We Hold These Truths

by David S. Mitchell

In politics, as in life and love, victory and defeat aren't always easy to differentiate. In his timely debut novel, David S. Mitchell grants the reader unprecedented access to the provocative world of code-switching African-American Ivy Leaguers and the dark underbelly of Southern race politics as seen through the eyes of Al Carpenter. Al, an erudite and incorrigible law student, struggles to square the hopeful outcome of President Obama's 2008 election with the prospect that many Americans don't actually want the change they clamored for. When he arrives in North Carolina to assume a senior position with a cash-strapped US Senate campaign, Al faces swift and unexpected resistance to African-American attorney Ron Johnson's candidacy. By navigating the thorny maze of Tar Heel State politics and grappling with personal growing pains, Al finally learns to play the game. But can he change the game, or will the game change him?

354 pages, Paperback

Published November 4, 2016

About the author

David S. Mitchell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Yale College and a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School. He lives in the District of Columbia, his birthplace, and comments extensively on the intersection of politics, race, and popular culture. To read more, and to join the conversation, visit theauthordavid.com.

Reviews

[prisca dawne laurencin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intuitively, this story rings truth. It's was a wonderful read giving a glimpse of the inner-workings of politics. Sad to say with the current political turmoil it's not very encouraging.

[Raymond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first became aware about We Hold These Truths when it was featured as one of Kirkus Reviews “Best Books Out This Week” in November 2016. I was drawn to the plot because it was about a Senate race in my home state of North Carolina. We Hold These Truths is a novel about the political education of Al Carpenter, a Harvard trained lawyer who helps run the Democratic primary campaign of longshot candidate Ron Johnson. Throughout the book Carpenter gets a crash course on how politics is run and is constantly reminded of the difficulties that an African-American candidate faces in the Age of Obama. Political junkies and those interested in the intersection of race and politics will enjoy this book. I look forward to what the author, David Mitchell, writes next.