The Wretched of the Earth is often viewed as one of Frantz Fanon's more controversial books, if not his most controversial, since it was written during and regarding the Algerian struggle for independence from colonial rule. The first chapter, "Concerning Violence," contains Fanon's open, apparently unconstrained advocacy of violence. In addition, the book contains a controversial preface by Jean-Paul Sartre which seemed to endorse, and echo, Fanon's advocacy of violence. Further reading can find a thorough critiqe of nationalism and imperialism while also developing to cover areas such as mental health and the role of intellectuals in revolutionary situations.