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skmiles's review against another edition
5.0
I've been reading Coates since his essay on reparations was assigned to me as an undergraduate and this monograph is a testament to his lasting power. He is thoughtful, critical, eloquent and compelling, without hesitating to apply his analytical lens to his own perspective or writing from the past as well. I found his epilogue in particular to be enlightening in explaining how not idealized "white working class anger" but rather (an unsimple) racism brought about the presidency of Donald Trump. In general, a stirring, well-researched and deeply thoughtful work on race in America. An absolute must-read.
stephanieridiculous's review
5.0
Reading this as we are gearing up for another Trump campaign was an interesting added layer, and finishing the day before Biden stepped back and nominated Vice President Harris to run? Whew.
This is an excellent collection of essays. The essays alone are worth reading and grappling with, but that we get context to Coates' writing and personal life for each essay made this an even more impactful read. I appreciate deeply Coates sharing with us what he didn't like about his own writing; getting to hear an author talk about their growth of craft is always a pleasure.
Definitely recommend in broad strokes for those interested in political commentary, Obama, and Coates' take on various aspect of US culture.
This is an excellent collection of essays. The essays alone are worth reading and grappling with, but that we get context to Coates' writing and personal life for each essay made this an even more impactful read. I appreciate deeply Coates sharing with us what he didn't like about his own writing; getting to hear an author talk about their growth of craft is always a pleasure.
Definitely recommend in broad strokes for those interested in political commentary, Obama, and Coates' take on various aspect of US culture.
tagoreketabkhane31's review against another edition
5.0
A must read for those who have begun to re-asses the Obama era and the Black experience in America at a socio-political level.
lesserjoke's review against another edition
4.0
A powerful collection of essays on race and racism in America, reflecting the author's evolving understanding of these issues over the eight years of the Obama presidency. Half of these entries are drawn, roughly one per year, from articles originally published in The Atlantic; the rest have been newly written for this volume in the dawn of the Trump administration. Throughout, Ta-Nehisi Coates writes movingly and convincingly on the historical forces of racial injustice that survive today, the ways in which the unique figure of Barack Obama has navigated them, and how they have ultimately led us to his successor in the Oval Office.
It's as meditative and elegiac as the title suggests, using a racial lens to examine both the triumphs and flaws of the Obama White House but especially to mourn its passing. Yet despite that focus, the language is less poetic than the author's earlier work Between the World and Me, which I personally appreciate. This is an accessible book for all of us who have had our eyes opened over the course of the past decade, and it deserves to be read widely.
It's as meditative and elegiac as the title suggests, using a racial lens to examine both the triumphs and flaws of the Obama White House but especially to mourn its passing. Yet despite that focus, the language is less poetic than the author's earlier work Between the World and Me, which I personally appreciate. This is an accessible book for all of us who have had our eyes opened over the course of the past decade, and it deserves to be read widely.
lgcpreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.75
nanarchy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
Coates's take on the Obama years and the the factors surrounding that period were insightful if not a little disheartening. Glad I read it
amjammi's review against another edition
5.0
While the first two essays were a slow start, the following essays get progressively better. And damn, does it even get better than "The Case for Reparations" (minus that misguided section on Israel)? Or "My President was Black"? The structure of the book, with sequential essays (unedited), makes it possible to see Coates develop his voice over time.
kristianawithak's review against another edition
3.0
The introduction to each essay were my favourite parts of the book. It’s a good book, it’s structured excellently, the epilogue is superb. Year 8’s essay made me tear up.