Punch Me Up to the Gods: A Memoir A Memoir

A poetic and raw coming-of-age memoir in essays about blackness, masculinity, and addiction

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.