A review by perusinghannah
Black Boy Out of Time: A Memoir by Hari Ziyad
4.0
(7.9/10) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Content warnings can be found here
Black Boy Out of Time is a very intricate and meticulous memoir by cultural critic, screenwriter, and the editor-in-chief of RaceBaitr Hari Ziyad, in which they carefully discuss growing up in America as a Black and queer individual.
Ziyad spends a large portion of the book talking to their younger self, and structuring their memoir like this paved the way for such a kind and love-filled exploration of incredibly difficult topics that you can't help but admire it. It takes a lot to talk about the people who have hurt you with warmth and attempt at understanding, and they did it with such a beautiful style that I'd highly recommend Black Boy Out of Time to those who have read and enjoyed the works of authors like George M. Johnson and Billy-Ray Belcourt.
I did find it repetitive in use of language, however, and while one could argue this to some degree serves a purpose, it became a little too apparent for it to not influence my overall enjoyment. Nevertheless, it's a thought-provoking memoir that definitely deserves the read.
Content warnings can be found here
Black Boy Out of Time is a very intricate and meticulous memoir by cultural critic, screenwriter, and the editor-in-chief of RaceBaitr Hari Ziyad, in which they carefully discuss growing up in America as a Black and queer individual.
Ziyad spends a large portion of the book talking to their younger self, and structuring their memoir like this paved the way for such a kind and love-filled exploration of incredibly difficult topics that you can't help but admire it. It takes a lot to talk about the people who have hurt you with warmth and attempt at understanding, and they did it with such a beautiful style that I'd highly recommend Black Boy Out of Time to those who have read and enjoyed the works of authors like George M. Johnson and Billy-Ray Belcourt.
I did find it repetitive in use of language, however, and while one could argue this to some degree serves a purpose, it became a little too apparent for it to not influence my overall enjoyment. Nevertheless, it's a thought-provoking memoir that definitely deserves the read.