Shane’s Take — A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance

This is a brilliant book that is a collection of essays on what it means to be black in America, and how black performance is an essential part of the American story. Abdurraqib weaves in stories of his own losses and how he has, or at times has failed to, come to grips with his anger throughout his life. With stories of Trayvon Martin’s ties to astronaut Michael P. Anderson, Josephine Baker and her March on Washington, Beyonce’s Superbowl Halftime performance, the origin of the Moonwalk, Aretha Franklin, or Dave Chapelle, Abdurraqib is a great storyteller who brings a new understanding to events and performances that stood out throughout American history and a glimpse into the pains of the black experience.