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amandasbookreview 's review for:
Between the World and Me
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
There is a reason why Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates is a National Book Award Winner. Well, more than one reason. This book is a letter. A letter to Coates’s fifteen-year-old son. It talks about his experience as a Black man in America. It explains his concerns to his son. It questions the ideals of America and the path going forward. He discusses his life growing up, attending Howard University, and meeting his son’s mother. There is anger, fear, and love.
“America believes itself exceptional, the greatest and noblest nation ever to exist, a lone champion standing between the white city of democracy and the terrorists, despots, barbarians, and other enemies of civilization. One cannot, at once, claim to be superhuman and then plead mortal error. I propose to take our countrymen’s claims of American exceptionalism seriously, which is to say I propose subjecting our country to an exceptional moral standard. This is difficult because there exists, all around us, an apparatus urging us to accept American innocence at face value and not to inquire too much.”
BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME
This book is not meant for me. It is not a book written for white people. This book is extremely personal. It felt as if I was reading a diary entry that was meant for his son to read and his son alone. It is raw and deeply emotional. However, it is eye-opening. For this reason, I think that this book should be required reading in high school. I can tell you it would be so beneficial if we discussed truths with our youths. I can never know the experience of Black men and Black women. I would like to stand by them and support them when they need it and I believe this book can change the way some see the “American experience.”
“And you know now, if you did not know before, that the police departments of your country have been endowed with the authority to destroy your body. It does not matter if the destruction is the result of an unfortunate overreaction. It does not matter if it originates in misunderstanding. It does not matter if the destruction springs from a foolish policy.”
BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME
I had waited a long time to write this review so I could really give myself time to think about his words. Then by the time I sat down to write this, I picked up the book to read again. It is truly an emotional read. It is all about experience. It doesn’t provide answers, just experience. I can see this book being a classic. One that we will talk about, our children will talk about, and our grandchildren, and so on… I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. And if you have not read it yet, now is the time.
“America believes itself exceptional, the greatest and noblest nation ever to exist, a lone champion standing between the white city of democracy and the terrorists, despots, barbarians, and other enemies of civilization. One cannot, at once, claim to be superhuman and then plead mortal error. I propose to take our countrymen’s claims of American exceptionalism seriously, which is to say I propose subjecting our country to an exceptional moral standard. This is difficult because there exists, all around us, an apparatus urging us to accept American innocence at face value and not to inquire too much.”
BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME
This book is not meant for me. It is not a book written for white people. This book is extremely personal. It felt as if I was reading a diary entry that was meant for his son to read and his son alone. It is raw and deeply emotional. However, it is eye-opening. For this reason, I think that this book should be required reading in high school. I can tell you it would be so beneficial if we discussed truths with our youths. I can never know the experience of Black men and Black women. I would like to stand by them and support them when they need it and I believe this book can change the way some see the “American experience.”
“And you know now, if you did not know before, that the police departments of your country have been endowed with the authority to destroy your body. It does not matter if the destruction is the result of an unfortunate overreaction. It does not matter if it originates in misunderstanding. It does not matter if the destruction springs from a foolish policy.”
BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME
I had waited a long time to write this review so I could really give myself time to think about his words. Then by the time I sat down to write this, I picked up the book to read again. It is truly an emotional read. It is all about experience. It doesn’t provide answers, just experience. I can see this book being a classic. One that we will talk about, our children will talk about, and our grandchildren, and so on… I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. And if you have not read it yet, now is the time.