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A Dead White: An Argument Against White Paint by Wendy S. Walters — book cover

A Dead White: An Argument Against White Paint

by Wendy S. Walters

National Book · 2026 · Longlist
ScribnerNonfiction352 pagesISBN 9781982178550

Award History

AwardYearStatus
National Book Award for Nonfiction2026Longlist

About This Book

A work of criticism on white paint as the default color of the built environment and a supposedly neutral symbol of the ordinary, clean, and pure. Walters examines its role in art history, architecture, and her own life, arguing that the choice reveals more about cultural psyche than we may realize. Longlisted for the 2026 National Book Award for Nonfiction.

About the Author

Wendy S. Walters is an American essayist, poet, and critic. She is the author of Multiply/Divide and Troy, Michigan. Read more →

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