2.51k reviews for:

They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us

Hanif Abdurraqib

4.61 AVERAGE

yote_always_reading's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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I bought this book at a lovely bookstore on a road trip and finished a third of it as we were driving back home. Hanif Abdurraqib's writing is the right kind of poetic, where the language feels so tangible and emotive. He has a deep intelligence and ability to communicate grief. And it's all perfectly framed in this essay collection exploring music and culture in the late 2010's. All with an undercurrent about what it's like to grow up in a ghost town; the resilience, the struggle, and the survival.

This book immediately made me a fan. I'm thankful for this work that feels so patient and curious about grief. I return to "Brief Notes on Staying" often. And the essay on Marvin Gaye that begins every section is just an electric use of formatting that had my literary jaw dropped when it all came together. I love a good literary essay collection and Abdurraqib raised the bar to a poetic, contemporary high.

I highly recommend this for:

- Music fans
- Literary Essay fans
- Cultural critics
- Poetry fans
- People who like rap, punk, rock, and the 2010's music scene.
- Frankly everyone, everybody should read this.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Violence, Death of parent

ejspiese's review against another edition

3.5

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

hunni_reads's review against another edition

4.0

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

tomnistler's review against another edition

4.25

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad fast-paced

ofuchi's review against another edition

5.0

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love always. Such a beautiful way to capture moments with songs; interlace moments with songs.

sleepingsaha's review against another edition

5.0

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The way Abdurraqib talks about music, media, community, his loved ones, and racism and anti-Blackness -- and brings thoughts on these topics together -- is unparalleled. I loved hearing this on audio, because he reads it himself; I was even interested in essays about musicians whom I had little knowledge of. I feel like I'm struggling with what more to say besides that he's so smart and incisive and expansive in his thinking. Everyone should read this, especially those interested in cultural criticism!

mj_j's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

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This challenged me in places. Was glad to have listened to it.

sophwest's review against another edition

5.0

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Went on with high expectations and it exceeded every one of them. Can't believe I put off this book for so long. What a gift. How can a book so specific be so universal. How can stories so not about me be so about me

ruinedlanguage's review against another edition

4.25

emotional informative reflective

djcemery's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

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Unrelentingly beautiful. Makes me nostalgic for and appreciative of all of the lives I'll never lead.