The Message

Coates (Between the World and Me) offers an intensely personal and thought-provoking set of three interlinked essays examining race, identity, storytelling, writing, and political morality. Narrating his own work, Coates weaves together cultural commentary with personal anecdotes and historical context, transporting listeners to Dakar, Senegal, where enslaved Africans embarked on ghastly voyages across the sea; to Chapin, SC, where he encountered white allies who spoke up against the banning of Between the World and Me; and to Palestine, where the brutal conditions of occupation forced him to reconsider his approach to reporting, writing, and bearing witness. Coates’s voice brings power to his words and allows for an intimate and unmediated encounter with his ideas. Coates’s delivery is measured, allowing listeners to absorb each phrase fully. His contemplative tone provides moments of quiet reflection, and his voice reveals his passion for the subject matter. The narration brings an added layer of depth, clarity, and warmth to an already powerful work.