Book Review: Between the World and Me
What an incredible novel. I came to Between the World and Me late. I hadn't heard about it. I'm not sure how I had missed it for most of 2015 but as the year started to come to a close and people who I admire began to sing its praises, calling it one of the best books of 2015. I immediately purchased it and put it on my list to read. I'm so glad I did.
Between the World and Me is a letter from Ta-Nehisi Coates to his son. A way in which to see the world through a different lens. And although Between the World and Me is an author writing something for his son the mere fact that he has allowed the rest of the world into his insights is one of the great treasures of our time. I listened to the audiobook and you could feel the passion of Ta-Nehisi Coates. With each word, each phrase and sentence he made me think, feel, and ponder more then any book I've ever read. It's also some of the most beautiful writing I've ever had the pleasure of consuming.
Between the World and Me is profound. It's a novel that doesn't shy away from racism, or being politically correct. It's raw and full of pain and emotion. This isn't a work of fiction, and yet I found myself hanging on every single word. My hope is that this is a novel that becomes required reading in the United States. It's a novel that old and young need to read. It will challenge anyone who reads it. And for me it's a novel I can't wait to dig back into again.
“I would not have you descend into your own dream. I would have you be a conscious citizen of this terrible and beautiful world.”
