magnoliapigeonbookblurbs's review against another edition
5.0
Heartbreakingly eye-opening essays intersecting racism & prejudicial violence with music & culture. Absolutely beautiful prose & groundbreaking storytelling.
jeighsonne's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.75
superiour_medium's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
A delightfully somber look at race, art, and music. Abdurraqib writes a poet’s magnum opus and weaves it together with breathtaking salience. My only wish is for an updated version
jbmorgan86's review against another edition
5.0
Hanif Abdurraqib is a genius . . . I mean, seriously. He was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship Grant last year. Essays, poetry, and cultural criticism, he does it all. I love what he does with words. This collection primarily deals with music (Chance the Rapper, Prince, Fallout Boy, Fleetwood Mac, Notorious B.I.G., My Chemical Romance, etc.). Other topics include sports, race, Islam, family, and joy.
Thanks to @schizophrenicreads on Tiktok for this recommendation.
Thanks to @schizophrenicreads on Tiktok for this recommendation.
designsbymeghen's review against another edition
5.0
There’s no denying the author, Hanif, is a poet. This book has beautiful prose and makes flowing from memoir to musical analysis to society and history feel like floating down a river. I absolutely loved his essays about various musicians and songs and their effect on him and the music scene. It makes me appreciate how much thought and energy truly goes into a song. Though he’s also a punk-loving Ohio native with only a 9-year age difference, we had VERY different experiences growing up that are so necessary to hear about.
melnao1's review against another edition
5.0
Part memoir, part culture historian, part musical analysis. It had been a while since a book moved me in this way. Not for the reason you’d think, just the collection of memories, songs and feelings added into the fantastic writing makes this a collection of essays that will not stop bouncing off the walls of my brain.
pepesilvvia's review against another edition
5.0
have you ever cried over a fall out boy essay? guess what now you will! this book is so beautiful, such clever music analysis combined with poignant reflections on America, race and sexuality among others. I loved it so much, I’ll definitely be re-reading some of these essays in the future and I can’t wait to read more of Hanif’s stuff!
sydneyedens's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
wow wow wow. so amazingly good. audio book was beautiful. another one that i had to take my time with, such a good one to savor