Between the World and Me is written as a letter from Ta-Nehisi Coates to his son. In the book, Coates shares with his adolescent son the truth about what it means to grow up with a black body in America. Coates takes his son through his lived experiences from Howard University to the South Side of Chicago. The book takes a nod from the work of James Baldwin, in particular his book The Fire Next Time in which Baldwin, living in 1963 America, writes a similar letter to his nephew. In my opinion, Between the World and Me should be required reading for anyone living in America. For if America wishes to evolve gracefully into the future, the American people must first embrace, acknowledge and understand the history from which we came.
Book Notes
