Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbaugh. There was this talk show back in the late 90s called Forgive or Forget. Someone would come on and talk about how they wronged a loved one or a family member. And then there was a big reveal where there's a closed door and if the wronged party walked through the door, it meant they were

ready to forgive. And if not, well, you get the point. If only forgiveness actually worked like

that, was actually that black and white. Anre found in Jeffers' memoir, misbehaving at the

crossroads, is a lesson in how complicated and thorny forgiveness can be. The book is,

in part about coming to terms with the actions of her parents. But she tells Empires-Wan

Summers that the book isn't some morality lesson telling you to make amends with your loved

ones. It's just what happened when she finally decided to walk through that door herself.

That's ahead.

In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from daily life.

Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors.

On our new show, Sources and Methods, NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people,

helping you understand why distant events matter here at home. Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever

you get your podcasts. Author Honoré Phan Jeffers writes about the unique position of black women

in her latest book. She describes what it means to be at the

crossroads. You are at a place where trouble meets possibility. For me, the notion of the

crossroads is the notion of intersectionality of black women. In misbehaving at the crossroads, Honoré Fanon Jeffers,

excavates memories of her childhood,

including her father's abuse,

and her mother's challenges in protecting her from it.

She also weaves together history, political commentary, and poetry,

all centering black American women.

When I spoke with her, I asked her to describe her mother, Dr. Trelli Lee James Jeffers.

...