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White Picket Fences: Turning toward Love in a World Divided by Privilege

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Format: Paperback


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A Gentle Invitation into the Challenging Topic of PrivilegeGently addressing the challenging topics of privilege and race, power and inequality, White Picket Fences is a memoir of Amy Julia Becker's growing awareness of the unequal benefits (and secret harm) she received by virtue of her white skin, Protestant heritage, education and able body. Through telling her own story, Amy Julia Becker shares her process to acknowledge and examine the injustice, oppression and silence that has characterized American history and her own life. These forces of division, social power and unequal opportunities are still active and relevant to the church, education system, and even the books we give our children to read today. She reflects on her upper-middle-class childhood both in the American South and later New England, her own struggles with perfectionism, and raising a child with a disability, in light of privilege. Amy Julia Becker guides readers through her growing realization of how inequality has negatively impacted herself and others. "Privilege harms everyone," she writes, "those who are excluded from it and those who benefit from it." Black and white, rich and poor, strong and weak. Through reflections on parenting, family, and faith, Amy Julia Becker traces her process to discover how she can participate in actions and conversations of truth and love in order to bring wholeness and healing. "Identifying the wounds of privilege is one thing," she writes, "participating in their healing is even harder." She offers a challenge to readers: "This book is an invitation, especially for people from a similar cultural background to mine, to consider the reality of privilege, the benefits and wounds that come from privilege, and whether we can respond to the fact of our privilege with generosity, humility, and hope." Winner of Christianity Today's 2018 Book Awards Award of Merit: "Told with grace and humility, this memoir will be a helpful companion to those who are wrestling with similar questions about privilege." -- Ruth Everhart, Christianity Today Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ NavPress (October 2, 2018)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1631469207


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 06


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.8 ounces


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.2 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #890,235 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #2,688 in Christian Social Issues (Books) #3,178 in Christian Family & Relationships #7,778 in Christian Personal Growth


#2,688 in Christian Social Issues (Books):


#3,178 in Christian Family & Relationships:


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Compelling story-telling and written with honesty, humility and courage
This book is compelling, deeply thoughtful and beautifully written. With humility and courage, Amy Julia Becker uses her faith to help her grapple with the complex issues of privilege and reach a place of hope. She writes: "When I look at the 'good old days' of my childhood, I need to acknowledge the injustice alongside the goodness, to wrestle with the past rather than glorify it." Her approach is gracious and insightful, gently challenging her readers to consider the topic of privilege. This book is like having a conversation with a good friend: Amy Julia shares many personal stories and invites us into her journey. She expresses gratitude for her life and the privileges she has had, while also doing the hard work of examining her situation with honesty and humility. I can relate to the author as I, too, am a white Protestant woman of a similar age and background also hailing from stoic, hearty New England stock where achievement is exalted. In reckoning with this deceptive culture of achievement and self-sufficiency-at-all-costs, she writes: "admitting my needs and receiving the mysterious love of God could change me." I am grateful for Amy Julia's strong faith, compassion, wisdom, and brave example! This book is highly readable, engaging and thought-provoking. I highly recommend it and look forward to reading more from Amy Julia! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2021 by Elizabeth Blood
    • honest, thought-provoking, important
Edited to add that Amy Julia Becker is now hosting a podcast related to the book's content - find it at amyjuliabecker.com. Robust important conversations - I highly recommend it, too! One of the chapters that moved me most was, "Privilege Walk." During an exercise in college, the author and her classmates were instructed to "Take one step forward" if they'd traveled abroad, had parents who attended college or enjoyed other advantages and to "Take one step back" if they were raised in a high crime area, a single parent household, or had ever been questioned by the police because of their race. She writes, "All of us who advance to the front of the room have white skin." She reflects that the exercise was "designed to demonstrate the unwitting advantages of privilege." Becker describes "White Picket Fences" as a "confession"--both of guilt and of faith. She writes that she has come to understand that privilege is not in and of itself a sign of God's blessing, but a fact of life that can be used for good or ill. This book, like its author, is tough, smart, and compassionate. I highly recommend to people who would find themselves at the front of the room if they were to do a "privilege walk." You'll be able to work through unsettling questions, histories, and feelings and, I believe, finish the book refreshed and ready to love. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2018 by Jennifer Grant
    • Gentle, thoughtful, bold must read!
Loved this book. As a white woman who grew up in a very "privileged" home on the East Coast, I have been trying to engage in the conversations about race and privilege that are happening in my city (Boston) but have increasingly felt like I didn't even understand the issues enough to really engage. Amy Julia Becker's honest and frank account of her upbringing gently sheds light on the issues that privilege causes; the divisions, separation, and insularity it inflicts on the under privileged and those with privilege. It is, on the one hand, a beautifully written account of her childhood and her adult and family life, and on the other hand, an examination of that life with the eyes of an adult seeking truth and honesty about her privileged upbringing. I was impressed at her ability to admit fault and failure as a woman in her community and as a parent, and related to so much of what she said. I also found the second half of the book very helpful, where she leads the reader towards a "so what now?" conclusion that is based in grace and love and confession. It has shaped my thinking and encouraged me to engage with my community in a humble way. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2018 by Amazon Customer
    • Small Ripples Can Address the Massive Expanse of the Need
Like many others I am seeking to understand what "white privilege" means and I want to be part of the solution. I was anxious to read White Picket Fences by Amy Julia because I knew her briefly and admired her ability to write and speak about difficult topics with humility, transparency, depth of knowledge and courage. There are social and political issues that deeply divide our country and the world today. Through stories , historical reflections and openness about her personal struggles Amy shows us that privilege harms all of us. In seeking solutions she encourages conversation not confrontation, blessing not bitterness, citizenship not partisanship and huge doses of forgiveness, trust and love. This book will resonate well with women. She provides 22 questions for discussion which makes it ideal for book clubs. For further reading there are extensive sources cited in the notes. White Picket Fences encourages me that I can make a difference and I can change the world. Amy Julia tells us "small ripples can address the massive expanse of the need" ( pg 165 ) This book will help you learn how to become a small ripple of healing in a world in need. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2018 by Amazon Customer
    • I'm a better youth leader now:)
My copy of this book is underlined all over the place! "Privilege provides for material needs, but it seems to work against the fulfillment of other human needs. Instead, privilege correlates with some of the shadows of the human experience-eating disorders and anxiety and substance abuse, among others". As a senior high youth leader, I am better equipped to guide and counsel and ask good questions to my students who span the "privilege spectrum". I haven't met Amy Julia Becker yet, but the church I grew up in is her church and my childhood home town is her adult home town. It was interesting to read about her walks around the green, to and from the library and be able to picture it all so clearly. She is a great writer. Her vulnerability and honesty made me adore her. Personally I grew in many ways from reflecting on all the things she says. White Picket Fences is our book clubs next pick. I can't wait to discuss it...We are inviting the author to attend, if it works out with her schedule. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2018 by L C S O

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