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4.61 AVERAGE
4.61 AVERAGE
Hanif Abdurraqib is my favorite essayist of now times.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
If you love music, if you like music, if you’ve heard of music, read this book. Such a beautiful work, brimming with nostalgia and grief.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
I had to stop after almost every sentence because every word he writes is so perfect.
so good that i'm lowkey rendered speechless for my initial review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
excellent essays - and an incredible snapshot of a time period that had so many red flags about what would come next (read in 2025).
This collection of essays is absolutely astounding in its depth, astuteness, and quality. Abdurraqib is a thoughtful, careful writer who cares deeply about the content he presents in this work. His writing is poetic, endearing, and so widely intelligent.
If the subject matter is of interest to you, do not pass up the opportunity to spend some quality time with this book.
(also, fans of Hanif's poetry will not be disappointed by the format and content here. He is impossibly amazing across all mediums.)
If the subject matter is of interest to you, do not pass up the opportunity to spend some quality time with this book.
(also, fans of Hanif's poetry will not be disappointed by the format and content here. He is impossibly amazing across all mediums.)
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
This collection of essays was both deeply thought-provoking and emotionally stirring. Hanif’s writing beautifully intertwines his profound love of music with the heartbreaking reality of the violence and systemic oppression faced by the Black community in the United States.
I highly recommend this book to everyone, especially those of us who are not Black. It opened my eyes to the daily struggles and resilience of Black Americans in a way that felt both humbling and urgent. At the same time, I was captivated by Hanif’s journey through the world of music—his passion for genres ranging from punk to rap to pop was truly inspiring. His ability to seamlessly blend these two powerful topics—music and the Black experience—made the book an incredibly engaging read.
This is the kind of book that I’ll return to time and again, each time finding new layers of insight and connection.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
In the very rough paraphrased words of Baldwin, I have to have hope. What will we tell the children?
Something to linger on and mourn alongside.
Something to linger on and mourn alongside.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced