The Chosen and The Damned: Native Americans and the Making of Race in the United States

This book offers much more than the cover story of an adult who teaches himself to read with the help of an unlikely community on TikTok. It is an eye-opening, charming, moving, and inspiring book. James shares his views on mental health, relationships, motivation, and joy. He loves books, loves reading, and has new insights into stories we thought were long gone. As a result of childhood learning difficulties and educational neglect, Oliver James graduated from high school and became one of the approximately 45 million Americans who suffer from functional illiteracy. However, at age 32, with big dreams and few tools to achieve them, he dedicated himself to learning the basic skill that had eluded him his entire life: reading. Oliver became a TikTok/BookTok star for the way he candidly documented his decision to learn to read as an adult, and his struggles and triumphs along the way. Here, he tells the full story behind his journey for the first time through 21 key books that shaped and enriched his experience. His story reveals the ways reading can teach us how to be better, more compassionate people. In just 365 days, Oliver went from barely able to read a restaurant menu to approaching his goal of finishing 100 books in one year. Unread is a poignant reminder to all of us that words and stories have power, and that no matter our past, it's never too late to grow