How are we to understand race at the beginning of the twenty-first century? How do concepts of 'race' intersect with gender and class? White Lives reconsiders white identities through white experiences of race. Exploring race, alongside the issues of class and gender, Bridget Byrne analyses the endurability and flexibility of racialised discourse in everyday life, whilst simultaneously arguing for a radical deconstruction of the notions of race these discourses create. Bryne focuses on the experience of white mother's and their young children, as a key site in the reproduction of class, race and gender subjectivities. Through this, she offers a unique perspective on both the experience of motherhood and on ideas of white identity. She adopts a broad perspective on this issue, looking at local and private examples but also considering national and public debates concerning race. This accessible book will appeal across disciplines, to students studying sociology, anthropology, race and ethnicity and cultural studies.