How We Fight for Our Lives

By: Saeed Jones

Narrated by: Saeed Jones

From award-winning poet Saeed Jones, How We Fight for Our Lives - winner of the Kirkus Prize and the Stonewall Book Award - is a “moving, bracingly honest memoir” (The New York Times Book Review) written at the crossroads of sex, race, and power.

One of the best books of the year as selected by The New York Times; The Washington Post; NPR; Time; The New Yorker; O, The Oprah Magazine; Harper’s Bazaar; Elle; BuzzFeed; Goodreads; and many more.

“People don’t just happen,” writes Saeed Jones. “We sacrifice former versions of ourselves. We sacrifice the people who dared to raise us. The ‘I’ it seems doesn’t exist until we are able to say, ‘I am no longer yours.’”

Haunted and haunting, How We Fight for Our Lives is a stunning coming-of-age memoir about a young, Black, gay man from the South as he fights to carve out a place for himself, within his family, within his country, within his own hopes, desires, and fears. Through a series of vignettes that chart a course across the American landscape, Jones draws listeners into his boyhood and adolescence - into tumultuous relationships with his family, into passing flings with lovers, friends, and strangers. Each piece builds into a larger examination of race and queerness, power and vulnerability, love and grief: a portrait of what we all do for one another - and to one another - as we fight to become ourselves.

An award-winning poet, Jones has developed a style that’s as beautiful as it is powerful - a voice that’s by turns a river, a blues, and a nightscape set ablaze. How We Fight for Our Lives is a one-of-a-kind memoir and an audiobook that cements Saeed Jones as an essential writer for our time.

©2019 Saeed Jones (P)2019 Simon & Schuster Audio

Critic reviews

"Listeners gain an intimate sense of Saeed Jones's life through vignettes he presents with grace, compassion, and ferocity.... Jones narrates unflinchingly through early curiosity about his sexuality, homophobia from family and community, and damaging sexual encounters. While he's skilled at creating voices for everyone in his audiobook, certain voices - taunting slurs, crazed declarations of violence - are particularly chilling. Through his dynamic narration, listeners will feel as though they are sharing intense confidences and moments of joy with a close friend." (AudioFile magazine)

Powerful and Haunting

I continue to consciously marvel at how we as African Americans have to blaze paths for ourselves in an alternate reality in every aspect of life that the dominant culture refuses to see but still actively participates in making it a requirement. Saeed Jones skillfully pulls back the curtain to expose the extreme heights and near devasting depths of the non-stop rollercoaster ride that African Americans endure daily while we exist above ground in our coats of non-white skin. Our ancestors--mothers, fathers, and grandparents--are why we are able to endure and fight and thrive every day.

Beautiful and Honest

A beutiful and honest memoir. I love memoirs and this one did not disappoint.

Very Enjoyable

I really loved the story. The author's prospective was open and honest. I wanted the story to continue. Like, what happened with Emma!

PHENOMENAL

I loved this story! I am a fan of Saeed Jones, and to have him be this vulnerable? It was amazing.

Beautifully lyrical and relatable

You can tell the author is a poet because the prose of this memoir is so wonderfully poetic. The words sing as the author reads excerpts of his own life aloud. His performance is less amazing; there are times you can hear awkward pauses or stumbling over words. Still, I think there's something special in experiencing something so personal read by the person that lived it. I share experiences, a city, and a school with this author, but think anyone can relate to the emotional truth in the story.

Incredible story!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Saeed’s journey. He was completely open and honest. It meant so much more to hear it in his voice. The last line had me calling out for my mother. Great ending!

Beautiful

Even if you didn’t know before that Saeed is a poet, you would know after reading his story. What a beautiful, honest telling of a life.

Read it now!!

This memoir was amazing from the language and the storytelling as a whole. The storytelling of his life was raw and real I felt a connection as a black queer who is also from Texas. Amazing Saeed!!!!! Thanks for sharing your story in an authentic way, I know it wasn’t easy but you healed parts of my soul telling your story.

This guy can write (and read)

Very nice flow and the narration carries you along. I hope that Mr. Jones keeps fighting for his life because I'm pretty sure that he will have a lot more to say.

Readers who have a 'do I really want to be reading about this?' moment at any point in the book... should persevere. Well worth it.

Touching. Honest. Revealing....F**ing Stunning.

I have never read a book in one day! I am eternally grateful to finally see myself in a work displaying the many complexities and beauties of the soul.

Unflinchingly honest! A memoir that hits you with so many different emotions. I rode it like a wave back to the depths of myself.