They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib

4.61 AVERAGE

k_enz0's review against another edition

4.5
emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced
amyappy's profile picture

amyappy's review against another edition

5.0
emotional funny hopeful reflective sad fast-paced
mood_reading_maya's profile picture

mood_reading_maya's review against another edition

5.0
challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
Hanif Abdurraqib is masterful. This is the second book I have read by the author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As an essayist, his writing is deeply reflective, empathetic, insightful, and poignant. This collection of essays were originally written in the 2010s, and while that may lead you to believe they are dated, that would be mistaken. Abdurraqib manages to begin each essay with a singular focus - an artist, a performance, a memory, an observation - and broadens that view outwards, all while never losing focus on where the argument or vision originated. Some of my favorite essays included:
  • Chance the Rapper's Golden Year
  • A Night in Bruce Springsteen's America
  • I Wasn't Here, I Was Born Surviving
  • The Return of the Loneliest Boys in Town
  • The Night Prince Walked On Water
  • Nina Simone Was Very Black

High recommend listening to this on audio, as Abdurraqib is a fantastic narrator and breathes another layer of emotion and life into the text.
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abbyynormal's profile picture

abbyynormal's review against another edition

4.0
challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

apauwels's review against another edition

5.0
funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

sbuckle101's review against another edition

5.0
it took me FOREVER to finish this because life, but damn it's good
esandmir's profile picture

esandmir's review against another edition

4.5
challenging informative reflective fast-paced
jesskaeff's profile picture

jesskaeff's review against another edition

4.0
Minus one star for making me listen to fallout boy
ana_imara's profile picture

ana_imara's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 11%
Eh. Perhaps the physical book would be more interesting. Despite the author reading the book, I was not captivated by the writing. 

pandygbcorner's review against another edition

3.5
Abdurraqib captures how music makes us feel - do you know how impossibly difficult that task is?