Week 11: Book Club

“Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny”

When I drew this book from the strips of paper on Professor Thomas’s desk, I’ll admit I was initially skeptical. This book seemed very targeted to a demographic I was not part of, and I worried I would not be able to connect with the text like I’m used to. But it is important to stretch the horizons of my world view, so I started reading with an open mind. I’m glad I did.

 “Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny” chronicles 15 letters written by author Hill Harper to a young Black man over the course of a year. The book discusses a plethora of topics that appeal to young men: how to make money, how to pick up girls, how to be a successful man. But as I read I found that the messages were more universal than I previously believed. Harper talks about finding passion in what you do, finding what your purpose on this earth is, and going for it without holding back. His conversational tone made it feel like we were on the front porch talking as the day passed on. 

Some of the wisdom that stuck out to me was the emphasis of having control over life. Harper talks about how life is often unpredictable and plans may change, but that does not mean that it slips through our fingers. He talks about how much his plans changed over the course of his life, but everytime they did he went after his new goals with passion and bravery. Though I’m not a “young brother,” it really resonated with me. After the last two and a half years of undergrad through my plans for a loop, it felt hard to plan for what could possibly come next. Harper countered that thinking by showing how living his life with hope for the future rather than fear of it led him to the success he has today.

Beyond the teenage life lessons of financial responsibility, safe sex, and persuing education, reading this book reminded me of something else. The phrase “see both sides” is one all too familiar to journalists. I think some have taken it to mean ‘hear the side you don’t agree with,” which for a Black woman opens the door to misogyny and racism. But “Letters to a Young Brother” is a side of Black adolescence I never experienced, and I appreciate having gotten to learn about it through the lens of brotherly advice. It’s a wonderful read for any Black boy, or anyone, to feel inspired about where their life is going.