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Punch Me Up to the Gods
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86/99
Critics
86/99
Readers
n/a
Scholars
96/99
Rating
77/99
Volume
89/99
Rating
82/99
Volume
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About This Book
Punch Me Up to the Gods introduces a powerful new talent in Brian Broome, whose early years growing up in Ohio as a dark-skinned Black boy harboring crushes on other boys propel forward this gorgeous, aching, and unforgettable debut. Brian's recounting of his experiences—in all their cringe-worthy, hilarious, and heartbreaking glory—reveal a perpetual outsider awkwardly squirming to find his way in. Indiscriminate sex and escalating drug use help to soothe his hurt, young psyche, usually to uproarious and devastating effect. A no-nonsense mother and broken father play crucial roles in our misfit's origin story. But it is Brian's voice in the retelling that shows the true depth of vulnerability for young Black boys that is often quietly near to bursting at the seams. Cleverly framed around Gwendolyn Brooks's poem "We Real Cool," the iconic and loving ode to Black boyhood, Punch Me Up to the Gods is at once playful, poignant, and wholly original. Broome's writing brims with swagger and sensitivity, bringing an exquisite and fresh voice to ongoing cultural conversations about Blackness in America.
Preview
Reviews
"There will come a day when some Black child like Tuan will have read Broome's masterwork and possibly commit to staying alive because of Broome's words."
"This hopeful note, which is not saccharine or naive, ties the knot of tenderness that threads through this often flinty book ..."
"While some are light and silky smooth, others snap at the end like a bullwhip, provoking a mental double take, a yelp of laughter, or a twist of anguish (sometimes all three) ..."
"Perfect for fans of Sarah Broom, Kiese Laymon, and Barry Jenkins's Moonlight."
"From the first line, Broome asserts his unique voice ..."
"There are no easy victims or villains in Broome's painful, urgent telling—his testimony rings out as a searing critique of soul-crushing systems and stereotypes."
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