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Kelley writes about the White Gaze like no one else I have ever come across. He writes its assumptions, presumptions, demands, its blindness to nuance and individuality, its arrogance and hatred. As other commentators have noted, this is perhaps why he remains under-read. He is rightly brutal and pu......more

When you consider that this book was originally published in 1967, it makes the book that much more consequential. An inversion of sorts. Takes white supremacy and flips the script slightly. Cultural expectations are expressed and experienced differently in this book. Our protagonist Mitchell has a......more

Delightfully, viciously, righteously sharp -- but very, very broad, and unfortunately, rather scattered. I definitely recommend reading the recent New Yorker article about Kelley, which is fascinating and tragic. You can see a great deal of his talent even in this flawed novel, but it is clear he ne......more

Like an ahistorical internet warrior misinformed to the hilt who suddenly discovers evidence contrary to his basic set of principles, I was finally in on the wide open secret hiding in plain sight throughout this novel. I had even read ahead, the subtext explicitly piquing my interest, and still…I w......more