Fire Shut Up in My Bones

A Memoir

By: Charles M. Blow

Narrated by: Charles M. Blow

Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

A gorgeous, moving memoir of how one of America's most innovative and respected journalists found his voice by coming to terms with a painful past.

New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow mines the compelling poetry of the out-of-time African-American Louisiana town where he grew up - a place where slavery's legacy was felt astonishingly close, reverberating in the elders' stories and in the near-constant wash of violence.

Charles's attachment to his mother - a fiercely driven women with five sons, brass knuckles in her glove box, a job plucking poultry at a nearby factory, a soon-to-be-ex husband, and a love of newspapers and learning - cannot protect him from secret abuse at the hands of an older cousin. It's damage that triggers years of anger and searing self-questioning.

Finally, Charles escapes to a nearby state university, where he joins a black fraternity after a passage of brutal hazing, and then enters a world of racial and sexual privilege that feels like everything he's ever needed and wanted, until he's called upon, himself, to become the one perpetuating the shocking abuse.

A powerfully redemptive memoir that both fits the tradition of African-American storytelling from the South, and gives it an indelible new slant.

©2014 Charles M. Blow (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Best books of 2014 -this is on the short list

Would you listen to Fire Shut Up in My Bones again? Why?

Yes, reads like a good nivel, keen isights beautiful wring , funny and prodound

What was one of the most memorable moments of Fire Shut Up in My Bones?

The portrayal of Charles Blows community growing up where everyone called him Charl s baby and then moving to a new neighborhood where he not only was no ones baby but not even noticed

Which scene was your favorite?

Pistol packing women of his youth , the job fair ith the New york times

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Hilarious at times stunning in its ability to make you think about big life issues

Any additional comments?

This hould bevome one of those books that everyone should read in high school. Like rubyfruit Jungle it tells awarm story of sexual identity Wakening

Charles Blow Revealed!!!!!!

I loved the whole audio presentation! I attended Grambling State University as well. I was an acquaintance of his. I felt as if we were sitting in front of the library and he decided to share his life with me. All I have to say is BRAVO!!! I have already recommended his book to a few of my friends. It was raw and revealing. A true act of bravery and self awareness of who he was and who he is today.

Awesome!

I'm so glad I purchased this audible book, and he's one of my favorite Journalist. I never had any idea of what he experienced a very power and entertaining story.

neutral

The story itself is good
but the author should not have narrated. Mr Blow has a monotone voice.

Awesome Read!

This was very well written. It was hard to stop listening. I wanted to hear more.

Enjoyable

My book club chose this book and I was reluctant to try it. However I was surprisingly entertained by Charles Blow’s life story. He write with beautifully descriptive words that paint a unique story line. However his voice does not carry the words through as well as they could be read, there is little life in the sentences. The story was well worth the time and I would recommend it.

I highly recommend this book!

Throughly enjoyed this book. I thank the author for sharing his story in such a lovely thoughtful way. Being a incest survivor, I can truly relate to the loss of innocence and being overwhelmingly confused about what to do or who can I tell and will they believe me or blame me. Wonderfully written and performed....thank you for sharing your truth.

Well written and engaging… audio could be better

What was one of the most memorable moments of Fire Shut Up in My Bones?

I thought this book was very well written. I nice use of descriptive words without being too wordsmith intensive.

How could the performance have been better?

Charles who is the writer and narrator has a really nice deep voice but he was unemotional and drone like in his reading. There were some parts however which were very well done and these happened to be when he was voicing someone other than narration. I can see the narrator had real potential that sadly wasn't realized.

I have said this over and over here…the narration makes or breaks the audiobook. This one needed better direction maybe.

Charles M. Blow's Life and its Complexities.

Mr. Blow is an amazing writer who is very transparent about sharing his life story.
However, he reads in a steady monotone.
All of the sadness, happiness or other
emotions he experiences are said as though he's sharing facts and facts only.
I gave the book one star for performance and five stars for story and overall.

JB in San Diego, CA

Complicated.

I loved it. Interesting study in self discovery. 🤔 Author move toward becoming an honorable man. He learns to conquer his demons through hard work.