PanThe Washington Post... lack of awareness about how Black people process pain, especially in front of White people, reflects an irredeemable flaw of de Visé’s book. He only sees King as other White people see him. Although de Visé uses Black sources to flesh out King’s experiences, he relies on White writers...to provide historical context for the blues and to make connections between King’s life and work ... De Visé frames the arc of King’s career wholly in terms of gaining White acceptance ... Also troubling are the ways the book downplays racism. When four African Americans are attacked at a Woolworth’s sit-in, de Visé uses the almost quaint descriptor \'hooligans\' in reference to the perpetrators. In one particularly harmful passage, de Visé shows his ignorance of racial stereotypes ... This thoroughly researched but flawed biography is yet more evidence that there needs to be a serious reckoning at publishing houses regarding who gets significant, career-sustaining deals to write about African American music.
