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Buck
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
14 posts | 8 read | 1 reading | 11 to read
A coming-of-age story about navigating the wilds of urban America and the shrapnel of a self-destructing family, Buck shares the story of a generation through one original and riveting voice. MK Asante was born in Zimbabwe to American parents: his mother a dancer, his father a revered professor. But as a teenager, MK was alone on the streets of North Philadelphia, swept up in a world of drugs, sex, and violence. MKs memoir is an unforgettable tale of how one precocious, confused kid educated himself through gangs, rap, mystic cults, ghetto philosophy, and, eventually, books. It is an inspiring tribute to the power of literature to heal and redeem us. Praise for Buck A story of surviving and thriving with passion, compassion, wit, and style.Maya Angelou In America, we have a tradition of black writers whose autobiographies and memoirs come to define an era. . . . Buck may be this generations story.NPR The voice of a new generation. . . . You will love nearly everything about Buck.Essence A virtuoso performance . . . [an] extraordinary page-turner of a memoir . . . written in a breathless, driving hip-hop prose style that gives it a tough, contemporary edge.The Philadelphia Inquirer Frequently brilliant and always engaging . . . It takes great skill to render the wide variety of characters, male and female, young and old, that populate a memoir like Buck. Asante [is] at his best when he sets out into the city of Philadelphia itself. In fact, that city is the true star of this book. Phillys skateboarders, its street-corner philosophers and its tattoo artists are all brought vividly to life here. . . . Asantes memoir will find an eager readership, especially among young people searching in books for the kind of understanding and meaning that eludes them in their real-life relationships. . . . A powerful and captivating book.Hector Tobar, Los Angeles Times Remarkable . . . Asantes prose is a fluid blend of vernacular swagger and tender poeticism. . . . [He] soaks up James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston and Walt Whitman like thirsty ground in a heavy rain. Buck grew from that, and its a bumper crop.Salon Buck is so honest it floatseven while its so down-to-earth that the reader feels like an ant peering up from the concrete. Its a powerful book. . . . Asante is a hip-hop raconteur, a storyteller in the Homeric tradition, an American, a rhymer, a big-thinker singing a song of himself. Youll want to listen.The Buffalo News From the Trade Paperback edition.
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Staci
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
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Pickpick

" You don't need to be great to get started, but you need to get started to be great"

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shortsarahrose
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
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Pickpick

Engaging, inspiring, but not sappy, coming of age memoir. Asante‘s use of language is brilliant, particularly how he uses language to reflect his growth and struggles not just through the narrative, but also through the shifts in the style. Many here will relate to how reading (and writing) deeply impacts Asante‘s life.

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shortsarahrose
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
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“‘If I find a place - a school that will take you - will you go?‘ she asks.
I nod, anything for her.”

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shortsarahrose
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
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“I found out later the charm says Allah, which means ‘God‘ in Arabic.
I remember the sign on Frazier Street: God Saves.”

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shortsarahrose
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
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“I hug Malo but my mind is on the future. How is it that the future has become so tenuous for both my sons and, truth be told, me?”

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shortsarahrose
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
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“‘Fuck you,‘ I say, looking forward to suspension.”

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Smartypants
Buck: A Memoir | Molefi K. Asante
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Pickpick

Wow! This coming-of-age memoir kept me company on the drive to Michigan for my big move! Such an excellent view of growing up in Philly in the early 90s. A must-read! #philly #mustread #litsy

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BooksForYears
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
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#MayBookFlowers Day 7 - Black & White Covers

I had no idea how many of my books have black and white monochrome covers!

Lcsmcat Best Beowulf translation ever. 8y
BooksForYears @Lcsmcat Absolutely agree! 8y
161 likes3 comments
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SarahSaysRead
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
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Just gonna drop this here real quick for #recommendsday 😄 All fantastic #nonfiction reads that you'll be able to tear through real fast.

#nonficnovember #space #dinosaurs #memoirs #deathfraud

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PrezBookster
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
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Ripped jeans and sandals... Air Jesuses! 😂😂 this had me cracking up.

TheBookHippie 😂👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 8y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Hahaha!!! I like it! 8y
65 likes3 comments
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PrezBookster
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
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Wow! Thank you #littens ! I'm feeling so excited to be a part of this community! It's my favorite social site!

britt_brooke 💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼 8y
CherylDeFranceschi 🎉📚🎉 8y
kspenmoll Fabulous! 👏🎉💥 8y
See All 22 Comments
Dragon 🎉👍🏼😀 8y
Shemac77 Congratulations!! 8y
Eyelit 👍🎉😃 8y
KVanRead Congrats!!!🎉🎉🎉🎉 8y
LeahBergen Yay!! 🎉🎉🎉 8y
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megt Congrats! 8y
Bookzombie Congrats! 🎉🎈🦄 8y
BekahB Awesome!! 😀🎉🎉 8y
BookishFeminist 🎉🎉🎉 8y
ScrappyMags Yes! 🎉🎉🎉 8y
Simona 👏🍾Congrats ‼️ 8y
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I-read-and-eat Yay! Congrats 🎉🎉 8y
stacybmartin Way to go! 🎉📚🎉 8y
quirkyreader Yippie for you 🐸🐙 8y
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moranadatter Yay!🍾 8y
LauraBeth Yay 😀🏆🎉 8y
97 likes1 stack add22 comments
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PrezBookster
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
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BooksForYears
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
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#Booktober Day 3 - A selection of text-only covers

I was really surprised how few books on my shelves have #textonlycovers and it gave me pause to think about book cover design and the choices that are made.

brendanmleonard Ooh, I want to read that City Lights one! 8y
RealLifeReading The Argonauts! A good reminder for me to go read this already 8y
WordWaller 💖the Argonauts 8y
BooksForYears @RealLifeReading @WordWaller Yes! It's so honest and heartbreaking and beautiful ! 8y
48 likes4 comments
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PrezBookster
Buck: A Memoir | M.K. Asante
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I've been wanting to read this for a while! So glad my library finally got smart!