Talking about race, says Nation columnist Melissa Harris-Perry, can be “nauseating,” but it’s better than ignoring the topic. Her new book, Sister Citizen, deconstructs some of the stereotypes of the African-American woman that are pervasive in America. Stephen Colbert examines these stereotypes—and other notions—while sparking a lively, not-so-nauseating conversation on race, including how Michelle Obama both reinforces and challenges stereotypes.

—Elizabeth Whitman