Writings on the Wall - by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & Raymond Obstfeld (Hardcover)

About the Book

Traces the evolution of the author's views on social justice, from his youth in the civil rights era to his current role as a cultural commentator on topics ranging from race and economic inequality to music and the influence of the media.

Book Synopsis

A New York Times and Washington Post Bestseller

Bestselling author, basketball legend and cultural commentator Kareem Abdul-Jabbar explores the heart of issues that affect Americans today.

Since retiring from professional basketball as the NBA's all-time leading scorer, six-time MVP, and Hall of Fame inductee, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has become a lauded observer of culture and society, a New York Times bestselling author, and a regular contributor to The Washington Post, TIME magazine and TIME.com.

He now brings that keen insight to the fore in Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White, his most incisive and important work of non-fiction in years. He uses his unique blend of erudition, street smarts and authentic experience in essays on the country's seemingly irreconcilable partisan divide - both racial and political, parenthood, and his own experiences as an athlete, African-American, and a Muslim. The book is not just a collection of expositions; he also offers keen assessments of and solutions to problems such as racism in sports while speaking candidly about his experiences on the court and off.

Timed for publication as the nation debates whom to send to the White House, the combination of plain talk on issues, life lessons, and personal stories places Writings on the Wall squarely in the middle of the conversation, as many of Abdul-Jabbar's topics are at the top of the national agenda. Whether it is sparring with Donald Trump, within the pages of TIME magazine, or full-length features in the The New York Times Magazine, writers, critics, and readers have come to agree on what The Washington Post observed: Abdul-Jabbar "has become a vital, dynamic and unorthodox cultural voice."

Review Quotes

"[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's] concerns are deep, his arguments well-founded, and his solutions straightforward. The trick is to get people to listen, but Abdul-Jabbar provides a good jumping-off point. Heartfelt sentiments on how racism, gender equality, and other social and cultural issues in America can be changed for the betterment of all."--Kirkus "[Writings on the Wall] is designed not only to be read and discussed but also to be used as a blueprint for action. It allows the reader to engage the mind of a deeply principled man, a progressive committed to equality for all, a man who possesses the faith that his country might actually one day live up to its mythology."--Marita Golden, The Washington Post

About the Author

Kareem Abdul-Jabbaris the NBA's all-time leading scorer and a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. Since retiring, Abdul-Jabbar has been an actor and basketball coach, and has authored six books for adults and three for children, including What Color is My World?, which won the NAACP award for Best Children's Book. In 2012, he was selected as a U.S. Cultural Ambassador. He lives in Southern California.