Hanif Abdurraqib's essays are observant, intelligent, and far-reaching; he faces the interiority of a breakup through the Weeknd, considers immortality and control of the elements through Prince, and experiences the moment when shame falls to dust through Carly Rae Jepsen. This collection has a distinct political awareness; these essays, even when considering shows and albums of decades past, are written for this moment, reacting to and engaging with our most recent presidential election cycle.
Within this collection the music show becomes a study for human behavior. The feel of a venue, the performance of an artist, and the concertgoers' interactions with their neighbors are all lenses through which to understand both culture and personal experience. Music is community-making; Abdurraqib considers connections and divisions amongst people, and particularly the ways in which an anti-black society constantly puts the bodies and mental health of black Americans in jeopardy. Music can save lives within this society, but can also alienate further.
Some of these essays are poems; some are imbued with the precise feeling of when a few strands of a familiar song bring a dead friend back to life. The urgency of this book calls upon us all to consider the act of looking at another person and seeing them, of loving them openly, of allowing ourselves the freedom to be beholden to others. Let's just say: Only Hanif Abdurraqib could have me listening to Carly Rae Jepsen while reading.
— Elizabeth
Hanif Abdurraqib's essays are observant, intelligent, and far-reaching; he faces the interiority of a breakup through the Weeknd, considers immortality and control of the elements through Prince, and experiences the moment when shame falls to dust through Carly Rae Jepsen. This collection has a distinct political awareness; these essays, even when considering shows and albums of decades past, are written for this moment, reacting to and engaging with our most recent presidential election cycle.
Within this collection the music show becomes a study for human behavior. The feel of a venue, the performance of an artist, and the concertgoers' interactions with their neighbors are all lenses through which to understand both culture and personal experience. Music is community-making; Abdurraqib considers connections and divisions amongst people, and particularly the ways in which an anti-black society constantly puts the bodies and mental health of black Americans in jeopardy. Music can save lives within this society, but can also alienate further.
Some of these essays are poems; some are imbued with the precise feeling of when a few strands of a familiar song bring a dead friend back to life. The urgency of this book calls upon us all to consider the act of looking at another person and seeing them, of loving them openly, of allowing ourselves the freedom to be beholden to others. Let's just say: Only Hanif Abdurraqib could have me listening to Carly Rae Jepsen while reading.
— Elizabeth
This lyrical collection from Ohioan poet Hanif Abdurraqib sits at the intersection of grief at current events and joy at the pockets of hope in everyday life. Filtered through the lens of some bands you may love and some you may not have heard of at all, this collection deserves to be read slowly and savored. Perfect for that friend of yours that has a song for every situation.
— Mikey* 2018 "12 best books to give this holiday season" --TODAY (Elizabeth Acevedo)
* A "Best Book of 2017" --Rolling Stone (2018), NPR, Buzzfeed, Paste Magazine, Esquire, Chicago Tribune, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, CBC, Stereogum, National Post, Entropy, Heavy, Book Riot, Chicago Review of Books, The Los Angeles Review, Michigan Daily
* American Booksellers Association (ABA) 'December 2017 Indie Next List Great Reads'
* Midwest Indie Bestseller
In an age of confusion, fear, and loss, Hanif Abdurraqib's is a voice that matters. Whether he's attending a Bruce Springsteen concert the day after visiting Michael Brown's grave, or discussing public displays of affection at a Carly Rae Jepsen show, he writes with a poignancy and magnetism that resonates profoundly.
In the wake of the nightclub attacks in Paris, he recalls how he sought refuge as a teenager in music, at shows, and wonders whether the next generation of young Muslims will not be afforded that opportunity now. While discussing the everyday threat to the lives of Black Americans, Abdurraqib recounts the first time he was ordered to the ground by police officers: for attempting to enter his own car.
In essays that have been published by the New York Times, MTV, and Pitchfork, among others--along with original, previously unreleased essays--Abdurraqib uses music and culture as a lens through which to view our world, so that we might better understand ourselves, and in so doing proves himself a bellwether for our times.