Why people recommend it
The Guarded Gate is a historical non-fiction book by Daniel Okrent that examines the rise of the American eugenics movement and the restrictive legislation that kept generations of European immigrants, including Jews and Italians, out of the United States. On The Book Review podcast episode titled Picking the Best Memoirs Since 1969, Pamela Paul promoted the book toward the close of the episode. She welcomed the guest author, Daniel Okrent, and outlined the core themes of his work, mentioning bigotry, eugenics, and the specific laws that shaped American immigration policy during the early twentieth century. Paul drew attention to the historical parallels and the deep societal impacts of the policies documented in the book, framing it as a vital and sobering examination of a dark chapter in the nation's past. The mention served to highlight the depth and rigor of Okrent's research, encouraging listeners to engage with a text that illuminates how prejudice and pseudoscience successfully infiltrated the highest levels of American law and governance, ultimately altering the demographic landscape of the country for decades to follow.
Who recommended it
- Pamela Paul Recommended
Pamela Paul — 1 mention
“and his new book is called the guarded gate bigotry Eugenics and the law that kept two generations of Jews Italians and other European immigrants out of America”