jbmorgan86's review
2.0
What a weird little book. As a middle school teacher, I’m well versed in Kwame Alexander (see what I did there?). For years I’ve used “The Crossover” and “Booked” to trick reluctant readers and poetry haters to love the written word. Therefore, I couldn’t resist a memoir (for adults) by Kwame Alexander! And a title like “Why Fathers Cry at Night”? Count me in.
But this memoir-poetry collection-cookbook was just painfully awkward (or “cringe,” as my middle school students would say). It’s like Kwame never heard of the concept of “over sharing” (he seems to admit so in the epilogue). Why in the world would you describe the sensual details of your sex life to your daughters? Why would you write a whole essay that is a conversation with yourself? Being vulnerable is one thing . . . this is another thing.
Most of the poems are “meh.” None of them are quite as fun as the poems in his kids books. Some of the essays were interesting (I particularly liked the one about Nikki Giovanni). The recipes . . . just seem out of place?
Good for Kwame for branching out . . . but maybe return to form next time?
But this memoir-poetry collection-cookbook was just painfully awkward (or “cringe,” as my middle school students would say). It’s like Kwame never heard of the concept of “over sharing” (he seems to admit so in the epilogue). Why in the world would you describe the sensual details of your sex life to your daughters? Why would you write a whole essay that is a conversation with yourself? Being vulnerable is one thing . . . this is another thing.
Most of the poems are “meh.” None of them are quite as fun as the poems in his kids books. Some of the essays were interesting (I particularly liked the one about Nikki Giovanni). The recipes . . . just seem out of place?
Good for Kwame for branching out . . . but maybe return to form next time?
sometimes_samantha_reads's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
I always enjoy listening to poetry read aloud by the author. Thisnwas an enjoyable book to play in the car on my way to and from work. This was my first time reading Kwame Alexander outside of the Crossover series. The poems in the 4-6 parts weren't my favorite, but still good.