Story explores success, loyalty and unspoken systems in today’s society
UPPER MARLBORO, Md., April 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Author and retired professor, John W. Roberts, has released his latest book, “The Perils of Privilege,” a contemporary novel that follows two young professionals whose lives take different turns inside the same workplace.
The novel features Damon Richardson, an Ivy League educated African American raised in a comfortable suburb, who begins a new job at an advertising firm believing his future will be shaped by effort and ability. His coworker and closest friend, Josh Ford, grew up in the projects and attended a historically Black college. When Damon is unexpectedly offered a high-profile project, he assumes it is earned and begins to distance himself from Josh. After his promotion, he uncovers painful truths about how power and privilege shape opportunities, putting both his career and friendship at risk.
In “The Perils of Privilege,” Roberts hopes to encourage readers to reflect on how privilege operates in subtle ways and how it can affect lives even without intent. He aims to help readers recognize and identify the perilous potential of privilege and how it can impact human lives from within and across racial boundaries.
“I want readers to understand that the phenomenon presented in this book is a contemporary example of what African Americans have dealt with throughout U.S. history, both in their interactions with White Americans, and, at times, with each other,” Roberts said.
Roberts is an award-winning scholar and novelist whose career bridges academic research and fiction. His academic book, “From Trickster to Badman: The Black Folk Hero in Slavery and Freedom,” received national recognition and continues to be used in university classrooms. He has written six books overall, and in recent years has brought the same depth and cultural perspective to his fiction, including “Redemption: The Story of Bert and His Boys,” exploring identity, history and human connection.
`”I want to create a safe and reflective space in which readers can appreciate the complexity of privilege in American society,” Roberts said. “I wrote this book to offer readers a more nuanced and human understanding of privilege by viewing it through cultural and historical lenses in a time when the concept is often discussed primarily through a political lens.”
“The Perils of Privilege”
By John W. Roberts
ISBN: 9781665782036 (softcover); 9781665782043 (electronic)
Available at Archway Publishing, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the author
John W. Roberts is a retired college administrator and professor of English and folklore. He holds a BA in English from Tusculum College, an MA in English from Columbia University and a PhD from The Ohio State University. During his career, he held positions at the University of Missouri, University of Pennsylvania, The Ohio State University and the University of Houston. To learn more, please visit https://www.archwaypublishing.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/867172-the-perils-of-privilege.
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SOURCE Archway Publishing
