After reading Mexican Gothic last year, I became more interested in the topic of eugenics – something I am not very familiar with. I came across this upcoming release on my NetGalley homepage and decided to give it a try.

It’s a historical look at the state of Virginia’s eugenic past. To say this book shocked me – and ultimately educated me – would be an understatement! Catte delves into the atrocities of how white men in power treated the poor, vulnerable, and Black; she even offers some history on the development of Shenandoah National Park.

This presentation of Virginia’s racist and despicable past is well worth the time to read. It’s easily digestible for non-academic types and it really opened my eyes to the foundations of white supremacy, eugenics, and how fearful white men are of poor and/or vulnerable people rising up to challenge their systems and ways of thinking.

I would have liked to know more about the eugenics side of the history, but in its place, I learned a lot about the forced institutionalization and sterilization of many women in Virginia’s early development. It was hard to read at times and I found myself thanking my lucky stars many times throughout this book that I didn’t live in a time period where I could be wrongfully committed to an insane asylum.

Recognizing and understanding our past hopefully positions us in a place to do better. Recently, our behavior isn’t demonstrating this, but I’m hopeful that books like this will continue to awaken us to a better future where we are able to honor and treat everyone with more dignity and respect.

a quick glimpse at American eugenics through the microcosm of Virginia. An insightful and powerful read.