 In doing the book, I read too many testimonies from people, mostly African-American readers, who were traumatized in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s by being the only black person in a room full of white people throwing racial slurs around, claiming that this book was the best book, the most American book that ever was. I've talked to students who felt similarly. At some point, I felt just I had to stop.