“Tolstoy is the Tolstoy of the Zulus”
― Between the World and Me
― Between the World and Me
“For most of two chapters in Matthew (6 and 7), Jesus warns us against the unconscious social payoffs in all public encounters: prayer, fasting, almsgiving, clothing, money, class systems, social judgments, and possessions.”
― Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps
― Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps
“Americans believe in the reality of “race” as a defined, indubitable feature of the natural world. Racism—the need to ascribe bone-deep features to people and then humiliate, reduce, and destroy them—inevitably follows from this inalterable condition. In this way, racism is rendered as the innocent daughter of Mother Nature, and one is left to deplore the Middle Passage or the Trail of Tears the way one deplores an earthquake, a tornado, or any other phenomenon that can be cast as beyond the handiwork of men.”
― Between the World and Me
― Between the World and Me
“When the journalist asked me about my body, it was like she was asking me to awaken her from the most gorgeous dream. I have seen that dream all my life. It is perfect houses with nice lawns. It is Memorial Day cookouts, block associations, and driveways. The Dream is treehouses and the Cub Scouts. The Dream smells like peppermint but tastes like strawberry shortcake. And for so long I have wanted to escape into the Dream, to fold my country over my head like a blanket.”
― Between the World and Me
― Between the World and Me
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
― The Chronicles of Narnia Complete 7-Book Collection: All 7 Books Plus Bonus Book: Boxen
― The Chronicles of Narnia Complete 7-Book Collection: All 7 Books Plus Bonus Book: Boxen
Ben’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Ben’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
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