Cornel West's most important books

Princeton professor Cornel West's latest book is Hope on a Tightrope.

For Newsweek, he named his five most important books.

And addressed a couple of related issues:

A classic that, upon revisiting, disappointed:

The poems of Philip Larkin. He's renowned for his comic sensibility, but I found mere wit and iciness.

A book you hope parents read to their children:

"The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin. His letter to his nephew is wise advice to love and serve.

Read more about West's most important books.

--Marshal Zeringue