Phew! That was a tough read. I am studying economics in school currently, and became interested in the realities behind capitalism and how the system came to be so exploitative and profit-over-people. I grabbed this book on the recommendation of Rachel Cargle, who is an incredible Black female entrepreneur and public academic. I was immediately intimidated by the size, as well as the minuscule text - this book is challenging, and its physical presence reflects that. However, I was immediately drawn in by the narrative style of Dr. Baptist. While presenting his arguments clearly and accessibly, Dr. Baptist draws from the lived experience of Black enslaved people in the U.S. Each person's story is told with empathy and humanity, and the arguments that the author makes are impactful and world-shattering (spoiler alert - capitalism is built on the backs of enslaved people, and America's wealth is a direct result of their torture). I am so glad that I have decided to embark on this journey of unlearning. The history that I learned in school is not the history of America, but the whitewashed history of the enslaver. Here's to living life eyes wide open.