How to Argue With a Racist

Reviews / Votes

A fascinating and timely refutation of the casual racism on the rise around the world. The ultimate anti-racism guide for data-lovers everywhere -- CAROLINE CRIADO PEREZ For centuries science has been used and abused by racists. This book wrests it from their grubby hands by showing that race is biologically meaningless and that modern genetic science is a racist's worst enemy. Along the way Adam Rutherford reveals that you are related to royalty, that every Nazi had Jewish ancestors and that you share no DNA with half your ancestors. A critical book on a critical issue -- DAVID OLUSOGA Nobody deals with challenging subjects more interestingly and compellingly than Adam Rutherford, and this may be his best book yet. This is a seriously important work -- BILL BRYSON A book that could save lives -- Kathryn Paige Harden * SPECTATOR * A fascinating debunking of racial pseudoscience . . . engaging and enlightening . . . equip[s] the reader with the scientific tools necessary to tackle questions concerning race, genes and ancestry -- Manjit Kumar * GUARDIAN * Characteristically far-reaching, insightful and brilliant, Adam Rutherford casts his net wide in a book that is as timely as it is invigorating and important -- PETER FRANKOPAN Rutherford, a geneticist, debunks racist pseudoscience, showing that everyone's ancestry is cosmopolitan in a stylish, punchy, myth-busting study * DAILY TELEGRAPH * [An] enthralling, illuminating book -- Francis Wheen * MAIL ON SUNDAY * A counter-blast to those who would use science to justify prejudice * NEW STATESMAN * Adam Rutherford is the perfect writer to arm you with evidence -- CLAUDIA HAMMOND This fascinating, illuminating and original book on human evolution and development is essential reading in an age of false science, resurgent racism and conspiracy theory - and the perfect antidote to racial bigotry One of the most pleasing observations offered by Adam Rutherford, a great communicator who knows how to simplify difficult concepts, is that the racist you are arguing with will themself be far from racially pure -- Julian Cole * I NEWSPAPER * Elucidating, enabling, and powerful in its simplicity, everyone should have a copy of this book * SUNDAY POST * Stylish and punchy -- Steven Poole * DAILY TELEGRAPH, Books of the Year * HOW TO ARGUE WITH A RACIST smashes race myths that plague society -- Layal Liverpool * NEW SCIENTIST * Poignant . . . A timely weapon against the misuse of science to justify bigotry and casual racism * COSMOPOLITAN * Brilliant, succinct genetics for the uninitiated Adam Rutherford is a master storyteller Enlightening and entertaining -- David Crawford * RADIO TIMES * Vital -- Ben East * OBSERVER * If teaching is what makes humans special, then Adam Rutherford is superhuman - a truly gifted transmitter of knowledge: lucid, enlightening, witty and delightful Dr Adam Rutherford has a gift for making complicated concepts simple -- Hannah Shaddock * RADIO TIMES * Admirable . . . The reader will be similarly enriched by the quick blood of this book * THE GLASGOW HERALD * Timely and accessible * THE BOOKSELLER, Editor's Choice * Not only shows what science really says about race, ancestry and genetics, but also helps us argue against the idea that certain people are biologically inferior and encourages informed conversations about race . . . This book's gift is to use science to talk about a pseudoscience -- Layal Liverpool * NEW SCIENTIST, Best Books of 2020 * How to Argue with a Racist is doubtlessly one of the most important reads of the year. But it's arguably the most interesting too . . . Engaging and thought-provoking throughout -- Thomas Ling * BBC SCIENCE FOCUS, Best Books of the Year * A remarkable telling of the shared ancestry of the human race. The book is a treasure trove filled with gems of knowledge from the field of genetics and what it knows about skin colour, intelligence, ancestry, athletic ability and racial superiority. The reader is provided the fascinating scientific weaponry to confidently take on questions about race, genes, ancestry. Ultimately, Rutherford's book is a challenge against the manipulation, misrepresentation, and abuse of science to justify hatred and prejudice * Big Think *