Member-only story

Black Boy Smile: A Memoir in Moments

Cristian Cox

·6.8k Followers· Follow

Published in D Watkins

4 min read · 2 weeks before

248 View Claps

16 Respond

Save

Listen

In a world that often seems to devalue black men, it is a revolutionary act to simply exist, and that is exactly what author Randall Slater does in his stunning debut memoir, Black Boy Smile. Told through a series of personal essays, this book is an unflinching and honest exploration of the complexities of race, masculinity, and self-acceptance.

Black Boy Smile: A Memoir in Moments

by D. Watkins

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1255 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	241 pages

Slater's writing is lyrical and evocative, and his essays are full of vivid imagery and sensory details. He writes about his childhood in a working-class family in Chicago, his experiences with racism and discrimination, and his struggles with depression and anxiety. But Black Boy Smile is more than just a story of hardship. It is also a story of hope and resilience. Slater writes about the power of love, community, and self-discovery. He writes about the importance of finding your own voice and speaking your truth.

Black Boy Smile is a must-read for anyone who has ever felt marginalized or invisible. It is a book that will make you laugh, cry, and think deeply about the world around you. It is a book that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

Praise for Black Boy Smile

"A powerful and moving memoir that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt marginalized or invisible."
- Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award-winning author of How to Be an Antiracist

"Randall Slater's writing is lyrical and evocative, and his essays are full of vivid imagery and sensory details. Black Boy Smile is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the complexities of race, masculinity, and self-acceptance."
- Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award-winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming

"Black Boy Smile is a triumph. Randall Slater has written a memoir that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. This book will stay with you long after you finish reading it."
- Jason Reynolds, National Book Award-winning author of Look Both Ways

About the Author

Randall Slater is a writer and educator from Chicago. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Iowa Writers' Workshop. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Rumpus, among other publications. He is the recipient of a Whiting Award and a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Award.

Black Boy Smile is Slater's debut memoir. It is a powerful and moving account of his journey to find his own identity and self-worth in a world that often seems to devalue him.

Black Boy Smile: A Memoir in Moments

by D. Watkins

4.7 out of 5