Coates originally set out to write a book about writing, drawing inspiration from Orwell’s Politics and the English Language. However, his focus shifted as he began to explore how our stories, whether through journalism or imagination, shape and distort our understanding of reality. The first of the book's three essays is set in Dakar, Senegal, where Coates, raised as a strict Afrocentrist, confronts his personal connection to Africa. For the first time, he visits the continent, roaming through the "steampunk" city and engaging with locals, all while balancing his experiences with the mythic vision of Africa he was taught growing up. A pivotal moment comes when he visits the slave castles on the coast and grapples with the legacy of his Afrocentric beliefs.

Back in the United States, Coates shifts focus to Columbia, South Carolina, where he explores the myths and narratives constructed by the state. He tells the story of a teacher at risk of losing her job for teaching one of his books, revealing a community of mostly white supporters transformed by the racial reckoning of 2020. Yet, Coates also delves into the backlash against this reckoning and the deeper, lingering myths of the region, steeped in Confederate history. The longest essay takes him to Palestine, where he uncovers the gap between the accepted narratives and the harsh realities of life on the ground. Meeting with activists, Israelis, and Palestinians, he witnesses the devastating effects of Zionist mythology, and the hidden truths he uncovers profoundly change him, making the looming war even more devastating.