This week I finished:

Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class, by Rob Henderson: I saw Rob Henderson speak about this book in person and met him briefly. I confess I didn’t know much about the book before learning about the event, but other attendees shared how much the book meant to them.

It also sounded like it resonated with some experiences of my childhood. His sounds more troubled and chaotic than mine. I’m not glad he experienced what he did, but since it happened, I’m glad someone shared as openly as he did. It feels reassuring to know I’m not alone, or even that I had it that bad.

After a rough childhood, he ended up at the top of the educational hierarchy. He sees people promoting education and successful careers but missing that improving childhood experiences is itself important. He points out that education and money should be side-effects of a childhood based on love, support, and stability.

The Message, by Ta-Nehisi Coates: I’m mixed on this book. It felt like a mix of his desire to write, so just a work of pure writing, but also taking Israel to task, as he sees it as an apartheid state, though he recognizes Jews’ troubles.

For some reason he doesn’t treat other actors in the conflict, implying they are blameless or helpless victims, at least as I read it.

As usual, he doesn’t get where racism comes from, so he treats people hurting others as just wanting to do what they do. I think psychologists call that pattern the fundamental attribution error.

Now that I posted yesterday’s course on sustainability leadership, which took my focus for a good part of the last year, I hope I can start working on my next book, which should cover what I keep saying people miss about race.

• ← A Short Course in Sustainability Leadership
• What happened to produce stands in America? →