The Man Who Haunted Himself

De: Ishmael Reed

Narrado por: Adam Lazzare White

Dr. Douglass Garnett is about to break all the rules to save himself—and push mankind into the future.

He’s one of America’s most brilliant neuroscientists. He’s also Black and dying of cancer. But he has a plan—a brain transfer. He’ll put his gifted mind into the body of Sammy Sturgeon, a White high school football star who was on the rise until a touchdown collision left him brain-dead.

He convinces his co-conspirator, Dr. Dino Battaglia, to help him with the forbidden procedure. Douglass wakes up in Sammy’s White, athletic body, with his new family and legions of fans weeping at his miraculous recovery.

As Douglass starts his life anew at Junipero Prep, complications ensue. There’s the messy breakup with Sammy’s blonde cheerleader girlfriend; then there’s an even messier relationship with his high school science teacher, Marie. Before he can win the Nobel Prize—or be charged with murder—Douglass’ transplant will force him to reconsider everything he thought he knew about race, progress, and life in America.

The Man Who Haunted Himself is a new sci-fi-horror classic from legendary author Ishmael Reed, who The New Yorker dubbed “America’s most fearless satirist”. Reed continues the literary tradition of California noir established by Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett and issues a new entry into the genre he helped launch, Afrofuturism. This hilariously subversive Audible Original is expertly narrated by Adam Lazarre-White (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal).

Does the body or the brain make the man? Listen and find out.

©2022 Ishmael Reed (P)2022 Audible Originals, LLC.

more for young adult or middle school age

It's an interesting story, but it is definitely better suited to middle school or high school ages. I would definitely recommend it to those age groups for education about race and culture. I also think it could be a great movie if it's done well.

Not as advertised

This work was said to be a horror/science fiction story. It has very little of either. It is a liberal manifesto…which is fine, people have a right to their opinions…but it is simply not what it is advertised to be.

Good overall

I thought it was a interesting concept. He uses imagination to highlight the plights of African-Americans well telling a futuristic story.

Vacuous social commentary.

Recommend the author watch any YouTube video by Alex Epstein, who wrote Fossil Future. Facts require context to be of value. The story line was interesting. Narrator was very good.

Compelling story without an ending

Fish out of water story with an interesting premise. Sociologically and culturally, it’s a very compelling way to put an intellectual black man in the position of a wealthy and privileged young white man to get their perspective but the storylines just ended. It was building toward some thing but
The end.

I so wanted to finish this

The story is unique and super interesting! But. Sadly, the author's blatant and hateful distain for the Caucasian race is derailing and I refuse to encourage this kind of racist rhetoric. Really fascinating plot though.

Bad

A tedious political screed that neither enthralls nor scares the listener. Just a boring monotone that ruins what could have been an interesting examination on race in America.

it's ok

I was looking more for a story about things that happened to him with the brain and body switch this was mostly about evil white people and the reader is very monotone

Worth a listen for the open-minded

"Terry D." is clearly a closeted bigot. While I felt like there were things that this story could have explored further, it is definitely told from a point of view that is worth hearing. The above mentioned reviewer seems to have gotten uncomfortable with the story but if a book doesn't occasionally make you uncomfortable, are you really even reading? The narrator is very talented.

Very interesting but hoped for more

This could have been so much more. I was hoping for some more haunting component. Still interesting in general.