BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME REVIEW

BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME REVIEW

by RON KINCAID

THE AUTHOR

Ta-Nehisi Coates is an acclaimed author and journalist who is known for his thoughtful exploration of race and the Black experience in America.

His name has become synonymous with emotional discussions of systemic racism and cultural history in America.

Coates was born on September 30, 1975.

He grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, a city where black people’s struggles with systemic racial inequality scarred and shaped his world view.

He attended Howard University, a private, historically black university in Washington, D.C.

He refers to Howard as "The Mecca," for it became a place of intellectual and cultural awakening for him.

He did not graduate from Howard University but his time there was crucial to the development of his identity and perspective on race relations.

Coates used his life experiences as a Black man in America, his journalistic career, and his extensive research into Black history and culture to write his book.

Coates is married to Kenyatta Matthews whom he met during their college years. They have a son named Samori.

His role as a father to his beloved son is central to the book, as the content of the book is structured as an open letter to his son.

In addition to writing, Coates teaches creative writing at NYU and continues to participate in public discussions about race and culture.

He has also made significant contributions to Marvel Comics as he wrote acclaimed editions of Black Panther and Captain America.

INTRODUCTION

“Between the World and Me” is a heartfelt conversation, a historical analysis, and a cultural critique all written to make one book.

Coates wrote his book in the form of a letter to his teenage son.

The book reflects on what it means to be Black in America, where systemic racism permeates every level of American society even in 2024.

Published in 2015, the book gained widespread acclaim for its candid portrayal of racial realities.

Coates takes readers on an emotional and intellectual journey, blending personal anecdotes with historical insights to create a narrative that is deeply moving and thought-provoking.

PLOT SUMMARY

In contrast to traditional books, “Between the World and Me” does not have a linear, step by step, from a, b, c to x, y, and z story line.

It is written as an extended letter from to Coates to his son, Samori.

The book starts with Coates recounting his childhood in Baltimore, where he grew up surrounded by violence and love.

He tells stories of living as a child in a world where his life was constantly under threat from white policemen, black gangs, and the unspoken systemic oppression of white America.

He grew up and then his story line moves to his time at Howard University, which he describes as a place of immense intellectual and cultural discovery.

At Howard, Coates immersed himself in the study of Black literature, history, and culture. These studies shaped his understanding of race and his personal identity as a young Black American.

In the last part of his book, Coates discusses contemporary issues like police brutality.

He uses specific examples such as the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner.

These stories are not news events to Coates, they are part of a cultural fabric that creates a larger pattern of systemic white violence against Black Americans.

Throughout his book, Coates thinks deeply about his fears for his son’s future and at the same time he contemplates on how he can prepare his son for the challenges his son will surely face as a young Black man in white America where racial prejudice still exists.

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NARRATION STYLE

Coates’s narration style is poetic yet deeply personal and maybe even painful, intellectual and but also quite analytical.

By writing the book as a letter to his son, he creates a sense of intimacy with his readers as he allows his readers to read his letter to his son.

Coates does not preach to his readers nor does he instruct his readers. Instead, he shares his life stories, his perspective on racism in America and then he allows his readers to arrive at their own conclusions about these matters.

THEME

The primary theme of “Between the World and Me” is the experience of being Black in a white and racist America.

Coates explores how white systemic racism in America has shaped the past and present lives of Black Americans and how it will influence the future of Black Americans.

SUB THEMES

THE FRAGILITY OF BLACK BODIES

Coates describes the vulnerability of Black bodies, both historically and in modern society.

He explores how the physical oppression of Black people, from slavery to police violence and brutality in modern times, has defined the Black experience.

THE AMERICAN DREAM

The "American Dream," of white Americans is often romanticized by white Americans as America is sometimes described as a “land of opportunity”. America is considered by many people as a country where anybody can improve their life and even become wealthy.

But the idea of the “American Dream” is condemned by Coates as he believes it is built on the exploitation of Black people.

He describes it as a false ideal that ignores the realities of systemic inequality and racism.

FATHERHOOD AND LEGACY

Coates thinks deeply on what it means to raise a Black child in a world where their safety and dignity are not guaranteed but, in reality, whose safety and dignity can ever be guaranteed? Whatever your race, color or creed.

His love for his son is quite evident in every word and every sentence but so is his fear for the future of his son.

EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE

The book emphasizes the importance of learning, not just through formal education but through personal study and exploration.

Coates describes how reading and questioning events that happened to him and other Black people helped him understand his place in the world.

RESILIENCE AND BEAUTY IN THE BLACK CULTURE

In spite of the challenges that life in racist white America bring to him and to Black people, Coates celebrates the richness of Black culture, art, and history.

These things give him strength, dignity and his personal identity as a Black man.

WRITING AND PACING

The book’s writing is somewhat lyrical, almost as if the content was a long poem.

Coates’s words create a rhythm that helps to keep his readers engaged.

The pacing is steady, and it allows readers to absorb the depth and sincerity of his thoughts.

The book is a small book, only 152 pages. It is concise yet thought provoking as it considers and weighs some very serious matters in the lives of Black Americans and, quite frankly in the lives of all Americans.

The future of America, will be shaped by the willingness of all Americans, regardless of race, color or creed, to accept one another, to live together and to work towards the building of better lives and a better country for everyone.

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EMOTIONAL IMPACT

Coates’s honesty and vulnerability make “Between the World and Me” an emotionally charged reading experience.

His descriptions of historical and present-day injustices can deeply affect his readers.

The words he speaks to his son are particularly moving as they are filled with love, fear, and hope for the future of his son in a world filled with racism and bigotry.

Who could not help but feel his pain and fear for their own children?

STRENGTHS OF THE BOOK

UNWAVERING HONESTY

Coates does not sugarcoat, side step or simplify complex and difficult issues in our American culture and history. This makes his descriptions and insights more meaningful to his readers.

INTIMACY

Coates wrote his book in the form of a letter to his son.

This can create a deeply personal connection between the author and the reader as readers are allowed to peer into the very depths of Coates’ soul as he pours out his hopes and fears for the future of his beloved son.

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL INSIGHT

Coates knits history, politics, culture and his personal life story seamlessly.

POTENTIAL NEGATIVES

HEAVY SUBJECT MATTER

The book’s topic of systemic racism and violence can be difficult and extremely negative for some readers, especially for people who have never had to deal with the ugliness and pain of unbridled hate and racism from white America.

COATES DOESN’T OFFER ANY ANSWERS

The author does not offer a solution nor does he offer any hope for the future of race relations in America.

This may leave his readers feeling despair and sadness rather than having any hope that relations between the races, will get better.

THE GENRE OF THIS BOOK

This book blends several genres:

• Memoir: Coates shares personal stories.

• Social Commentary: He critiques systemic racism and inequality.

COMPARISON TO SIMILAR BOOKS

Coates’s work can be compared to James Baldwin’s “The Fire Next Time”, which also addresses race relations in white America through personal and cultural reflection.

Baldwin’s writing is more spiritual, while Coates’s work is grounded in material and historical realities.

Another comparison can be made to Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow”, which provides a more academic approach to systemic racism.

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WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK?

This book should be essential reading for:

• Anyone interested in understanding race in America.

• Educators and students exploring identity and social justice.

• Parents seeking to understand the challenges of raising Black children.

• Readers of memoirs, cultural commentary, or social justice literature.

CONCLUSION

“Between the World and Me” is a literary work that combines personal narrative with history and culture.

Ta-Nehisi Coates’ heartfelt letter to his son is a deep and powerful exploration of what it means to be Black in white America.

The book is steadfast in its honesty, eloquent in its prose and deeply moving in its emotional impact.

It challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths while celebrating the resilience, strength, perseverance and beauty of Black culture in America.

If America is going to continue to exist, develop and thrive as a nation, it must address and solve the searing and potentially fatal flaw in the mortar of the American foundation, the flaw of divisive and potentially crippling relations between the races.

Race relations might very well be the Achilles heel of the American empire.

STAR RATING

Coates work, “Between the World and Me” deserves a 4.5 star rating for its masterful writing, emotional depth and cultural relevance.

It is a book that should be read, discussed, and remembered by people of all races in America.

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