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A review by bootman
What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir in Essays by Damon Young
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. I used to think that I didn’t like collections of essays, but maybe I only like well-written ones. A lot of collections of essays in this memoir format are very basic just telling you what the author thought they found interesting in their life, but it’s the most surface-level grew-up-in-the-suburbs type book. This book from Damon Young is much different, and the summary of the book definitely did it justice.
Damon Young is extremely real in this book discussing his experience growing up as a young Black man and his experiences as an adult and father now. It’s really interesting listening to his experience and how he perceives the world, but on top of that, the dude is funny and has an amazing wit about him. At one point, he went on a rant about a teammate on a bus ride back from a game, and I was in tears laughing.
The book gives a really interesting perspective on racism in America, but Damon also covers topics about his relationships with women, his parents, and himself. This is just an all-around really great book, and I wish more essay books were like this one.
Damon Young is extremely real in this book discussing his experience growing up as a young Black man and his experiences as an adult and father now. It’s really interesting listening to his experience and how he perceives the world, but on top of that, the dude is funny and has an amazing wit about him. At one point, he went on a rant about a teammate on a bus ride back from a game, and I was in tears laughing.
The book gives a really interesting perspective on racism in America, but Damon also covers topics about his relationships with women, his parents, and himself. This is just an all-around really great book, and I wish more essay books were like this one.