The NYT review of this book neatly summarizes the premise: “Every time America listens to its music it comes to grips, whether we realize it or not, with the chapter of a story we haven’t wanted to hear for 150 years.” I really loved the point the author was trying to make and the plot vehicle he used to make it, but I think the writing was a bit too meandering, and I wish he had edited it a little bit more cleanly to get rid of extraneous characters and scenes that detracted from the overall effect. It’s still a powerful and entertaining read that underscores how racism and the legacy of Jim Crow continues to infect modern-day American culture.