Ta-Nehisi Coates, one of the leading public intellectuals in America, found himself in a media firestorm after the release of his book, The Message, in the fall of 2024. Once a darling of the liberal elite—though perhaps more because of who they wanted him to be than because of who he really was—Coates received scorn from many in the media for daring to question, in particular, America’s perception of Palestine and the Palestinian struggle.

Coates has gifted us an incredible piece of writing and scholarship as he bears witness to some of the most prevalent myths plaguing our world today. We break down what makes this book controversial—and why its controversies are, in reality, its greatest strengths.

Show Notes

Watch Coates’s full interview with Tony Dokoupil here.

Credits

Theme music by our youngest brother Tate.

Cover art by Arthur Santoro.

Editing by Martin Fischer.

Audio production by Nate Nakshian Ward.

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