kcmoss 's review for:

Don't Cry for Me by Daniel Black

5.0

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Here's a book you haven't seen everywhere about Black fatherhood, masculinity, and (un)conditional love. A deeply vulnerable, beautifully written masterpiece by Daniel Black about a dying father's atoning for his mistakes and failures to his estranged son in a series of letters where he attempts to explain the family's history of intergenerational trauma caused by slavery, violence, and being newly freed Black folks in the South. It's a story about a father, fathers, and parents who try to give more than what they had, but it's still less than what we need. This a love letter astutely written by a Black father to his son, shedding light on the pain and scars Black people endure while trying to find a safe place in this world, where we are loved and understood. I'm so grateful to have discovered this text as I rarely gravitate towards books written by male authors that center male characters, but it was a rewarding read. Probably one of the most important literature books of our time. CW: SA, domestic violence, suicide