I ended up purchasing the audio version of this book and highly enjoyed the listen. The audio version was very powerful and it was better for me in that format that on my Kindle.

Coates is an amazing writer and it is worth reading these essays he has published through the years. He offers valuable insight for those of us who are white to experience perspective on race we may not have thought about.

Ta-Nehisi Coates is an incredible author and the arguments and statements he makes in this book are important for all Americans to read, especially white Americans.

I absolutely adored this book, which was both a bit of a delightful surprise and the first step in laying a foundation of affection for everything that comes after this!

I hope that this book and Between the World and Me become required reading in high school and university classrooms across this country. Mr. Coates is an excellent writer and I'm glad this collection of essays was put together. I truly enjoyed it, and would recommend to others.

Mr. Coates is an excellent writer and I'm glad this collection of essays was put together. The added notes before each essay gave great perspective to his frame of mind and our place as a society at the time each was written. A very necessary collection.

Reading this essay collection a year out from the end of Obama's Presidential term and under the thumb of the Trump administration was an odd experience. Was it too soon to look back on Obama's term with anything but lamentation for the new authority we are under? Each year tallied off by one selection of Coates writing, paired neatly with the author's own remembrance and analysis of it and how time has lent him new insight, felt like aiming at a moving target. Things had changed so quickly, and still are, that even those insights sometimes fell short. Still, this collection of essays by Coates formed an interesting retrospective on the good and the bad of the eight years under Obama and are a wonderful addition to the discussion. A thoughtful and reflective read.

Powerful and necessary read. Truly moving. It can be a difficult read but the parallels to our current national situation are astounding.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. Having read Between the World and Me I was looking forward to this book. It did not disappoint. While it is not a light read, it is an engaging read. I like a book that challenges me and my thought processes. This is one of those books. If you have not read this book - what are you waiting for?

Ta-Nehisi Coates had already claimed a place in the canon of African American experience essays, but this collection of essays cements it. Including essays from each year of President Obama’s terms, this book is a powerful commentary on on where we are as a nation and how much more we need to do. I could only read one essay per sitting because each left me with so much to take in and ponder, as good writing does. I am thankful we have a writer in our midst such as Coates.

Stunning. Moving. Heartbreaking. I only wish that I could sit down every person in the world and make them read this book; I was absolutely blown away.

Essays based in fact, a deep discussion of where the USA is as a country, where Black Lives are and the impact US history has on both of them.

A book we should ALL read. Coates' way with words and with describing the innate racism in this country is palpable. Especially as white people, we owe it to people of color to hear coates' messages

A worthy read, even if you're already familiar with the previously published essays.

A powerful collection of Mr Coates’ essays during the Obama years and his reflection upon them now was enlightening as it was depressing. This was at times a really tough read, but I feel like it’s an important book and one that I highly recommend.

A must-read. Coates revisits eight essays written during the Obama presidency and previously published in The Atlantic. Before each essay, Coates provides an introduction, giving personal, historical, and cultural context to the essays. The essays and introduction are an excellent examination of the socioeconomic policies and cultural structures designed not only to keep white people in power, but to keep black people out of power. Of course, each introduction and essay are informed by the reality of our current political climate & the Trump presidency. His final essay is a scathing condemnation of the everyday-ness of white supremacy and a complete put-down of the notion that race and racism are "no longer an issue."

Coates is an excellent writer. This wasn't as effortless or composed as Between the World and Me, but it was remarkably well put together considering these essays were originally eight stand-alone pieces. Although you can find the essays online, this book is worth it alone for the introductions. For anyone seeking to understand the current sociopolitical situation in the United States, this book is mandatory reading.

Breaks down what the author gained from the eight year presidency of Barack Obama, the first nonwhite president of the United States. If you don't care for the authors opinion, you will still find this book worthwhile due to its references of some excellent reading materials.

I requested this book because I loved another book I had read by this author. However, I think this book was far too specialised and required a greater knowledge of American politics than I have which is why I couldn’t finish the book. I got very lost and confused. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future though.

Coates at his best. This collection of previously published essays with additional context comments for this book showcases his ability to integrate his own viewpoints, clearly defining the direction of his work, with a wide ranging overview of the issues and the people involved. This collection is largely about the presidency of Obama, but it's really about race and power, from the educational system to mass incarceration.

Ta-Nehisi Coates should be required reading. His writing is powerful, eloquent and brings up important points on race, politics, and privilege. While some of these thoughts are not new, they are brought back into light and how they are still important and are still a fact of life for many, many people.
If you haven't already, read this and Between the World and Me.