“These essays are relentlessly humane even as they stare into America’s split, racist heart.”-Ander Monson, author of I Will Take the Answer “This piercing and restless collection slices through this country’s agitated racial landscape with the tenacity of a thunderbolt.”- Patricia Smith, author of Incendiary Art Jerald Walker is one of the most gifted essayists of our time.” -Robert Atwan, series editor, Best American Essays “These extraordinarily candid essays crackle with humor and dramatic tension. “No one-absolutely no one-I’ve read is writing better than Jerald Walker about race, being black, and the depths and complexities of our humanity.” -Charles Johnson, author of Middle Passage, winner of the National Book Award “Walker … delivers a stylish and thought-provoking collection of reflections on his personal and professional life.… rich compilation adds up to a rewardingly insightful self-portrait that reveals how one man relates to various aspects of his identity.”- Publishers Weekly (starred review) Walker demonstrates the keen intellect and direct style that characterized his acclaimed 2010 memoir, Street Shadows….Crafted with honesty and wry comedic flair, these essays are both engaging and enraging.” - Kirkus (starred review) “ powerful essays offer an incisive glimpse into life as a Black man in America. From Mad Creek Press: FINALIST, 2020 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN NONFICTION

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