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Heavy

An American Memoir

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Heavy

Written by: Kiese Laymon
Narrated by: Kiese Laymon
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*Selected as One of the Best Books of the 21st Century by The New York Times*
*Winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal and Finalist for the Kirkus Prize*
*Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, NPR, Broadly, BuzzFeed, and more*

The powerful, provocative, award-winning, and universally lauded memoir by genre-bending essayist and novelist Kiese Laymon.

Defiant and vulnerable, Kiese Laymon’s Heavy is a deeply insightful memoir about what the weight of secrets, lies, and deception does to a Black body, a Black family, and a nation teetering on the brink of moral collapse.

From his earliest experiences to middle age, Laymon traces his complex relationships with his family, his weight, sex, gambling, and writing, naming the secrets he spent a lifetime avoiding. In the process, he challenges us to confront the terrifying possibility that few in this nation actually know how to responsibly love, and that even fewer want to live under the weight of actually becoming free.

Award-winning and universally lauded, this fearless, often comical, and provocative memoir has pushed the boundaries of its genre. Americas Mental Health Awareness Social Sciences United States Nonfiction Biography Social justice Memoir
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Heavy is a stunning memoir, beautifully read. It will transform you. Listen to it. Read it.

Transcendent

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Phenomenal.

Highly recommend the Audible version. Kiese Laymon is a highly talented wordsmith. Experiencing this story read by him infuses his written words with even deeper meaning and power.

Highly recommended.

Phenomenal

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This book was well done- written and performed. It felt very authentic, sometimes uncomfortably honest and filled with so much food for thought. Perfect title- Heavy. Heavy physically and emotionally. The complex characters of the people in his life were portrayed beautifully. Excellent memoir. Now I wish I could have a conversation with the author.

Well done

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What an incredible piece of literature. Mr. Laymon is a masterful writer who has an unprecedented way with language. The fact that I was listening to him narrate it just made the experience that much better. This story - which is a story that all of us can relate to, in one way or another, is one which will stay with me for awhile and one which I may well revisit again. I’ve stayed away from press about this book while I was listening but I’m now hungry to read more about the author, his journey, and where he and his mother are today.

Spectacular!

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Thank You for a compelling revelation. This white guy has had his eyes opened. The author reading his story is true perfection.

I can’t write about perfection

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