Play Book Tag discussion

Ta-Nehisi Coates framed this memoir around a letter written to his young son. He reflects on his family life in Baltimore amid the terror of young black men dying at the hands of police officers. The families of the men grieve their losses while many of the police are reinstated in their jobs. Moving to New York City to pursue his dream of becoming a writer, Coates observed the same treatment of black people and agonized over how to prepare his own child for what he saw as a dangerous future. It is an eye-opening letter for those of us who did not grow up in the same neighborhoods, schools or even the same skin as Coates. And it is a frightening reflection on race relations even in today's world.

I listened to the audio read by the author. He is passionate in his words and the love and fear he has for his son are always there. I have one major issue and one minor one. The minor first: It's like fingernails on a chalkboard when people use 'axed' instead of 'asked'. The major: Regardless of your own history, how could anyone be unmoved by the tragedy of September 11?

I really like this author's writing. Have you read anything else by Coates?