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erinthelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
This was a fantastic and devastating memoir. Broome is GenX so his younger years grappling with his developing homosexuality was very rough all around, within his family and amongst his fellow Black students. His particular exclusionary life is heart breaking and eye opening. The intersection of race, masculinity and sexuality is very challenging in the Black community - especially due to how important religion is. I learned a lot and Brian's voice was strong and inspiring.
imchelsi's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
4.0
I don't read very much nonfiction but this was a heartwrenching and critical look at what it means to be black and gay, the the concept of masculinity as a whole. I really enjoyed the format and the culmination was very effective.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
itsmeamethyst's review against another edition
4.0
This book gutted me. It's not a light read, it's full of pain and hurt; but it is gorgeously written. As one of my favorite authors, [a:Kiese Laymon|6164789|Kiese Laymon|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1375822963p2/6164789.jpg] has said about it, "This sh*t is special."
missbrookss's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
staciek3's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Wow. This was a heartbreaking read. It was beautifully written, but all I wanted to do was reach through my audiobook and hug this man. This book gives all the feels, almost too much so, but still I feel it's a memoir one should read, especially if you're white like me. I really don't understand parents who can't love their children for who they are. I just don't get it. I don't think I ever will.
lulu_reads_books's review against another edition
5.0
This memoir is at once captivating and simultaneously heartwrenching. With every chapter, I found myself even more enthralled with the author's story. From experiencing his father's disapproval at a young age to his own self-destructive behavior as an adult, the deeper he got into his story, the more I wanted to reach out and hug him and tell him he's not alone. This was such a beautifully written memoir, and it was incredibly eye-opening. I absolutely adored Broome's writing and would love to read more from him in the future.