Review: A Little Devil In America

 A Little Devil In America by Hanif Abdurraqib 


When I say I love Hanif's writing, what I mean is, I missed my turn to work and had to double back blocks later when I realized my mistake. Hanif's words illustrate his life experiences so well that I can envision these moments as though I am alongside him. I can hear all the songs he references in my ears and see television and movie scenes as though the reel is playing in my head behind my eyes. I am in the room as he and his friends play cards and accidentally knock over a television. I am watching him grow up. A Black Muslim man gowing up in Ohio.


Somehow the story of Hanif's life in the Midwest seems like so much more. And maybe it is...because stories don't get written about the lives of boring people.


Hanif has a way of making The ordinary seem extraordinary. The man is a literary and literal genius. At the end of 2021 he won the MacArthur Genius Grant. (https://www.macfound.org/programs/fellows/)


As a fan of Hanif's poetry, I had hopes for A Little Devil In America and Hanif delivered. If you are a non-fiction or learning about other cultures, I highly recommend adding A Little Devil In America to your Must Read list.

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