I don't want to die poor : essays / Michael Arceneaux.

Title:

I do not want to die poor

Author:

Arceneaux, Michael,

ISBN:

9781982129309

1982129301

Edition:

First Atria Paperback edition.

Publication Info:

New York :

Description:

240 pages ; 22 cm

Summary:

"Ever since Oprah Winfrey told the 2007 graduating class of Howard University, 'Don't be afraid,' Michael Arceneaux has been scared to death. You should never do the opposite of what Oprah instructs you to do, but when you don't have her pocket change, how can you not be terrified of the consequences of pursuing your dreams? Michael has never shied away from discussing his struggles with debt, but in I Don't Want to Die Poor, he reveals the extent to which it has an impact on every facet of his life--how he dates; how he seeks medical care (or in some cases, is unable to); how he wrestles with the question of whether or not he should have chosen a more financially secure path; and finally, how he has dealt with his 'dream' turning into an ongoing nightmare as he realizes one bad decision could unravel all that he's earned. I Don't Want to Die Poor is an unforgettable and relatable examination about what it's like leading a life that often feels out of your control."--Amazon.com.

Personal Subject:

Arceneaux, Michael.

Subject(s):

Debt -- United States.

Finance, Personal -- United States.

African American gay men -- Biography.

Holds: Copies (not including on-order items):

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Call Number	Shelf Location	Status	Item Holds
Searching... East Library	Book	332.024 ARCE	Nonfiction	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable
Searching... Rockrimmon Library	Book	332.024 ARCE	Nonfiction	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

One of NPR's Best Books of 2020
One of Time 's 100 Must-Read Books of 2020

From the New York Times bestselling author of I Can't Date Jesus , which Vogue called " a piece of personal and cultural storytelling that is as fun as it is illuminating," comes a wry and insightful essay collection that explores the financial and emotional cost of chasing your dreams.

Ever since Oprah Winfrey told the 2007 graduating class of Howard University, "Don't be afraid," Michael Arceneaux has been scared to death. You should never do the opposite of what Oprah instructs you to do, but when you don't have her pocket change, how can you not be terrified of the consequences of pursuing your dreams?

Michael has never shied away from discussing his struggles with debt, but in I Don't Want to Die Poor , he reveals the extent to which it has an impact on every facet of his life--how he dates; how he seeks medical care (or in some cases, is unable to); how he wrestles with the question of whether or not he should have chosen a more financially secure path; and finally, how he has dealt with his "dream" turning into an ongoing nightmare as he realizes one bad decision could unravel all that he's earned. You know, actual "economic anxiety."

I Don't Want to Die Poor is an unforgettable and relatable examination about what it's like leading a life that often feels out of your control. But in Michael's voice that's "as joyful as he is shrewd" ( BuzzFeed ), these razor-sharp essays will still manage to make you laugh and remind you that you're not alone in this often intimidating journey.

Author Notes

Michael Arceneaux is the New York Times bestselling author of I Can't Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race, and Other Reasons I've Put My Faith in Beyoncé . He has written for The New York Times , The Washington Post, Essence , Esquire , Ebony , Elle , Rolling Stone , and many other publications on and off Al Gore's internet. He's ran his mouth on MSNBC, NPR, VH1, Viceland, Comedy Central, SiriusXM, and elsewhere. His second book is I Don ' t Want to Die Poor . He's working very hard to avoid such fate.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

In an often funny, and sometimes moving, collection of essays, Arceneaux (I Can't Date Jesus) explores a defining decision in his life: financing his Howard University communications degree through private student loans. While writing with humor and outrage about an education system that saddles students with debilitating levels of debt, he also discusses his brief time as a cast member of a reality TV show, his interest in the intricacies of health insurance, his romantic woes, and his search for gay porn he finds palatable. Those born before the Reagan administration might find themselves turning to Urban Dictionary to decipher some of his vocabulary, but readers across generational lines will appreciate the sensitivity with which Arceneaux examines his relationships to potential partners, or to his mother. In discussing her harsh disciplinary methods, he writes "I wouldn't have wanted to touch you in any way that didn't convey love and adoration, but I would never have stood there and let you strike me." That quality--the love of a family that instills both gratitude and opposition--informs much of this book. By turns angry, hilarious, and introspective, this should strike a chord with millennials. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich, & Bourret. (Apr.)

Booklist Review

Journalist and cultural critic Arceneaux (I Can't Date Jesus, 2018) offers another unflinchingly smart and wickedly funny collection of essays. The recurring theme throughout this book is the weight of Arceneaux's student loan debt: one piece tells of the audacious harassment of collector calls, another of the things Arceneaux could have enjoyed or accomplished had he not been tied to crippling monthly loan payments. He is candid about how the payments crushed him even after his first book landed him on the New York Times bestseller list. He debunks myths that tend to circulate on social media about individuals or couples who pay off the entirety of their student loan debt in inordinately short periods of time through "hard work" or simple scrimping. Arceneaux analyzes defining moments in culture that relate to his experience in such a financial stronghold, like the time billionaire Robert F. Smith paid off the student loan debt for an entire graduating class at Morehouse College. Among other topics, Arceneaux also relates stories of his upbringing as a young gay Black man in Houston. Arceneaux's writing is meticulously researched, gut-bustingly funny, and rich with niche cultural references ready to surprise and delight his audiences at every turn.

You Self-Centered Bastard	p. 1
For $1500 an Episode	p. 19
Quit Playing on My Phone	p. 35
K Street Thot (and Other Careers Considered)	p. 47
This Is a Story About Control	p. 69
Never Have I Ever	p. 81
Cognac and Celexa	p. 93
Float On	p. 109
I Love Instagram. It Sometimes Makes Me Want to Die	p. 129
Swipe Up	p. 145
It's Cheaper to Die	p. 157
Shrinkage	p. 173
Mama's Boy	p. 185
To Freedom	p. 203
I Don't Want to Die Poor	p. 223
Acknowledgments	p. 239

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Bound With These Titles

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Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Booklist Review

Table of Contents