04/16/2018
“The world is still a harsh place for those who don’t fit in with the status quo,” writes journalist Arceneaux in this witty and powerful collection of personal essays. Over the course of 17 pieces, Arceneaux explores his experiences as a black, gay man and Catholic Southerner—identities frequently at odds with each other. Arceneaux recalls praying to Jesus to “cure” him of his homosexuality as a teenager in Houston, and later being “recruited” for priesthood as a college student at Howard University, noting at that period in his life he saw his future self as “something more along the lines of ‘Katie Couric with a dick.’ ” He later writes about his postcollege stints living in Los Angeles and New York while trying to make it as a writer (“here are the topics mainstream outlets love for me to write about from the perspective of a gay Black man: Black homophobia, AIDS, sexual racism”). His dating escapades, meanwhile, are frequently hilarious and sometimes disastrous: one man was judged unacceptable not because he had beaten up an ex-boyfriend, but because he worked for Fox News, while another brought a flea infestation into Arceneaux’s apartment. Arceneaux has a biting sense of humor, referring to the persistence of Catholic guilt, for example, as “the herpes of your conscience,” and a nasty roommate as “land’s answer to Ursula the Sea Witch.” Arceneaux’s confident voice and unapologetic sense of humor will appeal to fans of Roxane Gay. (July)
There are stories that simply demand to be told and Michael Arceneaux’s is one such story. In I Can’t Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race, and Other Reasons I’ve Put My Faith in Beyoncé, Arceneaux writes from his life as a black gay man with an uncanny strength of conviction and such fine wit. The essays collected here reveal Arceneaux at his finest, as he grapples with the very things that shape our lives – faith, family, and finding a way into the world he wants to be a part of. Whether he is writing about coming to terms with his father’s rage or his complicated relationship to Christianity or his trepidations about dating and finding human connection, Arceneaux makes keen observations and sculpts beauty from the ugly things a lesser writer would shy away from...The critical thinking, from beginning to end, is outstanding. I Can’t Date Jesus is a must-read collection from a rising, unforgettable voice.”—Roxane Gay
"In this collection, Michael Arceneaux is as vulnerable as he is hilarious, sharp as he is shady, thoughtful as he is THOT-ty. With wit, heart, and keen self-awareness, he allows us to see him in totality and forces us to feel our way through his journey toward contentment, wholeness and reconciliation with faith and family as an unapologetically black, queer and Southern man. I know our patron saint Beyoncé would be proud!"—Janet Mock, New York Times bestselling author of Redefining Realness and Surpassing Certainty
“I Can’t Date Jesus is both a Genesis and a Revelation. As he turns his brilliant, cynical, and critical eye on his own selfhood with sustained attention, Michael Arceneaux uncovers each layer of humanity and hilarity with the same unflinching authenticity he has brought to politics and popular culture for a decade. Like his god, Beyoncé, Michael has a ‘Negro, Creole, and Texas Bama’ alchemy that will leave you weak with recognition, regret, and joy. I Can’t Date Jesus reveals who Michael is and reveals who we are; in doing this, it elevates itself from personal memoir to definitive text of why it matters to be black, to be gay, to be young, and to be human in this moment.” – Melissa Harris-Perry
“THIS BOOK IS MY BIBLE.”— Samantha Irby
“In I Can't Date Jesus, Michael Arceneaux uses humor not as a spectacle or shield, but as a razor-sharp tool to welcome us into his world, his home, and his memories. Every chapter in the book is packed with subtext and the brilliantly ruthless wit we’ve come to expect from Arceneaux. More than any book I've read recently, I heard this book as much as I read it, and most amazingly, at the same time, the book and its incredible author heard and saw the black communities that made many of us. It is brilliant.”— Kiese Laymon
“Michael's voice is so specific and so relatable—reading his book felt like reading letters from a friend I've known all my life. He isn't afraid to say the things the rest of us are too scared to say out loud. He's a rebel with hot sauce in his bag. It's hard not to smile and body roll while reading every chapter.”— Lena Waithe
"Lots of stories have been told on being a black man in American, but I Can't Date Jesus is one many haven't heard, both in print and their everyday lives. Michael Arceneaux's story about family, religion and sexuality is ultimately one about manhood, and one we must listen to more. It is funny, thoughtful, biting and most importantly, totally sincere."—Bomani Jones
"[A] witty and powerful collection of personal essays . . . . Arceneaux’s confident voice and unapologetic sense of humor will appeal to fans of Roxane Gay.”— Publishers Weekly
“Arceneaux is as joyful as he is shrewd; his writing is affecting, whether describing the pain of his mother’s disapproval or the power of Beyoncé’s music. His moments of levity are like little rest stops on the thorny path through the loss and redefinition of faith as a gay black man. How lucky we are to have Arceneaux as our guide.” —BuzzFeed, Best Nonfiction Books of 2018
“I Can’t Date Jesus will leave you cracking up with laughter and nodding your head like you’re in the front row at church....Arceneaux’s voice is insightful, witty and bold, giving us a much-needed personal narrative that challenges society to do better, as he reflects on the lessons he has learned.” —The Grio, “10 Books by Black Authors We Loved in 2018”
“Arceneaux's essays penetrate to the heart of intersectionality to reveal personal and religious trials of faith. Together, they make a powerful statement of self-acceptance in a world much in need of lessons about diversity, tolerance, and openness. A funny, fierce, and bold memoir in essays.”— Kirkus Reviews
“Arceneaux is a hysterically funny, vulnerable writer whose memoir is a triumph of self-exploration, tinged with but not overburdened by his reckoning with our current political moment....He navigates with crucial nuance his many worlds as they’ve hemmed him in, made him stronger, and brought him to new places. The result is a piece of personal and cultural storytelling that is as fun as it is illuminating.”— Bridget Read, Vogue
“Hilarious....Arceneaux goes beyond the obvious and delivers brave essays about the challenge of finally coming out to conservative parents and his ambitious pursuits of becoming a professional writer.”— Essence
"Hilarious . . . Arceneaux’s acerbic humor is reminiscent of the very best work of American humorist and author David Sedaris.”— The Advocate
“Thank Beyoncé that Michael Arceneaux finally found someone to believe in after growing up feeling like an outsider as a gay black kid in a religious community. Arceneaux’s powerful essays about the alienation he’s felt for so much of his life are mitigated with humor and the wit of a pop-culture fiend.”— Maris Kreizman, Vulture
08/01/2018
Arceneaux's debut is both funny and serious; containing humorous essays about being gay, being black, and growing up in Houston. His storytelling has a degree of panache that puts him in league with some of the best personal essayists writing today. He also grew up Roman Catholic, which plays a large role in many of his essays. His formal education took him to Howard University while his romantic schooling took him through the trials and tribulations of contemporary gaydom, with its ups and downs. Arceneaux knows how to take serious matters, such as when asked to join the priesthood and making the irony deeply human. He talks about one of the classic locations of black male solidarity, the barber shop, and reveals how it can be a minefield for a gay man. These few examples don't do justice to the wit and verve with which the author writes; there are shifting emotions, reflecting someone revealing his deepest self. VERDICT Arceneaux is forthcoming in such a way that readers will feel like they're having a conversation with a good friend; a personal story for all readers.—David Azzolina, Univ. of Pennsylvania Libs., Philadelphia
2018-04-30
A gay black journalist gets personal about race, religion, and sexuality in America.Houston native Arceneaux gathers his most provocative essays to discuss how he went about "unlearning every damaging thing I've seen and heard about my identity." He begins with a reflection of his childhood and his devoutly Catholic—and homophobic—home environment. Although his mother taught him about sexuality early on, his father ferociously condemned a gay uncle who died of AIDS. Fearful of being revealed as homosexual, the author spent much of his adolescence masturbating to mental images of gorgeous men while praying that "God wouldn't grab Moses's staff and knock the shit out of me with it." When a priest approached him about joining the priesthood, Arceneaux realized he had to come to terms with who he was. The author experimented with same-sex relationships at Howard University, but he remained mostly closeted. After taking part in a New York City gay pride parade during college, he tentatively began coming out, first to other students and then to his sister. The music of Beyoncé—his "lord and gyrator" and a woman notable for how she always "[stood] firm" in who she was as an artist and black woman—also helped him find the courage to be himself. As Arceneaux grew into his gay identity, he contemplated the nature of gay marriage, cross-racial gay attractions, and his own relationships with other black men. He attempted to write about his revelations for the media, but when he did, his (mostly white) editors saw what "[they] wanted to see" rather than the truths he attempted to communicate. Arceneaux's essays penetrate to the heart of intersectionality to reveal personal and religious trials of faith. Together, they make a powerful statement of self-acceptance in a world much in need of lessons about diversity, tolerance, and openness.A funny, fierce, and bold memoir in essays.
Michael Arceneaux tells listeners about growing up black and gay in Houston, Texas, in an honest, frank, and laugh-out-loud way that educates as he's entertaining. His topics include the constrictions of both the black and Catholic churches, police brutality against African- Americans, and being gay. In an unflinching style, he points out the conflicts and contradictions of contemporary culture in sardonic, often sarcastic, undertones. Arceneaux's style is easy on the ear and gives the feeling he's talking directly to us, his good friends, over coffee. This addictive listening experience has the intimacy of a therapist's couch mixed with the hilarity of a stand-up performance; the brief chapters will speed along your commute. M.R. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Michael Arceneaux tells listeners about growing up black and gay in Houston, Texas, in an honest, frank, and laugh-out-loud way that educates as he's entertaining. His topics include the constrictions of both the black and Catholic churches, police brutality against African- Americans, and being gay. In an unflinching style, he points out the conflicts and contradictions of contemporary culture in sardonic, often sarcastic, undertones. Arceneaux's style is easy on the ear and gives the feeling he's talking directly to us, his good friends, over coffee. This addictive listening experience has the intimacy of a therapist's couch mixed with the hilarity of a stand-up performance; the brief chapters will speed along your commute. M.R. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
