Welcome to Litsy!

A book of essays by Hanif Abdurraqib that intersects music, pop culture, race, and politics.

Lyrical ✨ 2016 ✨ Meaning

#FavBook2023

Never when I picked up this book did I think I would learn so much about Carly Rae Jessen, The Fallout Boys, or growning up in Ohio. Abdurraquib has a wide chasm of interests and his essays take you to unexpected places. I highly recommend his updated anniversary edition that gives reflections to essays he wrote years ago.

I liked this so much I have picked up a couple more of Adburraquib's books for next year.

November #ReadingRoundUp brought to you by anxiety and insomnia!
I read 17 books this month.
4.5 ⭐
They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us
Opinions - Roxame Gay
King
4⭐
Belly of the Beast
Running in the Family
FInding Me
Passing
The Charm Offensive
Open Throat
Fuzz
3.5⭐
Erasure
The Guest
The Three Mothers
Dear Senthurian
Enemies of the State
3⭐
Queers Were Here
Napolean: A Life Told in Gardens and Shadows

Highly recommend this on audio, I started to read it then heard that he makes commentary throughout the audio that gives more context to some of the essays. Though each of the essays are short there is a wide depth to the topics - from Carly Rae Jepsen to Serena Williams, from Fall Out Boys to Jack Harlow, Marvin Gaye to Carly Rae Jepsen. The essays are interesting and thoughtful and really explore the culture of not only music but Americana.

#NFNR
How is your Non-Fiction November Reading going??

I have read
Belly of The Beast
Finding Me (Viola Davis)
Running in the Family - Michael Ondaatje
The Three Mothers - Tubbs
Dear Senthuran - Akwaeke Emezi
Queers Were Here - essay collection.

I do feel like I am making progress in my TBR. But I have so many more!
Reading the tagged plus
Fuzz - Mary Roach
Let The Record Show - The History of ACT Up

I highly recommend listening to this one. The audiobook was so well done.

I'll admit, I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book. It ended up on my TBR, and I couldn't remember why. However, I'm thankful to #NonfictionNovember for pushing me to read it.

This collection of essays is eye-opening, beautifully written, and addresses many different topics. The combination of social commentary with popular music was pure genius.

This poignant, perceptive, and piercing collection of essays explores, through pop culture, primarily music—from Chance the Rapper to Bruce Springsteen, Carly Rae Jepson to My Chemical Romance, to name just a few!—such subjects as race, class, gender, privilege, police brutality, gun violence, grief, growing up, joy and community, and so much more. I highly recommend listening to a playlist of all the songs mentioned as you go.

#bookhaul I think I have gotten all the books I ordered on cyber Monday (also a box of Pat McGrath lipsticks I honestly do not remember ordering. Past Shawna you barely wear it why did you think you needed 6 tubes?)
Have a mixture of old and new! 2023 is going to be my Octavia Butler reading year which I am excited about, and I keep hearing great things about the other Merlin! So much good stuff.

So excited there‘s an audiobook and it‘s narrated by the author!

Sooooooo my last book mail of the year is unintentionally a little too on the nose 😂😭

More exciting book mail from today! This cover got me!😲😲😲

#bookmail today included the tagged book from @Cinfhen It finally came!!!!! Thank you so much Cindy! 😘😘

I‘ve had such a hard time reading these past few months. I don‘t think I‘ve finished a book since the beginning of March. I‘ve been unable to concentrate on anything. For the first time in a long time, I‘ve actually had the urge to sit down and read something. I‘ve heard great things about this one. I have missed books so much. And Litsy!

Hanif Abdurraqib is probably the coolest guy you never heard of. His essays are so visceral and poignant yet funny and insightful. I could have read the collection in one sitting but instead I chose to read a few each night before bed. Whether he was writing about Bruce Springsteen or Carly Rae Jepsen, I was 💯 on board. This book was powerful and stirring. Loved it🎶♥️

Halfway through this collection! It‘s so on point and relevant to what‘s going on right now. The essays integrate race, color, privilege all through the lens of music 🎶 ❤️Its really good ✌🏽And the cover is 🙌🏻

This book! All the stars ⭐️ He writes about racial injustice intertwined with music, with Ohio, with his life. What an insightful and talented author!

So on BlackFriday I ordered lots of books 🙈I had these sent to my friend who‘s coming to visit over Christmas/Chanukah. But she thought I‘d want them right away, so she mailed them to me😊such a great surprise although I can‘t tell her that I‘m saving them all for 2020 challenges😂Happy #BookMailSurprise

I‘ve been curious about this one since I missed seeing the author at a book festival in 2018. Essays that blend culture and #music intrigue me, and I like the title and cover. #movember

"I do not know what it is that makes a person real, but I imagine it is in the way they can convince you of the things they have not done."
-"Johnny Cash Never Shot a Man in Reno. Or, The Migos: Nice Kids From the Suburbs"

"What good is endless hope in a country that never runs out of ways to drain you of it?"
-"Searching For a New Kind of Optimism"

"All things do not pass. Sometimes, that which does not kill you sits heavy over you until all of the things that did not kill you turn into a single counterforce that might."
-"Brief Notes on Staying//No One Is Making Their Best Work When They Want to Die"

"It‘s in the spirit of male loneliness to imagine that someone has to suffer for it."
-"The Return of the Loneliest Boys in Town"

#7days7covers

Day One

I was tagged by quite a few people so thanks to you all!
Join in if you want, I know basically everybody is doing it now so! 🤷🏽‍♀️

“It walks a line between punishment and survival, like so many tools of escape do.”

Absolutely loved this book of essays about music and identity and also life. The emo ones especially struck a chord with me, but so many excellent points here. Highly recommend.

No YOU‘re crying over a Fall Out Boy essay on a plane

I cried at the CRJ chapter on love and shame and Hanif‘s voice is in my head.

Abdurraqib is so brilliant. There is so much feeling here, there is so much narrative in the music that I have loved all my life without knowing. So much love beyond that, too.
Not sure if it is a coincidence I have plans to see four different live shows in the next few months. 🤙🏼

Many years ago, Two Dollar Radio offered books for life to the first 20 people who got their logo tattooed in a visible place. So of course I did it! (Imagine if every publisher did this??! I would be covered head to toe in tattoos.😝) And here we are, seven years later! I count several of these titles among my favorite books. A WORD FOR WOMAN IS WILDERNESS will be out March 19. I love Two Dollar Radio!!!TATTOO CLUB FOR LIFE. Er, literally. 😝🖤📚

I have listened to exactly 1 of the albums discussed here and it doesn't matter, it's still incredible.

This man is so. Damn. Talented. It‘d be depressing if it weren‘t so exhilarating.

I gotta stop trying to read this book before bed because almost ever piece makes me cry.

"I'd rather have average art and survival than miracles that come at the cost of someone's life."

In an effort to make picking books more manageable, I am shearing down my tbr to three at a time. These are the next on deck!

After a couple of short naps on the couch, I‘m ready to go this morning with my vegan veggie frittata and a pick from #mounttbr #24in48 #readathon

#24in48 #bookopener #hour6

I feel like essay collections don‘t get enough love. They‘re like short stories but TRUE. To celebrate my love of essays, I compiled a list of 50 great ones that have come out recently-ish! https://bookriot.com/2018/07/19/must-read-contemporary-essay-collections/

Chuck Klosterman + TaNehisi Coates

Ok, I‘m calling it. These essays are well-written and thoughtful, but I‘m not connecting to them. They largely revolve around current music, which I really don‘t listen to, and speak a bit about social justice and racism. If that equation was switched, I think I‘d love it.

In 2005, Pete [Wentz] downed a bottle of pills in a Best Buy parking lot while listening to Jeff Buckley, who drowned in the Wolf River Harbor at age 30 and who was the son of Tim Buckley, who overdosed on heroin at age 28. And so what I‘m saying is that our heroes spill from their heroes and their heroes before them, and at some point, everyone wants out.

For the record, the title of this book was not all caps on the cover. Essays on pop culture, music, and events in the world (circa 2016). Some were great but many of the essays did not resonate with me.

Sugar, We‘re Goin‘ Down