Some of Us Are Very Hungry Now

September 15, 2019
A debut collection of interrelated essays finds a young writer trying to navigate his way through identity and challenges of race, privilege, sexuality, and culture. Reflective and creative, Perry has been on a pilgrimage of self-discovery that has led him from prep school and Princeton out East to the freer-spirited bohemia of San Francisco, describing himself in 2003 as "25, black, and frequently straight." As the collection nears its end, he is "31, almost 32, and my future seemed empty." After moving to Iowa City for a graduate program in writing, he struggled with his identity and what he wanted amid "the engulfing whiteness of Iowa, a shroud that would surely overwhelm me." His educational pedigree conferred on him a sense of privilege, of "passage to live among various stratifications of the white world," which seemed to some to render his racial authenticity suspect. "You're not a real nigger," insisted one of his white classmates, though Perry recognizes that race is the categorical qualifier through which others perceive him and through which he perceives himself. He also recognizes that words can hurt and that he has used them to hurt. Chronologically arranged to mark the author's geographical, psychological, and cultural progression, the essays show that he writes engagingly, feels strongly, thinks obsessively about who he is and what he wants, and doesn't accomplish anything of lasting significance. He writes about a lot that goes nowhere: sex, relationships, bands, writing, and his graduate degree. Yet throughout his journey of self-discovery, he has been gathering material, experiences that he can mine in writing. The final section features three brief letters addressed to "Emma," a woman not previously mentioned in the collection. The first suggests that she "might be some sort of light I could follow on my way out of the cave." At this point, it seems Perry has begun to find his way. A promising first book.

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November 1, 2019

In this debut essay collection from Perry (cofounder Mission Creek Festival), subjects range from San Francisco to Iowa City to Hong Kong, with some pieces taking the form of a screenplay, a test with sample answers, and letters. Perry examines the hypocrisy of liberal cities such as San Francisco that proclaim their diversity yet show distinct signs of segregation by class, race, ethnicity, and sexuality. A musician himself, the author goes in search of the underground music scene, considers creativity and art, and attempts to make sense of white appropriation of black culture. Often the only person of color in the room, especially in Iowa City, Perry feels he can never blend in, as someone always makes a point to remind him of the color of his skin. During the period covered by these writings, Perry drinks excessively to escape. He also uses the "n" word across several pieces, exploring its meaning, who can and can't use it, and why. All of this is discomforting at times, but careful readers will take time to reflect and perhaps gain new awareness and understanding. VERDICT The strong writing, creative genre use, and authentic voice add up to some high-impact essays.--Stefanie Hollmichel, Univ. of St. Thomas Law Lib., Minneapolis

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2019
Musician and writer Perry divides his first book into three parts: "Coastland" covers his time spent living in San Francisco after college, "Heartland" takes place during Perry's graduate school years in Iowa City, and "Heart" consists of letters to a beloved. One through line to the book is Perry's dissection of the use of the n-word, and its effects, considering musicians like Elvis Costello, The Rolling Stones, Mobb Deep, and Kendrick Lamar and their audiences; white people who've used the word with him, a Black man; and moments in his life when the word was felt without even being spoken. In addition to his creative, thoughtful, and bold writing on race and culture, Perry shares love stories and music stories, most memorably in the title essay, which braids a stateside relationship's dissolution with a music-writing trip to Hong Kong. Especially because of the evocative way Perry writes about his past in charged scenes that often buzz with music, fans of Hanif Abdurraqib's and Jessica Hopper's recent books will want to take note.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)