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Between the World and Me
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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review
Amiable
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

Written by Coates as an essay/letter to his son, this is a powerful narrative about what it‘s like to inhabit a black body in America and how to find your own way to live with it. Like the protagonist in the prompt book, Coates was also profoundly affected by the death of a college friend at the hands of the police. And like Angie Thomas‘ novel, this book has also been banned by schools and libraries in the south.
#Nonfiction2024

keithmalek Perhaps you skipped the passage where he was happy on 9/11 that first responders died? No book should be banned, but if they are going to be banned, this wouldn't be a bad place to start. Same with "White Fragility," "How to Be an Anti-racist," and other RACIST garbage that promotes a false sense of victimhood. 9mo
Amiable @keithmalek My husband has been a career firefighter for 25 years—and no, I‘m not offended by Coates‘ honesty. What does offend me are white men who think they get to decide how and what black Americans feel and think and say about THEIR lived experiences. And also people who say “books shouldn‘t be banned —except this one.” Don‘t like MY thoughts? The unfollow button is right up there ⬆️, Bubba. 9mo
See All 17 Comments
keithmalek I didn't say that it should be banned. But I get it. You're "woke." Congratulations on being so virtuous. 9mo
Amiable @keithmalek Don‘t let the door hit you in your racist ass on the way out, Strom Thurmond. 👋🏼 9mo
Amiable @TheBookHippie Get a load of this guy. ☝🏼 9mo
keithmalek Don't just tag TheBookHippie. Tag everyone so that everyone knows how woke you are. 9mo
TheBookHippie @Amiable blocked him a long time ago. Not worth my energy. 9mo
Amiable @keithmalek Telling me I‘m woke is the nicest compliment I‘ve gotten all week. Thanks! It‘s also amusing to see how triggered guys like you get. 😊 9mo
keithmalek You know as much about me as you do about politics, which is to say, nothing. 9mo
keithmalek I'll let you have the last word though. It's pretty clear that you need it. 9mo
Amiable @keithmalek 👋🏼👋🏼 9mo
Chrissyreadit I thought this was a powerful book too. In HS i had a teacher who had us read information for the purpose of understanding other viewpoints- and it has stuck with me as one of the best classes i have ever had. I am exhausted from people discounting lived experiences that make them uncomfortable. Especially in a world that is on a precipice. Honestly i‘m shocked that we do not hear more anger from Native Americans and POC . 9mo
TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit Same thoughts. 9mo
kspenmoll We are able in my district in CT to have multi cultural etc. books for our students to read Hate U Give is a bookclub choice for our 9 th graders, & Coates book is on display in our classroom lending library. It is beyond vital to expose our students to other lives, visions, ideas. We have students that have lost family members to racial violence. Yay you & your husband! (edited) 8mo
kspenmoll @Chrissyreadit so well stated! Thank you! 8mo
50 likes17 comments
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Santie
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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After a rough day, comfort yourself with a large pizza and a good book.

Balibee146 Hope your evening is better 🤞 12mo
Kerrbearlib Pizza + good book = a great idea after a bad day. I hope you‘ve had better days since then. PS - I read that book a few years ago and really enjoyed it. 12mo
Santie @Balibee146 @Kerrbearlib Thank you both. My days are slightly better. 11mo
11 likes3 comments
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JenniferEgnor
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

This book was banned, and the author decided to show up to the school that had done it while a school board meeting was happening; he sat in silent protest to support a teacher who tried to reason with them. He wrote an entire book in the form of a letter to his son—about his experiences with this very thing. They deny systemic and historical racism, yet here it is on full display. Highly recommended.

JenniferEgnor Shown: Grove Plantation House (1840) in Ravenel, SC. Its ghosts live on in more ways than one. 1y
20 likes2 comments
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Soubhiville
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

This is a letter from the author to his son. It‘s his POV of growing up black in America and how things have and haven‘t changed from his dad‘s generation to his son‘s. He expresses his hopes and fears.

He writes about his early view of his world being narrowed to his neighborhood, then his college town, not seeing the point in looking further than those borders or the country‘s, then discovering world travel and how that expanded his view.

DivineDiana I found this book very moving. ❤️ 1y
Soubhiville @DivineDiana I did too. It‘s so important to see points of view other than our own so that we can grow and be more accepting and willing to see that our lives are not the same as the experiences of those around us. 1y
RaeLovesToRead It's a very important book. (Venkman's expression! 😅 I love him!) 1y
dabbe Hello, Vivacious Venkman! 🖤🐾🖤 1y
TheLudicReader Your kitties are so majestic. 1y
81 likes5 comments
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Rachel.Rencher
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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On the way home! Lucas and I flew to Phoenix to kick off Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. 😍

Bookzombie That‘s exciting! I bet it was an awesome show! 2y
BookNerd9906 That‘s awesome! I‘m super jealous! I tried so hard to get tickets. 2y
Chelsea.Poole Was it amazing?? I‘ve been seeing videos on social but torn between watching them all and waiting to be amazed when we see her in July! 2y
Rachel.Rencher @Chelsea.Poole It was AMAZING. Even if you know what happens, it's still just the most beautiful show. 2y
Chelsea.Poole Eekkk. I can‘t wait!!! 🧣 2y
80 likes1 stack add5 comments
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ravenlee
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
Pickpick

While I don‘t think I got all of it, or even most of it, this was a book worth reading. Coates drops a lot of names - writers, poets, musicians - and even looking into a smattering of them blew up my TBR. I found the thread hard to follow at times, as his reflections meandered. Not the best book I‘ve read, but a good one. #52Books23 #typographiccover #butIforgotapicture

TheBookHippie I was thinking of you today. I had to explain the Tylenol thing and I thought yup here we are yet again.😵‍💫 2y
ravenlee @TheBookHippie it‘s the worst! When I was pregnant I felt like if I had to explain it to one more idiot I was going to kill somebody. 😡 2y
TheBookHippie @ravenlee it‘s maddening … 2y
32 likes3 comments
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ChaoticMissAdventures
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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#BlackHistoryMonth Recommendations Day 18 Nonfiction
"This is your country, this is your world, this is your body, and you must find some way to live within the all of it."
Coates book, a letter to his young Black son is gorgeous and moving. This is essential reading, to get a glimpse inside the reality of Black parents and Coates hopes and fears for his child in this country.

A hard but fantastic read.

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marleed
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

This is a powerful little book - a love letter from father to son. Particularly right now when state governors enact laws to prevent our history from a black perspective from being taught in public schools, this book hits hard. It can be read in less than an afternoon, and the audiobook at normal speed is only 4 hours long. Imagine the hearts and minds that could open up to enlightenment if only our white entitled fear was not so powerful.

75 likes2 stack adds
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CleverGirl
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Car line reading time!

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MeganLindell
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Mehso-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️ • I think I would have liked this better if I read a print version rather than listened to the audiobook.

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psalva
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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More free books from the university library. My TBR cannot handle this type of generosity.

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SqueakyChu
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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This quote came from a mom that the author was interviewing after the death of her son by shooting. She was addressing the author‘s son directly.

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SqueakyChu
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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I chose this book to read in my quest to read more books by black authors. It‘s the author‘s letter to his son about the realities of being a black man. Eye-opening.

21 likes3 stack adds
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Mary_Reads
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

Listened to the audiobook and it was EXCELLENT. Written as a letter to his son about his own experience growing up black in the USA.

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nichollinlove
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

A 4 hour audiobook with an important voice. A very good listen.

"I did not tell you that it would be okay, because I have never believed it would be okay. What I told you is what your grandparents tried to tell me: that this is your country, that this is your world, that this is your body, and you must find some way to live within the all of it."

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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WriterAtHeart
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

Overall, a decent read. I particularly enjoyed part 2, where Coates writes about his concerns of black bodies to his son and what that means for their relationship.

58 likes1 stack add
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DieAReader
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

#BookNookBuddies2022 #BookSpinBingo

Another great audiobook, which concurrently gives me a second BINGO🎉🎉

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! Looking fabulous!!! 3y
rabbitprincess Yay bingo! 3y
CoverToCoverGirl Two bingos! Already? You do have your grove on! 💃👏🎉 3y
DieAReader @CoverToCoverGirl It does feel like I have my reading 👒on😁 3y
39 likes4 comments
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MelKelsey
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

Book 10

I listened to Between the World and Me written and narrated by Ta-Nehisi Coates, a good writer and an excellent narrator. It's a short, well-done commentary on race issues in the US. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Soubhiville
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Wow Jee, thank you! Both of these sound wonderful!
I wish you all the best with your move, may it all go smoothly. Happy Holidays to you! 💚❤️💚🎄

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Awesome 🎁📚💚 3y
Hooked_on_books I read the Sindu for my Asia challenge this year and it‘s so good. It really stuck with me. 3y
Jee_HookedOnBookz Saw them on your tbr. I‘ve read Coates and thought it was powerful! Hope you enjoy the books and happy holidays to you too! Also thank you so much for my gifts! I‘m so glad I don‘t have to wait for my turn to read Will on Libby! 💃🏻💃🏻 love the socks and bookmark and i love anything dark choc! How are you & your hubby doing? Hope your tests stay negative! 3y
See All 7 Comments
Soubhiville @Jee_HookedOnBookz we‘re still feeling ok. It‘s “cedar season” here, so we both have allergy like symptoms, but hoping it is just the usual seasonal allergies…. My test is around noon tomorrow. Fingers crossed! 3y
Jee_HookedOnBookz @Soubhiville 🤞🏼toes too! Will keep you all in our prayers! 3y
Crazeedi Prayers for you! 3y
Soubhiville @Crazeedi thanks! We tested negative so all is well 🤗❤️ 3y
57 likes7 comments
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Nute
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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#FallTreasures - Banned Book: I wonder what words I would say in a letter to my son on living in America today. On becoming a young black man in America today. On chasing after education, dreams & prosperity in America today. On hoping for a good job, healthcare and home ownership in America today. On how to handle a possible encounter with law enforcement officers in America today. On desiring fair opportunity and happiness in America today.👇🏽

Nute On a Mother‘s prayer that racism is not encountered with every step outside his home in America today. On assessing the feeling that he is being judged by the brown hue of his skin instead of the outstanding content of his character in America today.👇🏽
3y
Nute What if this simple heartfelt letter to my son somehow found its way into public scrutiny and some entity decided that these words of truth and pain and honesty and fear are in opposition to EVERY person‘s reality in America today? That the continued articulation on distorted illusions of character and the perpetuation of a maligned history is what actually gets in the way of fair treatment in America today.👇🏽 3y
Nute That this mother‘s voice on what it feels like to be black in America today should not be heard outside her home. It should not be a shared experience with our non-black brothers and sisters or our black brothers and sisters who feel that things are going along swimmingly with much progress since MLK days.👇🏽 3y
See All 19 Comments
Nute That these folks who read it, hear it, feel it, might begin to relate to it as insight, raised awareness, learning, understanding and then choose to react to it with a demand for change, growth and betterment. Literature has the opportunity to put every person‘s truth out there in hopes of exposure, recognition, critical examination in place of indoctrination and human decency.👇🏽 (edited) 3y
Nute This book by Ta-Nehisi Coates was recently banned. He was informed on a morning news show today in America.

#BannedBooksWeek
(edited) 3y
Leftcoastzen Great post ! 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️❤️❤️ 3y
Scochrane26 I loved this book! It really set me on a journey to learn more. 3y
Reggie Great post, Kimberly. I‘ll never forget the range of emotions he goes through when that woman pushes his son out of the way and how he knows he can‘t react because of how the color of his skin is perceived and how he could actually be placing his son in more danger. And how he wants to apologize to his son for forgetting that. So upsetting. 3y
Santie Great post! I was so emotional after reading this book and the words of Tupac Shakur kept on repeating themselves in my head : ‘Please explain why they can‘t stand us‘. There was nothing else to do but go back and start reading the book again when I was through the first time. Very good book, very good writing. I love Ta Nahesi Coates, he‘s a gifted writer 3y
kspenmoll Love your post. And this book. Banning it is obscene. 3y
Nute @Leftcoastzen Thank you,Ms. Linda!💕 3y
Nute @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Many hearts right back at you,Misty!🙂 3y
Nute @Scochrane26 That‘s probably one of its primary goals, Ms. Shannon…to get and keep all of us thinking! 3y
Nute @Reggie Thank you, Reggie!💕 I think that the title of the book gives the full gamut of exactly what you are saying, Reggie. What are the things that create a barrier between us and the world? What keeps us from the possibility of ourselves? What reduces us to inaction? What fears come alive beyond the comfort of home. Are the fears so great that we are then incapacitated? As you said, my Friend, “upsetting.” 3y
Nute @SantieWantie Thank you, Santie!💕A powerful and sad question for any one to have to ask. It breaks my heart. 3y
Nute @kspenmoll Thank you, Ms. Katherine!💕 Agreed! Let the reader decide. 3y
Malthe Hello nute 3y
Nute @malthe Good Morning, Malthe! How are you?🙂 3y
115 likes1 stack add19 comments
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La_Cori
Tra me e il mondo | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Next up ➡️ the Italian edition of "Between the World and Me"

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LibrarianBanana
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

I'm not the target audience for this author's perspective but this book will resonate deeply with anyone who has felt out of place within their family, their peers, their culture, their country. I highly recommend listening to it, rather than reading, because it's narrated by the author himself and his voice, rhythm, and emotion heightened the power of what he was communicating, I almost felt in a trance while listening.

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guidosophia
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
Pickpick

summer reading and i have such a huge problem with reading books for school so this took a while even tho it‘s short. something you should read to learn what it means to be black in america

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Staci
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Mehso-so

Ta-Nehisi seems angry in this book and blames his life's problems solely on white people which I dont agree with. I just wish he would have had some excerpts in his book that celebrated his accomplishments without blaming white people in conjunction.

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Erin.Elizabeth10
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

I‘ve been meaning to read this one for a while, and I‘m glad I finally did. The writing was so good, and I learned a lot!

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Koffeejazzandbooks
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ so amazing and well written

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ChaoticMissAdventures
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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"For so long I have wanted to escape into the Dream, to fold my country over my head like a blanket. But this has never been an option because the Dream rests on our backs, the bedding made from our bodies"

One of the most lyrical and haunting books on race, and raising children in America.
#curiouscovers @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Eggs 🖤⚪️🖤 3y
28 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Christinak
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Then the mother of the murdered boy rose, turned to you, and said, “You exist. You matter. You have value. You have every right to wear your hoodie, to play your music as loud as you want. You have every right to be you. And no one should deter you from being you. You have to be you. And you can never be afraid to be you.”

38 likes1 stack add
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HPBookBug
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

Top 5 Non-Fiction read this year

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HPBookBug
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

Favourite Book Read in May 🔥 Also my new top book of the year so far 👏👏👏

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vlwelser
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

This #audiobook is read by the author. It's really short. And it turns out the author is a francophile. I love all of those things. I'm pretty sure other people picked entirely different things.

DivineDiana I listened to the audiobook as well. It brought me to tears. Then had to buy my own copy of the book. (edited) 3y
35 likes1 comment
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Allylu
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

I listened to this one on a road trip I made yesterday. It was written to and for Coates‘ son and narrated by him. It feels almost sacrilegious for me, an old white woman, to comment on it, but it affected me greatly in my efforts to be empathetic. It was quite good. Love his writing no matter what it‘s about. #100YEARS100BOOKS #69 #BookSpinBingo #7 #BFC21 #NUTSinMAY

Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 3y
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 3y
28 likes2 comments
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KinaReads
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

throwback

every time I finished reading a page or passage I wanted to go back and re-read it again and again ☄️

10 likes1 stack add
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Koffeejazzandbooks
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Just wow

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FrancineCallaloosoup
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Read 51 pages which put me halfway through the book. It's after midnight here and I am fading fast, so I'll finish it tomorrow. Going to read a bit of Quichotte by Salman Rushdie for as long as I can stay up. #readathon

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Twainy
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

🎧 This author‘s letter to his son is deeply moving, heartfelt & emotionally charged. He speaks of the past 200 years of this nation‘s history.

He‘s not wrong.

What impacted me most was the story of how his son was shoved & he worried that he‘d endangered him by speaking up. First off, why would someone push a child. That enraged me & his angst, well it got me.

This is a must read.

Perfect narration for the book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👇🏻

Twainy A common thread throughout is the loss of his friend Prince Jones 20 years ago. He was clearly personally & profoundly impacted by his death. You can hear it in his voice. It prompted me to start googling. Thank you. 🤗 4y
Reggie Ok, yes, that‘s the part that I always think about with this book. How bad he felt when he got angry when that woman pushed his son. How he says he forgot who they were and how it would have looked for him to get angry. I felt so bad for him. 4y
Twainy @Reggie you too?!! He talks about so many things in history & current news but when he talks about that one personal story ... I could hear in his voice (or I imagined it) ... how he felt. That‘s a shitty feeling ... and how dare anyone push his kid! ARGH! I fear for our world sometimes. 4y
25 likes3 comments
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Tomigirl44
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Mehso-so

I‘m glad I read this book again (required for a class, after reading it a few years ago), as I appreciated it more this time, but it didn‘t impact me as much as Jemar Tisby‘s and Bryan Stevenson‘s books.

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Tomigirl44
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Currently reading ... again; read this several years ago, and now it‘s required reading. Looking forward to hearing it from a fresh perspective.

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WhiskeyMistress
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

This book had me on the verge of tears the entire read. All at the same time a love letter, a warning, and a song to his son, it poetically encapsulates the struggle Coates has faced his entire life, that of being a black man in America. I can‘t imagine this book being any better than what it was.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars
Read date: 2/18/2021

48 likes1 stack add
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Nalbuque
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

Short and powerful. People who think they are white - as Coates puts it - have the privilege of having to consider race only when they fancy it. African Americans have to do it every second of every day.

This book is filled with gems and food for thought, and ideally I‘ll revisit it in a few weeks or months to make the most out of it

#BlackHistoryMonth #BlackAuthors #2021

Reggie Ughhhhh, the part where the woman pushes his son and then he immediately gets mad at himself thinking he did wrong because of the danger he felt he put them in by saying something to her. That part made me so sad and angry for him. This book was great. 4y
25 likes1 comment
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jillannjohn
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

National CASA Book Club book. Great discussion on Zoom today. Looking forward to the author discussion next week.
Great writing and insight.

charl08 Lucky you to hear him speak! 4y
57 likes1 comment
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luvlee68
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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CuriousG This looks like one incredible stack! 4y
luvlee68 Thank you CuriousG😊, i‘m new here and i‘m so glad to be here amongst fellow book lovers - someone here posted & i wanted to acknowledge them appropriately, (i hope i did ), posted that Target had a buy 2 get 1 sale on books, cd‘s and dvd‘s and i went online last night and kinda went ham - 🤩i am waiting on 2 more that had to be mailed , but i can‘t wait to get to these ! 🥰 4y
9 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Victoriahoperose
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

This book is super timely. I think its message about race is such an important topic right now and it is a very short read. It‘s very to the point and well written.

33 likes4 stack adds
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rachelk
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

This 154 page autobiography and letter to Coates‘s then 15 year old son moves between love for his boy to American history, politics and education. It won awards including the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award and was made into a stage production as well as an HBO movie. Coates‘s writing is poetic, informative and consciousness raising. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Beccacraft
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
Mehso-so

This book is an important read with its first-hand experience and resulting emotions and actions of what it feels like to be a black man with a black son in America. There were certain ideas and examples which really affected me, but overall it was very cerebral and often went over my head.

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jmtrivera
Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Pickpick

This book is so powerful, and full of so much emotion and frustration. Coates's tone is often pessimistic and many of his observations broke my heart. At the same time, it's important to understand the truth that lies in them and how that truth affects so many people. There's so much in it that I know I didn't take in all of it in the first read, but it will be more than worth revisiting.