The Message

Another essay collection/memoir from Coates (can you tell I took a Coates class?). This book I might recommend over all other books of this author, especially in our current climate. This book discusses the role of an author’s voice and seeking out underrepresented voices. By the final section of this book, Coates gets to his trip to Palestine—something that made this book a controversial hot topic. The Message has received its fair share of criticism, but it holds some valuable conversations could help those who are ignorant of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Coates draws parallels between African American history and Palestine’s struggle. His final message, no pun intended, is to seek out Palestinian voices—a group that has been silenced. This is an eye-opening read and gives a detailed, personal account of the current colonization of and genocide in Palestine. Give this one to your parents, folks.

Rating: 5/5

What this rating means: Such an important conversation to be had and Coates brings it to the forefront. While this is only part of an ongoing story, the stories he tells are important and his call to action is clear. Relatively easy to read even while the topic is heavy. If you are educated on Palestine, this book may be old news to you. However, these ideas are not in keeping with the consensus of the general population. If you can read non-fiction, read this.

The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates