uncommongrace25 's review for:

Black Boy by Richard Wright

4.0

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In the opening pages, a preschool-age Richard Wright burns down his family's home. His life continues with one challenge after the next through to his adulthood and embrace of the writing life. I always want to read about lives different from my own, and this book gave me a nuanced, introspective look at the life of a black man coming of age in the early 20th century. As a work of biography it is exceptional, as a work of humanity it is even more. It made me want to re-read Coates "Between the World and Me" because I think there is more of a connection there than I had realized having not read Black Boy previously. Coates' title is taken from Wright's poem of the same name. Wright also uses a similar phrase several times in this book. Wright also talks about the power of books in his own self-education -- a lesson to us all. Native Son will be added to my list.