased and Brilliant Revisionist History   May 12, 2004
R. Kirkham (Rushville, Illinois USA)
24 out of 30 found this review helpful

Publishers Weekly called this, "a brilliant revisionist history of America that is likely to become a classic of multicultural studies." I would totally agree if they would have only added the word "biased" to their list of adjectives. This book has a strong anti-Anglo bias from cover to cover. As a history text it offers an extremely limited scope. It is an historical account of how the racist Anglos persecuted all non-Anglos through American history.

That doesn't mean it shouldn't be read. I never give out ***** without reason.

For non-Anglos this book should be read for the comfort it offers. At last someone has found the courage to tell the story of those who came from the margins of society. I am white. My heritage traces predominantly from Native American (Cherokee) and Irish indentured servitude stock. The book was informative concerning my heritage.

For Anglos this book should be read to help remove cultural blinders. Such a book can be threatening, but it has the potential to expand our universes way beyond the scope of monocultural prejudice. Books such as this help us to better understand where our brothers and sisters of other cultures are coming from.

FOR EVERYONE, this book should be read to understand the past, NOT keep alive prejudice for another generation. My prayer is that a day will come when we have the ability to scale the walls of blindness and forgive the offenses of the past. I would like to see a new world when we are neither ruled by bigotry or guilt.


Completely worthless   August 23, 1999
18 out of 45 found this review helpful

Takaki's book is a wonderful example of how history should not be written. Takaki's attempt to portray a multicultural American history is weak and he accomplishes the opposite. He consistently describes every ethnic minority that has helped create America as nothing more than a victim of white aggression. Indeed the multicultural history of America is more complex than the simplified story of good and evil that Takaki tells. If one wishes to get a glimpse of realistic multicultural history I recommend forgetting about Takaki and instead reading Gary B. Nash's brilliant essay The Hidden History of Mestizo America.


One of most educational books I've ever read!   December 22, 1999
Tamara Quandt (Portland, OR)
15 out of 24 found this review helpful

Takaki writes a powerful book about muli-cultural life in America. I read this book for an undergraduate class on race and ethnicity, and I found it not only to be educational, but to be one of the more valuable textbooks that I've been assigned. It paints a picture that may be disturbing, but is in essence, very realistic. Textbooks need to stop praising the white man for his horrendous crimes against minority races, and start teaching the world the truth about our history. This book accomplishes that task and it is very enjoyable to read as well. I highly recommend this book to teachers to use with students. Highschool students as well as college students would benefit from its message.