In this volume, author James Farrar looks at 25 adages and turns them on their heads, arguing that these “black lies” actually hurt many people. He also examines systemic injustices faced by African-Americans.

In the first half of this puzzling hodgepodge, which the author acknowledges was written “with an AI research assistant,” Farrar writes brief sentences, in a format resembling poetry. Examining individual adages, he notes that “Knowledge is power” serves the powerful, who define “knowledge” to their benefit and use education systems to dull and control people. “Love conquers all” is a spell men cast on women as they build cages of dependence and that families employ to protect abusers.

Throughout, Farrar lists vague pronouncements that read like inspirational office posters. “Our weapon is not paradox. It is clarity. Clarity is the rarest commodity of the age.” Odd metaphors include “let’s cut to the bone” and “shatter the marble mask.”

Occasionally, a statement resonates: “The lie that ‘good intentions matter’ … allows someone to say, ‘I meant well,’ instead of saying, ‘I did harm.’” But these adages are already largely discredited, and the author doesn’t develop these snippets of thought or provide examples from his life or history to support his opinions.

Switching to traditional prose in the second part, Farrar looks at the injustices African-Americans face, providing brief profiles of their historic accomplishments and slights. He mentions uncomfortable truths, like black American men are six times more likely to be incarcerated than white men. Without an author biography and few credible citations, readers can’t evaluate Farrar’s accuracy.

Farrar’s goal is “to restore your sight in a world that profits from your blindness.” He urges us to fight an undefined “they” and to build, heal and organize. But Farrar supplies no specifics on how to do so and none of the clarity the title promises.

Given such issues, combined with an odd juxtaposition of elements, it’s hard to pinpoint a target audience for this book.