Hanif Abdurraqib

They Can'T Kill Us Until They Kill Us Hanif Abdurraqib

* 2018 "12 best books to give this holiday season" --TODAY (Elizabeth Acevedo)
* Best Books of 2017 --Rolling Stone (2018), NPR, Buzzfeed, Paste Magazine, Esquire, Chicago Tribune, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, CBC, Stereogum, National Post, Entropy, Heavy, Book Riot, Chicago Review of Books, The Los Angeles Review, Michigan Daily
* American Booksellers Association (ABA) 'December 2017 Indie Next List Great Reads'
* Midwest Indie Bestseller




"I loved, like beyond all measure, Hanif Abdurraqib's They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us."
--Samantha Irby in The New York Times





Upon its first publication in 2017, They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us became an instant cultural sensation, appearing in music videos, on B-sides to singles by The National and Julien Baker, and in questions on standardized tests. Now in hardcover for the first time, this 5th anniversary limited edition is the perfect companion for the 100,000 fans of the book, or as a gift for new readers to treasure the insight, poetry, and endearing wisdom of "one of the most essential voices of his generation*" in Hanif Abdurraqib. (*Juan Vidal, NPR)

In an age of confusion, fear, and loss, Hanif Abdurraqib's is a voice that resonates. Whether he's attending a Bruce Springsteen concert the day after visiting Michael Brown's grave, or discussing public displays of affection at a Carly Rae Jepsen show, he writes with a poignancy and magnetism that resonates profoundly.



In the wake of the nightclub attacks in Paris, he recalls how he sought refuge as a teenager in music, at shows, and wonders whether the next generation of young Muslims will not be afforded that opportunity now. While discussing the everyday threat to the lives of Black Americans, Abdurraqib recounts the first time he was ordered to the ground by police officers: for attempting to enter his own car.

Abdurraqib uses music and culture as a lens through which to view our world, so that we might better understand ourselves, and in so doing proves himself a bellwether for our times.