Bakari Sellers

A refreshing, if sometimes self-idealized, memoir from a politician not currently in office. Yes, Sellers is more on the progressive end of the spectrum, but he also appears sincerely interested in the plight of his home. The best portion of the book deals with the Orangeburg Massacre on the grounds of South Carolina State College - two years before Kent State, but overlooked in history. While Sellers' works a little too hard to tie himself into the event, the description of his father's place in the violence is poignant. Better than a lot of political memoirs out there.

4 1/2 bones!!!!!… (més)

I listened to this with my 21 year-old son, a political wonk since he started canvassing with mommy when he was about 2 and for the past two years a passionate worker against voter suppression in Georgia. The short book, about 5 hours on audio, was a great companion on the drive back to school (his final term in college!) Sellers' story is inspirational, he began serving in the SC statehouse at 22, the youngest member in history and is now a thoughtful commentator. Sellers is admirably honest about difficult subjects (his father's imprisonment that grew out of activism, his anxiety, the pain of having a child with serious health issues, etc.) and a good storyteller. I do think the parallels with our lives made it more special. My son grew up knowing quite a few Morehouse men, and the portion of the book about Sellers' Morehouse experience really resonated. Perhaps even more important we listened less than two weeks after seeing Raphael Warnock (one of my son's idols since the first time he preached in our temple when he was 5) elected to the Senate and the day after we attended our Temple's (Zoom) MLK Shabbat and heard Pastor Sen. Warnock deliver an extraordinary sermon. He always moves us. (Ebenezer Baptist is our sister congregation and it was Pastor Warnock's guidance and wisdom our family sought on the day after the mass murder at Mother Emanuel, an event also covered in the book.) But even without those things this is a really good read, especially for young people with a passion for public service.… (més)