Punch Me Up to the Gods: A Memoir

Brian Broome's memoir tells his story of growing up as a gay, Black man in small town Ohio, which he describes as a "racist cesspool". He takes the reader from his childhood, high school life, the sordid gay bar years, to life as a drug addicted young adult, and finally to healing. It is often difficult to read what Brian experienced as a child and young adult. It is a wonder he survived. His recounts of his life are intermittently juxtaposed with the description of a bus ride across town, as he observes a young black boy and his father interact. As an adult he has the perspective to comment on the expectations that a young black boy is burdened with. His father was abusive, misogynistic, and broken, his vision of masculinity so toxic that it is no wonder that Brian learns to hate himself. His mother is exhausted, shaped by her own early life and trapped in an abusive marriage. The chapter written from his mother's perspective is one of the best and explains why she seems so cold emotionally, yet from her perspective, she is doing the best she can to protect her children from a cruel world. "White folks got plenty time to tell they children how wonderful and special they is, but that's not how I was raised. A black child need to learn discipline in this world because if they don't learn it, they end up dashed on the rocks." His writing is gripping, raw, and honest and he does not hesitate to describe situations that were degrading and that do not portray him in a flattering light. There are also moments of great humor that contrast with the darkness. Most of Brian's problems are the result of internalized racism and homophobia, learned from a society that devalues both black and gay people. Brian's book makes you think about how many societal ills, such as poverty, addiction and mental health problems, are due to the intergenerational trauma of slavery, ongoing racism and homophobia. Brian Broome has a gift for writing and introspection. #bookishfirst