I finished listening to Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates on 1/31/26. It was transcendent. The best way I can describe it was that it felt like I was flying. His powerful transmission of his lived experience was almost an out of body experience for me. I was somehow moved from my life to feeling his life. It brings to mind “Learning to Fly” by Pink Floyd.
“A soul in tension that’s learning to fly
Condition grounded, but determined to try
Can’t keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit”
Coates’ words lift me into the sky. The clarity I gained as I listened…It felt like he was illuminating things I’d already been pondering or observing, but had not quite found the words.
“Across the clouds, I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night
There’s no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, a state of bliss
Can’t keep my mind from the circling skies”
If you haven’t read Between the World and Me, I’d highly recommend the audio book, which is read by the author. It feels like he’s invited you into his home, and you’re sitting in the living room listening to him read this letter to his son. It sometimes felt like I was intruding on his thoughts. I had to remind myself that he published this book intending people to read it. He recorded himself reading the book intending people to listen. He is voluntarily sharing his story. I do not take that gift lightly.
You need to understand that this is not a fun, upbeat book. It’s not a light read. It is incredibly intense. And it is also so authentic and powerful.
A friend on Facebook posted a quote from this book shortly after I started listening to it. I asked my friend if I could periodically send him messages sharing how much the book meant to me. He kindly agreed. Here are many of those texts!
1/5/26
I’m just now listening to it. Hearing Coates read the words. Wow. His words are like poetry. Every. Single. Word. Has such power and intent. I’m taking it slow so I can really savor the depth. I tried searching for reviews that were as taken with his writing, but all I could find was people analyzing it. He is speaking HIS own truth. His own reality. What is there to analyze or critique?! It’s HIS lived experience!! He is the expert in his own life. 💜👏💪
1/6/26
I feel like I want to absorb his words so they will accompany me on my path through life.
The truths he’s speaking about the profound disconnect between the American ideals and the lived reality of the experience of Black people in this country.
Conceptually it’s not new to me. Anyone who has walked in social justice circles can see it and get it on an intellectual level.
But somehow with his mere WORDS he’s helping me FEEL it. On an almost physical and emotional level. And maybe that sounds presumptuous of me. Obviously I can’t feel the lived experience of a Black man in America!!
But I feel like Coates is giving me the closest approximation.
And I am so grateful to him.
1/10/26
I love this book so much. I took a couple days off. I now know why it sounds like poetry. Because I think he’s writing like one would write poetry. “Poetry aims for an economy of truth.”
1/21/26
I’m now both reading AND listening to Between the World and Me!
I love the rhythm and poetry of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ reading… but it’s also going slowly because I savor the rhythm of the words. So yesterday I read ahead and then today I listened to that section. It is such a deeply personal self portrait that he shares.
1/22/26
This book is so good. He’s saying out loud all the things I’ve felt… he’s talking about the Civil War. In school even up in New York the Civil War was always framed as having many complex causes and just being so complicated. And I always felt like: Really are we sure? Pretty sure it was about slavery, wasn’t it? But no, there was some long list of reasons and it was never just about slavery… And here is Ta-Nehisi Coates saying: Yes! It was about “our stolen bodies.” This book is amazing. It feels like it’s lifting the fog that white supremacy has tried to thrust on my mind my whole life. The gaslighting.
1/24/26
“A mountain is not a mountain if there is nothing down below. You, my son, are that below.”
“There is no them without you.”
I may write another post if I can articulate more thoughts.
Wishing everyone a great Black History Month. It pains me that it’s the shortest month of the year. And for me, every day is a chance to learn about Black history (from decades ago to contemporary time. Since yesterday is already history, I choose to view every book as “history!”) There’s so much to learn. So many amazing writers to discover.
I started listening to The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin earlier this week!
I will close with an image that a local artist I met many years ago kindly allowed me to share. The work is called “A Box of Reality.” The artist’s name is Franco, and you can find more of his work here:
https://francoproject.com/
Image description: a box that looks similar to a Crayola crayon box. It contains 5 crayons with fists at the top of each crayon. The crayons are 5 different colors, representing 5 possible skin colors people might have. The box says “People” and “5 colors Same but different. A box of reality”
PS: For anyone who wants to hear the full song I quoted at the start. “Learning to Fly” by Pink Floyd.
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