#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER • NAMED ONE OF TIME’S TEN BEST NONFICTION BOOKS OF THE DECADE • PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST • NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST Hailed by Toni Morrison as “required reading,” a bold and personal literary exploration of America’s racial history by “the most important essayist in a generation and a writer who changed the national … and a writer who changed the national political conversation about race” (Rolling Stone)
NAMED ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS OF THE DECADE BY CNN • NAMED ONE OF PASTE’S BEST MEMOIRS OF THE DECADE • NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review • O: The Oprah Magazine • The Washington Post • People • Entertainment Weekly • Vogue • Los Angeles Times • San Francisco Chronicle • Chicago Tribune • New York • Newsday • Library Journal • Publishers Weekly
In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black women and men—bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden?
Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’s attempt to answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son. Coates shares with his son—and readers—the story of his awakening to the truth about his place in the world through a series of revelatory experiences, from Howard University to Civil War battlefields, from the South Side of Chicago to Paris, from his childhood home to the living rooms of mothers whose children’s lives were taken as American plunder. Beautifully woven from personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me clearly illuminates the past, bracingly confronts our present, and offers a transcendent vision for a way forward.
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I just finished reading Between the World and Me and can’t stop thinking about it. Taking the form of a long letter from the author to his son about his life as a young black man in America, this book is powerful, unflinching, and important.
One of my favorite passages was about the current environment of police brutality and how it’s not new: “You may have heard the talk of diversity, sensitivity training, and body cameras. These are all fine and applicable, but they understate the task and allow the citizens of this country to pretend that there is real distance between their own attitudes and those of the ones appointed to protect them. The truth is that the police reflect America in all of its will and fear, and whatever we might make of this country’s criminal justice policy, it cannot be said that it was imposed by a repressive minority. The abuses that have followed from these policies—the sprawling carceral state, the random detention of black people, the torture of suspects—are the product of democratic will. And so to challenge the police is to challenge the American people who send them into the ghettos armed with the same self-generated fears that compelled the people who think they are white to flee the cities and into the Dream. The problem with the police is not that they are fascist pigs but that our country is ruled by majoritarian pigs.”
Out of my comfort zone? Easy. Being a middle aged middle class white man reading about a black man’s struggles living in a white man’s world. And feeling sympathetic and guilty as hell about it. Period.
This is one of those rare works of nonfiction that change how you see and understand the world. I can’t recommend this highly enough.
I am currently reading this book to try to gain some perspective and understanding of another point of view that is very applicable to the current events of our time and the Black Lives Matter movement.
This book takes to the form of a black man writing a letter to his young son and trying to explain why his generation lives in so much fear of everything. It’s personal and thoughtful writing that does us all good to hear.
I am a huge sports fan and specifically I have been a very long time fan of the Golden State Warriors. This book was recommended to the GM of the Warriors by one of his black players, Andre Iguodala. Andre is often portrayed in the media as the thinker of the group when it comes to off court for the Warriors, and I have seen him interviewed and he has a unique intelligence that has drawn me to want to know more about him and what he believes. So, I took his recommendation seriously and I am about a third of the way through this book.
I thought that given the current events and the relevance of this material, I would recommend this book as well to this forum. I will comment more when I have finished this book and I encourage others to participate in the conversation too. If not with me then with your family and community.
Probably the finest writer in the country today. His writing is always incisive and often painful to read but always enlightening. Be prepared to open your mind and absorb his wisdom.
I thought this was a wonderful book that really gives the reader a view into a life that different than their own. At least it did for me. I love to learn about other’s experiences. I think especially in our world today we could all use a little understanding of others and gain some compassion.
This book is very informative. But it saddens you when you think of the anxiety young African-American males grow up feeling. They’re afraid of racist white people, but they’re also afraid of each other. Any day, any incident can trigger a violent response from someone (sometimes a stranger) and their lives could be over. It’s instructive for African-Americans mainly, and poses the question, what are we going to do about this?
I listened to the audiobook of Between the World and Me. The author reads the books and does a great job. The raw emotion in this book kept me riveted. I believe everyone should read or listen to Ta-Nehisi Coates book. His writing is extraordinary and the subject is something we all need to hear and digest. There were moments I wanted to just stop and weep for the hearts of people and the hurts that have been done. In fact, there were times when I did weep. The understanding I received from Coates book will help me relate to others. Highly recommended.
This book told the truth about being Black in America, especially being male. This book also explains what needs to be done to create equality for all Americans starting with children of the new generation. Also the words of the author should enlighten others about shedding prejudices and giving every individual a fair chance in society.
Just finished this. Great, important book. This is a Daily Show interview w/ the author: http://www.cc.com/shows/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart/interviews/sx47nw/exclusive-ta-nehisi-coates-extended-interview
I listened to this on audio, so I got to hear the author’s voice. I have read several books that have similarities over the past few years, so I will compare it to these other books focusing on white privilege and/or the experience of growing up black in the United States. First – this was a beautifully written book. It was written as an essay to his teenage son which is very unique. I have read fiction books by Ta-Neihisi Coates, and he trained as a writer, rather than say a teacher who wrote a book about racism and thus reads as a textbook. Therefore, this writing is beautiful and engaging. Honestly, I wish I had read it for book club as each sentence could probably be discussed like you would lines of poetry. A second thing that sets this apart is the tone. He doesn’t come across as bitter or try to make a white person feel guilty for being born white. (Of course, one could still feel guilty because his stories may open your eyes, but he isn’t pushing it on the reader, he’s simply sharing his experience.) Therefore, I think this book could potentially reach a person unwilling to read other books about a black person’s experience or white privilege. The tone in fact was more resigned which actually made me sad and perhaps more open to listening to his story.
A must read for our century.
This should be required reading for all high schoolers. While I am privileged and white I cannot know what it means or is like to have a black body in the US. But this book definitely increased my understanding. It will make you think and may break your heart. Plus, the language is stunning.
Magnificent prose. Beautiful memoir articulating the experience of race and systemic white supremacy by a young black man. Highly recommend.
This white male reader greatly appreciates the world uncovered by this book.
Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’ letter to his son discussing race relations today. Coates discusses his view of life as a black man in a world where the news is filled with issues and violence like Ferguson, MO, Trayvon Martin, and Freddie Gray. Coates talks about how he feels he is unable to control what happens to his physical body, the dream that many long for, and his time searching for his mecca.
The book seems bleak but offers a powerful message that should be read by everyone, regardless of race or creed. He does end on a hopeful note, with a poignant message left for his son and for generations to come.
Should be required reading. This is a MUST
It told you what it is like to grow up and be a young black man in how he perceived was a white mans world.
This is going to me one of my all time favorite non-fiction reads. It gave me a new perspective for how I view my blackness in America. It gave me context and yet told a very personal story.
Moving and eloquent. A must read.