Between the World and Me

NEWYORKTIMESBESTSELLER•LONGLISTEDFORTHENATIONALBOOKAWARD•HailedbyToniMorrisonas“requiredreading，”aboldandpersonalliteraryexplorationofAmerica’sracialhistoryby“thesinglebestwriteronthesubjectofraceintheUnitedStates”(TheNewYorkObserver)“Thisisyourcountry，thisisyourworld，thisisyourbody，andyoumustfindsomewaytolivewithintheallofit.”InaprofoundworkthatpivotsfromthebiggestquestionsaboutAmericanhistoryandidealstothemostintimateconcernsofafatherforhisson，Ta-NehisiCoatesoffersapowerfulnewframeworkforunderstandingournation’shistoryandcurrentcrisis.Americanshavebuiltanempireontheideaof“race，”afalsehoodthatdamagesusallbutfallsmostheavilyonthebodiesofblackwomenandmen—bodiesexploitedthroughslaveryandsegregation，and，today，threatened，lockedup，andmurderedoutofallproportion.Whatisitliketoinhabitablackbodyandfindawaytolivewithinit?Andhowcanweallhonestlyreckonwiththisfraughthistoryandfreeourselvesfromitsburden?BetweentheWorldandMeisTa-NehisiCoates’sattempttoanswerthesequestionsinalettertohisadolescentson.Coatesshareswithhisson—andreaders—thestoryofhisawakeningtothetruthabouthisplaceintheworldthroughaseriesofrevelatoryexperiences，fromHowardUniversitytoCivilWarbattlefields，fromtheSouthSideofChicagotoParis，fromhischildhoodhometothelivingroomsofmotherswhosechildren’slivesweretakenasAmericanplunder.Beautifullywovenfrompersonalnarrative，reimaginedhistory，andfresh，emotionallychargedreportage，BetweentheWorldandMeclearlyilluminatesthepast，bracinglyconfrontsourpresent，andoffersatranscendentvisionforawayforward.