Everything and Nothing at Once - by Joél Leon

Book Synopsis

For readers of Kiese Laymon's Heavy and Hanif Abdurraqib's A Little Devil in America, a beautiful, painful, and soaring tribute to everything that Black men are and can be

Growing up in the Bronx, Joél Leon was taught that being soft, being vulnerable, could end your life. Shaped by a singular view of Black masculinity espoused by the media, family and friends, and society, he learned instead to care about the gold around his neck and the number of bills in his wallet. He absorbed the "facts" that white was always right and that Black men were either threatening or great for comic relief but never worthy of the opening credits. It wasn't until years later that Joél understood he didn't have to be defined by these and other stereotypes.

Now, in a collection of wide-ranging essays, he takes readers from his upbringing in the Bronx to his life raising two little girls of his own, unraveling those narratives to arrive at a deeper understanding of who he is as a son, friend, partner, and father. Traversing both the serious and the lighthearted, from contemplating male beauty standards to his decision to seek therapy to the difficulties of making co-parenting work, Joél cracks open his heart to reveal his multitudes.

In this book crafted like an album, each essay is a single that stands alone yet reverberates throughout the entire collection. Pieces like "How to Make a Black Friend" consider challenging, delightful, and absurd moments in relationships, while others like "Sensitive Thugs You All Need Hugs" and "All Gold Everything" ponder the collective harms of society's lens.

With incisive, searing prose, Everything and Nothing at Once deconstructs what it means to be a Black man in America.

Review Quotes

Finalist for the Gotham Book Prize
Named one of The Boston Globe's "75 books we're most excited to read this summer"
Named one of The Root's "June 2024 Books by Black Authors We Can't Wait to Read"
Named one of Rolling Out's "Must-read books for June 2024 by Black authors"
Named one of Ebony's "Black Authors to Dive Into This June"
Named one of Book Riot's "10 Must-Read New Nonfiction Releases for June 2024"
Named one of the Los Angeles Daily News' "20 New Books Coming This Spring You Won't Want to Miss"
Named one of the Next Big Idea Club's "June 2024 Must-Read Books"

"These funny and compassionate essays about fatherhood, middle age, and Black masculinity will make you laugh out loud in one sentence and contemplate serious issues the next. Reader expectations are delightfully subverted."
--The Boston Globe

"By turns lighthearted, touching, contemplative and fun and tackling topics as disparate as Leon's feeling about his growing belly to the challenges of co-parenting, the book contains multitudes, just like its subject matter."
--Lizz Schumer, People

"Leon's lucid prose elevates his perceptive insights into the need for more expansive visions of Black masculinity. This auspicious outing announces Leon as a writer to watch."
--Publishers Weekly

"Quirky . . . memorable . . . sensitive, entertaining, insightful . . . ."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Joél's words are where I go when I need some inspiration. And he never lets me down."
--Lin Manuel-Miranda, Grammy Award-winning songwriter, director, author, and playwright

"In each generation, there are only a few authors who are gifted with the ability to fully capture the best parts of the human condition. Joél is one of those authors."
--Frederick Joseph, New York Times bestselling author of The Black Friend and Patriarchy Blues

"The intention of these excavated meditations is to provide a compass for each reader's soul work. Within the pages of Everything and Nothing at Once is a healing journey ready to be explored."
--Mahogany L. Browne, author of Chrome Valley, Vinyl Moon, and Woke

"What stands out most about Joél Leon is community--his empathy and deep understanding of its importance, and his ability to approach challenges face-to-face, to look within without judgment."
--Tia Mowry, mother, entrepreneur, author, producer, and actress

"Everything and Nothing at Once is a masterpiece! Through brilliant cultural criticism and courageous personal testimony, the book provides rare access into the interior lives of Black men in America."
--Marc Lamont Hill, author of We Still Here

About the Author

Joél Leon, also known as Joél L. Daniels, is a performer and storyteller from the Bronx. Currently, he's a creative director at the New York Times' T Brand Studio. Joél specializes in leading conversations surrounding race, masculinity, mental health, and the performing arts. His TED Talk on healthy co-parenting has been viewed more than 1.6 million times. His essays have been featured in the New York Times, Ebony, the Independent, and more.