"In essence it is a fawning celebrity profile -- one in which reporter and superstar have somehow...

“In essence it is a fawning celebrity profile — one in which reporter and superstar have somehow fused into a single first-person voice.”

Scott McLemee is unimpressed with Cornel West’s new memoir: “If sketchy in other regards, Brother West is never anything but expansive on how Cornel West feels about Cornel West. He is deeply committed to his committed-ness, and passionately passionate about being full of passion. Various works of art, literature, music, and philosophy remind West of himself. He finds Augustinian humility to be deeply meaningful. This is mentioned in one sentence. His taste for three-piece suits is full of subtle implications that require a couple of substantial paragraphs to elucidate.”