Searching for Whitopia
By Rich Benjamin

NEW BOOK EXPOSES ALARMING TREND IN AMERICAN RACE RELATIONS

Rich Benjamin's new book is SEARCHING FOR WHITOPIA: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America (Hyperion; October 6, 2009; Hardcover; $24.99)

Americans greeted President Obama's election as proof of a post-racial era, but a disturbing trend indicates that the country is as segregated now as it was in the 1970s - and the problem is growing. White people are increasingly choosing to live in predominately white communities. Rich Benjamin, a black journalist, embedded himself in the whitest, fastest-growing communities in America for two years to find out why it's happening - and why segregation is so bad for democracy. His book examines history, politics, economics, and culture - and how he fell in love with golf along the way.