They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us

Talented poet, essayist, and critic Hanif Abdurraqib will have you reaching for a pen, book dart, highlighter, anything to mark the page and save his brilliant words to ponder later. His debut essay collection weaves music criticism and personal stories with broader thoughts on how music responds to current events, and how we respond to music. His references range from Bruce Springsteen to Prince to Fall Out Boy, and his personal stories range from traumatic to joyful. You’ll want to absorb the brilliance of each essay, savoring them for a day or two before moving on to the next—and when you finish, be sure to pick up Abdurraqib’s latest: A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance. Note: both collections dig deep into tough topics like suicide, grief, and abuse.