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Ted Cruz Accidentally Makes Two Anti-Racist Books Bestsellers

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During confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Senator Ted Cruz held up a copy of The End of Policing by Alex Vitale while discussing the teaching of so-called “Critical Race Theory” in schools. (Critical Race Theory is a specific legal education framework, which is rarely what pundits or politicians are actually referring to when they mention CRT.) Following this speech, the author noted that the title had become a #1 bestseller in its Amazon category.

That wasn’t the only book that Cruz boosted during the hearings, however. He also presented a page from Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi, asking Jackson, “Do you agree with this book, that babies are racist?” Her answering sigh and pause before responding went viral on Twitter.

A day later, this title had risen to #1 on Amazon for its category, Children’s Books on Prejudice and Racism.

Find more news and stories of interest from the book world in Breaking in Books.