Reviews with content warning for Police brutality - Heavy: An American Memoir

This is a difficult but beautifully written memoir that’s addressed to Laymon’s mother, creating an admittedly unsettling intimacy by writing in the second person perspective, which really highlights the volatile relationship of the author and his mother. Laymon has a complex love for his mother that will hurt as he shares the abuse and praise that he received from a fixed figure in his life. He writes about being a heavy Black man, exploring a bit more on what “heavy” might mean. He poetically writes about the heaviness of the literal body, of masculinity, of Blackness, of language, of abuse, of complex love. There’s an incredible rhythm in the way he writes that evokes such power in his words.

Being a queer PhD student of color in the academy, I was especially taken to the section that focused on Laymon’s experiences at Vassar College. The things he poignantly wrote aren’t secrets by any means, but the way he laid out the issues that those from marginalized groups face really struck me. It especially gave me more insight on how Black men are treated in such a toxic environment. The sheer amount of emotional labor Laymon took on while in the academy needs to be highlighted. The way he was treated on campus as a Black man needs to be highlighted. The way tenure was handled needs to be highlighted. This book was written in 2018, yet, the issues still persist nearly half a decade later.

I really appreciate the brutal honesty and reflective nature of this memoir, and I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to write this. This book is well worth your time for the way he explores difficult matters from his personal life in addition to nuanced criticism of US society.

Content Warnings