4.38/5
Author: Charles Blow
Publication Date: Sep 1, 2015
Formats: PDF,Paperback,Hardcover,Kindle,Audible Audiobook,MP3 CD
Rating: 4.38/5 out of 3875
Publisher: Mariner Books
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Dec 06, 2018
The debut memoir from longtime New York Times columnist Charles Blow, Fire Shut Up In My Bones examines the author’s coming of age in rural Louisiana. Early chapters focus on Blow’s impoverished childhood and his strong bond with his mother, whereas later ones detail his college years at Grambling State University; his ambivalence about his sexuality and his relentless ambition tie the two parts together. The language is polished, the characterization solid, the pacing measured. The memoir is The debut memoir from longtime New York Times columnist Charles Blow, Fire Shut Up In My Bones examines the author’s coming of age in rural Louisiana. Early chapters focus on Blow’s impoverished childhood and his strong bond with his mother, whereas later ones detail his college years at Grambling State University; his ambivalence about his sexuality and his relentless ambition tie the two parts together. The language is polished, the characterization solid, the pacing measured. The memoir is well written, if conventional, but Blow rarely lets his guard down and the commentary on gender and sexuality feels underdeveloped. ...moreSep 12, 2014
It always amazes me how, when a really great book comes on the scene, everybody in NYC seems to be reading it all at the same time. It's as if the city subway becomes its own little Book Club; everybody reading the same book in the same car. I KNOW in my heart of hearts that this is going to happen with this absolutely phenomenal, exquisite memoir. Charles Blow tells the truth, and he does it in a way that both stuns and inspires. I enthusiastically recommend this book.Jun 02, 2014
I read an Advanced Reading Copy. Exquisite writing. Electric from the start. Since this is an uncorrected proof, I'm assuming it's still being worked on and will say no more.May 14, 2014
Some of the most brilliant, creative writing you'll ever experience. The sort of writing you grieve when it's finished. I had never heard of Charles M. Blow before my husband brought this advance copy home, but I am committed to reading anything of his that may come my way. Even when I couldn't relate to or agree with what he was saying, I languished in the way that he said it. Stellar.Jul 17, 2014
4.5Jun 27, 2014
I was fortunate to get my hands on an advanced copy of Fire Shut Up In My Bones by New York Times Op-Ed columnist Charles M. Blow. From the very first sentences of Charles Blow’s memoir, I was captivated. So much difference between our lives and, yet, so much sameness. His story telling perfectly exemplifies the connection Maya Angelou spoke of when she said, “I am human, therefore, nothing human can be alien to me.†However, the ability to capture the depth of this connection is a gift that few I was fortunate to get my hands on an advanced copy of Fire Shut Up In My Bones by New York Times Op-Ed columnist Charles M. Blow. From the very first sentences of Charles Blow’s memoir, I was captivated. So much difference between our lives and, yet, so much sameness. His story telling perfectly exemplifies the connection Maya Angelou spoke of when she said, “I am human, therefore, nothing human can be alien to me.†However, the ability to capture the depth of this connection is a gift that few writers have actually given me. I feel like he pulled thoughts right out of my head and channeled them through his fingers and onto his keyboard.Oct 25, 2014
Charles M. Blow, the renowned New York Times Op-Ed columnist, is a unique person with a singular path, but most good biographies have this: a great story of a remarkable person. What this one has that make it different and better than all the rest is, simply put, some of if not the most beautiful, lyrical and amazing writing, which takes it from being a good biography to being a great read. As my elders used to say, Charles Blow can "turn a phrase."Jun 22, 2015
I just cannot get interested in this memoir. It's so damn boring. Great title, but I suggest he release the fire from his bones and pour it into his writing. Once in a while he has a good line: "And he had the smile of a scoundrel--the kind of smile that disarmed men and undressed women" (7, describing his ne'er do well father) but mostly the book so far (up to page 35 when I gave up) is comprised of not-very-exciting descriptions of his rough, poverty-stricken life in rural Louisiana. Despite I just cannot get interested in this memoir. It's so damn boring. Great title, but I suggest he release the fire from his bones and pour it into his writing. Once in a while he has a good line: "And he had the smile of a scoundrel--the kind of smile that disarmed men and undressed women" (7, describing his ne'er do well father) but mostly the book so far (up to page 35 when I gave up) is comprised of not-very-exciting descriptions of his rough, poverty-stricken life in rural Louisiana. Despite the title, there's just no "fire" in the book. Which is too bad because he had a colorful life but I don't feel anything for the narrator or his family.Sep 15, 2014
Memoirs and autobiographies are without a doubt a difficult undertaking for anyone to tackle - to revisit one's childhood, recall periods of highs and lows (and all that's in between), and share secrets (that not even his mother knew) takes guts and confidence. Fire Shut Up In My Bones is written by a man who is finally comfortable with himself and opts to share his journey from the violent backwoods of Louisiana (where folks worked hard and loved harder) to the coveted New York Times Newsroom. Memoirs and autobiographies are without a doubt a difficult undertaking for anyone to tackle - to revisit one's childhood, recall periods of highs and lows (and all that's in between), and share secrets (that not even his mother knew) takes guts and confidence. Fire Shut Up In My Bones is written by a man who is finally comfortable with himself and opts to share his journey from the violent backwoods of Louisiana (where folks worked hard and loved harder) to the coveted New York Times Newsroom. It is a journey that includes childhood sexual abuse from a family member that causes years of confusion and self-doubt, robbing his confidence, questioning his faith and sexuality in a community with very little tolerance for anything outside of the mainstream. I loved his hometown folks and relatives and marveled at his innate survival skills -- he realized, at a fairly young age, the need to reinvent himself to mask and suppress his true self -- this new persona increased his popularity, boosted his confidence, and opened doors that launch a stellar career. This is an extremely personal and moving body of work which is sure to prompt discussions and hopefully promote healing in many circles.Mar 04, 2014
This is a truly wonderful read. It contains all the lovely hallmarks of memoir: It is evocative, moving and sometimes funny. The way Blow captures his coming of age as a black man who is sexually fluid, or "technically Bisexual" is admirable and courageous in part because he writes about his difference with such elegance. In addition to being groundbreaking without being self-congratulatory, Fire Shut Up In My Bones is also deft and poetic.Jul 30, 2014
This is Charles Blow's coming of age story. In lyrical prose, he relates the confusion and harm that sexual abuse does to a young child's psyche. Despite the poverty and bleakness of his early years, Charles has a love of learning and when he is encouraged by a teacher, his studying and ambition help him to make it to college and he ultimately lands a coveted internship (made just for him!) at The New York Times.Aug 30, 2018
"Fire Shut Up in My Bones" is an insightful, absorbing memoir. The author, Charles M. Blow, is a black man who grew up poor in Louisiana. He went to college in Louisiana and has been a columnist at "The New York Times" since 2008. He has appeared on TV, but I have yet to watch one of his TV clips online. If you're a regular viewer of CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, etc., you may have seen him already.Jun 26, 2014
Also read an advance copy. A great read. Beautifully written. His life has been an extraordinary journey so far.Jul 04, 2014
Fire Shut Up in My Bones, Charles M. Blow.Jan 12, 2015
In trying to figure out what it was about this book that didn't captivate me, I finally realized that at no point did I actually get a sense of the fire that is supposedly shut up in his bones. He ends the book by talking about the passion that he is going to live his life with, but the majority of the book he talks about how he has no connection to any emotion. If there is fire shut up in his bones, isn't that when it would have been formed? Make no mistake he certainly had a turbulent In trying to figure out what it was about this book that didn't captivate me, I finally realized that at no point did I actually get a sense of the fire that is supposedly shut up in his bones. He ends the book by talking about the passion that he is going to live his life with, but the majority of the book he talks about how he has no connection to any emotion. If there is fire shut up in his bones, isn't that when it would have been formed? Make no mistake he certainly had a turbulent childhood, but the book is written like he is reporting it and not experiencing it, and ultimately I'm not sure what the book is about. Is it to document how he came to define his sexuality? Is it to explore the effects of being molested, which - and I'm not saying this to diminish the effects or make light of it - happened one and a half times total? Is it to talk about demoralizing it felt when he was in his fraternity? There is a lot that goes on but very little substance, and it seems like he does that on purpose, like he doesn't want to get too close to his own life. There are countless stories he begins but abandons after a page with no resolution. He describes a person who is a best friend, but the friend is gone almost as quickly. He talks about an uncle who goes crazy, but instead of explaining the circumstances tells two quick anecdotes about other crazy people from his life and then moves on, without ever coming back to his uncle. There are many great books in here - his childhood, his sexuality, his professional career - all that would be very interesting reads if fully fleshed out, but this book is a two dimensional overview of an entire life that that failed to harness the captivating power of the title. ...moreDec 30, 2014
"I would harness the truths that had been trapped in me like a fire shut up in my bones." This is the second to last sentence in this book, and it sums up what Charles Blow has attempted to do here." "Harness the truths" is not always an easy task, especially when you reveal some unflattering truths about yourself. The writing is proficient and there are quite a few memorable lines in this memoir. In describing his mother shooting at his fleeing father, not really wanting to hit her target, "A "I would harness the truths that had been trapped in me like a fire shut up in my bones." This is the second to last sentence in this book, and it sums up what Charles Blow has attempted to do here." "Harness the truths" is not always an easy task, especially when you reveal some unflattering truths about yourself. The writing is proficient and there are quite a few memorable lines in this memoir. In describing his mother shooting at his fleeing father, not really wanting to hit her target, "A heart still works even when it's broken." And when in a nightclub thinking of a clever approach, to the woman who would become his wife, "The attributes I was most confident about-smarts, resourcefulness, resilience, proper etiquette-didn't register in a noisy nightclub."May 23, 2015
Charles M. Blow is a New York Times columnist who tells his coming-of-age memoir of growing up in rural Louisiana. It was a hardscrabble existence living with an assortment of relatives in various houses, including The House with no Steps (capitalized that way). He had brothers, cousins, uncles coming and going in his life, a mother who tried to hold it all together, and a philandering father who was mostly absent from his life. Charles as the youngest of the brothers, often questioned how he Charles M. Blow is a New York Times columnist who tells his coming-of-age memoir of growing up in rural Louisiana. It was a hardscrabble existence living with an assortment of relatives in various houses, including The House with no Steps (capitalized that way). He had brothers, cousins, uncles coming and going in his life, a mother who tried to hold it all together, and a philandering father who was mostly absent from his life. Charles as the youngest of the brothers, often questioned how he was seen by others, and found himself victimized by a cousin when he was seven years old. The incident caused him to sink into depression at times, making him wonder what it was in him that made the cousin see him as easy prey.Oct 11, 2014
I did not find the the writing exquisite and "lyrical" - yes, perhaps a few sentences were but too many were just overwrought and purple, striving for beauty. Also, as memoir it was structurally very linear and repetitive. I wish he'd included more perspectives from his life today - the immersion in his family world as a 5-year old (for example) with its perfectly memorized dialogue and overly wise interpretations of the child's mind just showed me he was interpreting his situation from an I did not find the the writing exquisite and "lyrical" - yes, perhaps a few sentences were but too many were just overwrought and purple, striving for beauty. Also, as memoir it was structurally very linear and repetitive. I wish he'd included more perspectives from his life today - the immersion in his family world as a 5-year old (for example) with its perfectly memorized dialogue and overly wise interpretations of the child's mind just showed me he was interpreting his situation from an outside perspective, but he rarely steps back and admits that to the reader. I had to skim some of the college hazing rituals for the graphic violence - but still, they were all of the same tone with what came before and after. Lastly, the exploration of sexuality was lacking cohesion, only half-written - with some blather regurgitating stereotypes about bisexuality. I just didn't like this. ...moreFeb 16, 2016
Blow's prose meanders a bit, and takes more time than needed to get to the point, especially near the end, but he is a very talented writer. I loved how he was able to build his world through words and invite the reader into the lives of his diverse family and small town. Though much of it was heartbreaking, his words were soft and storytelling skills very moving. Glad he shared his stumbles and triumphs along the way to becoming successful columnist.Sep 19, 2014
Hurtling down the highway with a gun on the passenger seat, Charles Blow is intent on murder and self-destruction. Blow seeks revenge on the person who upended his life and made him question his identity. It is this moment that leads to an epiphany. This memoir is an unpacking of that moment.Jan 06, 2017
4.5 starsSep 28, 2014
Fascinating story or stories but not well written or focused. I liked how he reproduced certain bits of dialogue to show how his relatives spoke...but it almost becomes ridicule...and when did he stop talking that way? I found the stories of Blow's youth interesting but his editor should have trimmed the rambling tales that had no point to his story or were used for yet another turgid metaphor. The poverty, abuse, racism and ignorance under which he lived are shocking in that they happened in Fascinating story or stories but not well written or focused. I liked how he reproduced certain bits of dialogue to show how his relatives spoke...but it almost becomes ridicule...and when did he stop talking that way? I found the stories of Blow's youth interesting but his editor should have trimmed the rambling tales that had no point to his story or were used for yet another turgid metaphor. The poverty, abuse, racism and ignorance under which he lived are shocking in that they happened in the 1970s to 1990s and not the nineteenth century. The book seemed more of a chronological list than a well thought out literary work. It seems rushed...I wish he would have waited another 20 years to write a much more thoughtful, mature and interesting work. He kept referring to family legends he had heard, but were they all true?...why didn't he do a bit of family research? He wonders about his uncle's criminal record? He works for the New York Times...doesn't he know how to do a background search? Why didn't he contrast the facts and socio-politcal climate with what he was experiencing and hearing. The book repeated the same points over and over again...always telling and never showing. THe book is also quite earnest and humourless and irony free...he even sets up a few funny stories by spoiling it by introducing them as funny stories. Clunk. He brags about his many heterosexual escapades but has trouble with his gay ones. It still comes across that he is uptight and ashamed that he is bisexual. It's a shame he didn't bring his graphic and drawing talents into the story more....like making an interesting cover.....illustrating a much needed family tree for his large and interesting family.Nov 10, 2018
This book is harrowing and a must read to understand various black issues. It goes well with Black Boy. It's like a modern version of that. Very painful and sad in parts and the writing is beautiful.Feb 13, 2015
4.5 stars. Memoirs of this caliber are the reason I love the genre. Charles Blow writes exquisitely about growing up in small town Louisiana, struggling with sexuality after being sexually abused by a cousin, and undergoing harrowing hazing in pledging to a fraternity.Oct 02, 2017
Over the last year or so of reading the opinion section of the New York Times, I’ve often come across the writing of Charles Blow. At first I was unfamiliar with him but the more I read him and his impassioned writings on injustice and bigotry, I became intrigued about who he was and where this fire sprung from. This book goes a long way toward an explanation.Take your time and choose the perfect book.
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