Vernon Keeve III
Amazon Review March 23, 2018
This
book is not easy. It is uninterested in your comfort. In fact, dis-ease
is a core theme, along with the trauma of being othered in various
ways. It didn't occur to me that nature, here in the U.S., could be
associated with danger, that trees are a constant reminder of the
horrors of racism, that camping is predominantly part of white culture
for historical reasons. Similarly, while I have thought about the
corrosive pollution (and loneliness) of city living, removed from
nature, I never tied it so neatly with racism the way Vernon deftly does
in this impressive autobiographical exploration. And if that was all
this book explored, it would still be worth your time, but that is
merely the opening salvo of an emotional tour de force. The generational
trauma of parental abuses, the intense pain of peers ostracizing with
sexual and racial slurs, the fetishization of queer black bodies, it's
all here, laid bare for anyone to experience from a first-hand
perspective. The bravery of being so open is truly daunting. The book
culminates in a series of intensely painful vignettes of the author's
reaction to recent racially-charged tragedies. There is also a love/hate
note to Oakland (with appropriate excoriations of gentrification and
capitalism), and a simple yet provocative recipe (for disaster). The
title of the book is fitting. This is a collection of seemingly
disconnected tales, and yet they coalesce into a moving emotional arc
thanks to the constant thread of repeated themes demonstrated with lines
like "black women have never stopped singing for black men [or
themselves]." I found my face wet at several points during this half-day
read. I required several pauses to get through it. Even though it will
leave you with an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your heart, please
do yourself the favor of reading this amazing work.
BONUS: In this episode, we speak with Vernon Keeve III about his book Southern Migrant Mixtape (Nomadic Press, 2018), a collection published by Nomadic Press.
Memoir comes in many forms, be it poetry or prose. Keeve’s work is a bridge between both worlds. In a manner that is simultaneously universal and intimate, his book is an unflinching view at what it is to be black, queer, disenfranchised, jubilant, and resilient. Via his deft pen, Keeve turns his focus on how his own personal history is deeply connected to, and is bolstered by, the black experience in society.
INTERVIEW
This
book is not easy. It is uninterested in your comfort. In fact, dis-ease
is a core theme, along with the trauma of being othered in various
ways. It didn't occur to me that nature, here in the U.S., could be
associated with danger, that trees are a constant reminder of the
horrors of racism, that camping is predominantly part of white culture
for historical reasons. Similarly, while I have thought about the
corrosive pollution (and loneliness) of city living, removed from
nature, I never tied it so neatly with racism the way Vernon deftly does
in this impressive autobiographical exploration. And if that was all
this book explored, it would still be worth your time, but that is
merely the opening salvo of an emotional tour de force. The generational
trauma of parental abuses, the intense pain of peers ostracizing with
sexual and racial slurs, the fetishization of queer black bodies, it's
all here, laid bare for anyone to experience from a first-hand
perspective. The bravery of being so open is truly daunting. The book
culminates in a series of intensely painful vignettes of the author's
reaction to recent racially-charged tragedies. There is also a love/hate
note to Oakland (with appropriate excoriations of gentrification and
capitalism), and a simple yet provocative recipe (for disaster). The
title of the book is fitting. This is a collection of seemingly
disconnected tales, and yet they coalesce into a moving emotional arc
thanks to the constant thread of repeated themes demonstrated with lines
like "black women have never stopped singing for black men [or
themselves]." I found my face wet at several points during this half-day
read. I required several pauses to get through it. Even though it will
leave you with an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your heart, please
do yourself the favor of reading this amazing work.BONUS: In this episode, we speak with Vernon Keeve III about his book Southern Migrant Mixtape (Nomadic Press, 2018), a collection published by Nomadic Press.
Memoir comes in many forms, be it poetry or prose. Keeve’s work is a bridge between both worlds. In a manner that is simultaneously universal and intimate, his book is an unflinching view at what it is to be black, queer, disenfranchised, jubilant, and resilient. Via his deft pen, Keeve turns his focus on how his own personal history is deeply connected to, and is bolstered by, the black experience in society.
INTERVIEW
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