When Roxane Gay tells you to read a memoir, do you really have a choice?

“People assume that I have a degree in poli-sci and that I decided to become a comedian just because that was the best way to spread my message. It’s the same way for my dad too. He seems like he has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Wharton School, but he really only graduated from Spring Hill College in Mobile. For all three of us, people assume that because we have the information, we must have pieces of paper that certify us as smart. Nope. We just have information because we wanted it. If there’s one thing that I learned from both of my parents, it is that you don’t need the paper to get the information.”

And W. Kamau Bell talks about what his learned in this excellent memoir: a discussion of race and gender and sexual politics. He’s very honest about his own shortcomings, and how he’s learned to listen to others to overcome gaps in his knowledge. He also writes about his rise through stand-up to television, and how it’s affected his comedy and his life. It’s funny, of course, because a comedy wrote it. But it’s also heartfelt and angry and smart. And his mom sounds freaking awesome.