Between the World and Me
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 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.
Between the World and Me: Notes on the First 15 Years of Being a Black Man in America is a 2015 memoir by Ta-Nehisi Coates. The book is addressed to Coates' 15-year-old son, Samori, and offers a powerful and unflinching account of the author's experiences as a black man in America. Coates explores the history of racism in the United States, the ongoing struggle for black liberation, and the challenges and joys of black fatherhood.
In Between the World and Me, Coates writes about his own experiences with racism, both overt and subtle. He recalls being followed by police officers, called racial slurs, and denied opportunities because of his skin color. He also discusses the larger history of racism in America, from slavery to the Jim Crow era to the present day. Coates argues that racism is not simply a matter of individual prejudice, but a deeply ingrained part of American society.
Despite the challenges he faces, Coates remains hopeful about the future. He believes that black people can and will overcome racism, and he calls on his son to be a part of the struggle for justice. Between the World and Me is a powerful and moving memoir that offers a unique perspective on the experience of being black in America. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the history of racism and its ongoing impact on society.
Here are some of the key themes explored in Between the World and Me:
- The history of racism in America: Coates provides a detailed and unflinching account of the history of racism in the United States, from slavery to the present day. He argues that racism is not simply a matter of individual prejudice, but a deeply ingrained part of American society.
- The ongoing struggle for black liberation: Coates discusses the ongoing struggle for black liberation in America. He argues that black people have made significant progress in recent decades, but that much work remains to be done. He calls on his son to be a part of the struggle for justice.
- The challenges and joys of black fatherhood: Coates writes about the challenges and joys of being a black father in America. He talks about the importance of protecting his son from the dangers of racism, while also giving him the freedom to be himself. He also discusses the joy of watching his son grow and learn.
Between the World and Me is a powerful and moving memoir that offers a unique perspective on the experience of being black in America. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the history of racism and its ongoing impact on society.
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