Reviews with content warning for Murder - Between the World and Me

Through this letter to his son, he is ending the cycle of generational trauma. However, there is nothing he can do to end the cycle of racism in America. He, like all Black children, was told by everyone to be twice as good. White children aren't told to be twice as good. In fact, they are told to take twice as much.

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juksu's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.75

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smolone13's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Coates had written Between the World and Me for his 15-year-old son. The first part depicts Coates growing up in a stricter household. His parents would teach him to keep his wits about him. He was supposed to stay away from trouble. Coates quickly noticed and learned that he was treated differently from his white counterparts.

The second part depicts him as a young adult exploring the world. While in college he began to learn about how the world around him, outside of America. When he started to talk to other's in his black community he discovered that not everyone has hatred. When he traveled to France there was no fear but he still couldn't help but be wary of what awaits him. Not to mention when one of his old classmates was followed and killed by a police officer after another fellow black was killed by a police officer.

The last part Coates talks to the mother of Prince Jones, Coates's old classmate, and talks to her about her grief, pain, and how hard it is not to fight.

After reading this book again after high school I feel like I gained a new perspective. In high school I don't think I paid too much attention of what was going on so I didn't fully appreciate this book. Now as a young adult still witnessing the same black hate and police brutality this book has felt like witnessing the same death all over again. This felt necessary to read as it was heart-breaking. More people need to read this work even after it ends.

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