Stakes Is High: Life After the American Dream

Mychal Denzel Smith argues in his book "Stakes Is High" that Americans are too comfortable imagining their greatness and that growth only happens when we confront our deceptions and complicity in them. He examines the contradictions at the heart of American life and questions whether Martin Luther King, Jr. can be the hero we need in our time.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 01 October 2020
Publisher: PublicAffairs,U.S.

Since Donald Trump's election, the resounding sentiment has been that we are better than this. However, as New York Times bestselling author Mychal Denzel Smith argues in his book, Stakes Is High, Americans tend to overestimate our greatness. We often embrace the belief in the righteousness of our path and the certainty of choosing our better angels. Yet, historically, we have only truly lived up to the ideals we profess after being forcefully propelled toward justice, often kicking and screaming along the way.

Growth, true growth, only occurs when we confront our illusions and our own complicity in them. In Stakes Is High, Smith delves into the profound contradictions that shape American life. He uncovers the clash between patriotism and justice, freedom and inequality, incarceration, and police violence. Through a series of thought-provoking essays, Smith holds us individually and as a nation accountable. He examines his own shortcomings, grapples with the anxiety of feeling stuck, and explores new avenues for building a just America. He questions whether Martin Luther King, Jr. can truly be the hero we need in our time, unravels the enduring cultural influence of Bill Cosby, and weighs the significance of police and prison abolition.

Stakes Is High establishes Mychal Denzel Smith as a voice that demands our attention as we navigate the challenges ahead. His book serves as a powerful reminder that true progress requires us to confront our illusions, challenge our assumptions, and work tirelessly toward a more equitable and just society.

Weight: 326g
Dimension: 147 x 216 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781568588735