Compared to other books examining Black or Native American history, this one is much more probing in the questions it asks, as well as in its refreshing, original prose. I wish the book was twice as long - there are some events that are strangely glossed over while others that receive much more detailed consideration and are better for it. Other historical accounts would disagree with some of the conclusions here, which are ideologically-driven to a level that I'm not comfortable with in an academic book. If you're looking for an entry point into US history, however, this is a good place to start.