Prometheus 6

(Written last night, polished a bit this morning)

The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood
Author: Ta-Nehisi Coates
asin: 0385520360
Binding: Hardcover
List price: $22.95 USD

As I begin my second bottle of Bass Ale on this very humid evening, I think I will begin my review of Ta-Nehisi Coates' The Beautiful Struggle. I actually finished the book almost two weeks ago, but I had a reaction I couldn't verbalize. Apparently I needed to lubricate a few neurons to let a couple of thoughts slide through.

There's a model Black folk must fit in order to be considered for an official public intellectual role. White folks want to see that "up from the ghetto" metaphor. For Black folk that ain't necessary, but we do want to recognize that rhythm, in the speech, the concepts...and it is essentially the same demand for legitimacy as the one white folks express. The difference is Black folks want immediacy where white folks want explanation. Two Irishmen would recognize each other the same way.