West was justly praised for his provocative study Race Matters
(1993), an exploration of the nature of racial discourse in
contemporary America. Those looking for the same kind of probing
and original explorations of race in these transcripts of West's
conversations about race with, among others, Maya Angelou, Harry
Belafonte, and Charlayne Hunter-Gault, will probably be
disappointed. West notes in his introduction that "a specter of
despair haunts late twentieth-century America . . . Wealth,
inequality and class polarization are escalating." To counter this,
he argues, the times require those willing to "speak our fallible
truths, expose the vicious lies, and bear our imperfect witness."
The problem here is that, as is usually the case with
conversations, the quality of testimony and thought varies greatly.
Those familiar with, for instance, Maya Angelou's ideas will find
little new here. There are moving moments, such as Belafonte's call
for viewing struggle not as "some harmful, negative thing" but as
an action of great dignity, power, and beauty, but too often the
things said are unsurprising and without much impact. A mixed bag,
best for West's typically salty and precise comments throughout.
(Kirkus Reviews)
In a series of interviews, nine American artists, scholars and
public figures discuss with the author their political awareness,
art and politics, and the possibility of hope among
African-Americans today. Interviewees include Maya Angelou, Harry
Belafonte, Bill Bradley and Wynton Marsalis.
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