The Cushion in the Road is a collection of wide-ranging meditations on the human race's intertwined personal, spiritual and political destinies. It revisits the many themes that the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, poet, essayist and activist has addressed throughout her career: racism, Africa, solidarity with the Palestinian people, the campaign of Barack Obama, Cuba, healthcare and the work of Aung San Suu Kyi. Walker explores her conflicting impulses to retreat into inner contemplation and to remain deeply engaged with the world.