WINNEROFTHEKIRKUSPRIZE-WINNEROFALAMBDALITERARYAWARD-NEWYORKTIMESNOTABLEBOOK-NEWYORKTIMESEDITORS’PICK-STONEWALLHONORBOOK-NAMEDABESTBOOKOFTHEYEARBYPUBLISHERSWEEKLY,KIRKUSREVIEWS,LIBRARYJOURNAL,AMAZONANDAPPLEBOOKS-TODAYSUMMERREADINGLISTPICK-ENTERTAINMENTWEEKLYBESTDEBUTOFSUMMERPICK-PEOPLEBESTBOOKOFSUMMERPICKAraw,poetic,coming-of-age“masterwork“(TheNewYorkTimes)PunchMeUptotheGodsintroducesapowerfulnewtalentinBrianBroome,whoseearlyyearsgrowingupinOhioasadark-skinnedBlackboyharboringcrushesonotherboyspropelforwardthisgorgeous,aching,andunforgettabledebut.Brian’srecountingofhisexperiences--inalltheircringe-worthy,hilarious,andheartbreakingglory--revealaperpetualoutsiderawkwardlysquirmingtofindhiswayin.Indiscriminatesexandescalatingdrugusehelptosoothehishurt,youngpsyche,usuallytouproariousanddevastatingeffect.Ano-nonsensemotherandbrokenfatherplaycrucialrolesinourmisfit’soriginstory.ButitisBrian’svoiceintheretellingthatshowsthetruedepthofvulnerabilityforyoungBlackboysthatisoftenquietlyneartoburstingattheseams.CleverlyframedaroundGwendolynBrooks’spoem“WeRealCool,“theiconicandlovingodetoBlackboyhood,PunchMeUptotheGodsisatonceplayful,poignant,andwhollyoriginal.Broome’swritingbrimswithswaggerandsensitivity,bringinganexquisiteandfreshvoicetoongoingculturalconversationsaboutBlacknessinAmerica.
