Out of the many words Coates used to describe the eight years of Obama’s presidency, I cannot come up with one to describe the profound gravity of the analysis of this book. It took me over a year to read it because this book is a text of pure study. I so appreciate how Coates defines each year of Obama’s presidency and aligns it with highlighted articles from his time and work for The Atlantic. On page 337, Coates says, “I still want Obama to be right. I still would like to fold myself into the dream. This will not be possible.” Coates takes Obama’s optimism (written like Voltaire) as the yen to Trump’s yang...the light before the darkness.

I’m left wondering about the true “friendship” that may be between Coates and Obama. I felt Coates urge you want to shake Obama during trying moments in American history to say, “WAKE UP BLACK MAN!!” “The Case for Reparations,” “Fear of a Black President,” “...Mass Incarceration” are by far my favorite articles here. I could go on...but just like Coates other works, I will be reading this in the future, especially as we experience presidents to come....