Author Margo Jefferson has written one of the most significant and well-received memoirs of the 21st century in Negroland, which was first published in 2015. Constructing a Nervous System is Jefferson's follow-up memoir to Negroland and was originally published in 2022. In Constructing a Nervous System, Jefferson narratively deconstructs herself and splits her identity into distinct pieces—pieces which, together, create a person's nervous system. In her memoir, Jefferson examines additional parts of her life. She talks about several of her family members who have died, her love of jazz (which also inspired the structure of the memoir), and other important moments from her life.
Like Jefferson's previous novel, Constructing a Nervous System was well-received when it was published. A number of prestigious outlets—including The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Washington Post—named Constructing a Nervous System one of the best books of the year. Kirkus Reviews called the novel "A dynamic, unflinchingly candid examination of the impacts of race and class on culture and the author’s own life."
