That's How They Get You - by Damon Young (Hardcover)

About the Book

In this "collection of Black humor from some of the most acclaimed writers and performers at work today, a critic explores what happens when a Yo Mamma joke goes too far. A violent town ritual causes an all-too-familiar moral panic. A writer shares the secret untold politics of The Electric Slide. All across the nation 'Karens' become illegal overnight. ... With words that roast, ignite, and burn while connecting to and coalescing around a singular thesis, this anthology emphasizes how and why Black American humor is uniquely transfixing. It's not just a mixture of observational anxieties and stream-of-consciousness lucidities but also an acute political clarity about America. Edited and with an introduction by Damon Young, ... the collection features an all-star roster of contributors including Hanif Abdurraqib, Mateo Askaripour, Mahogany L. Browne, Wyatt Cenac, Kiese Laymon, Angela Nissel, Deesha Philyaw, Nafissa Thompson Spires, Roy Wood Jr., Nicola Yoon, and more"--

Book Synopsis

From the Thurber Prize-winning author of What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker comes a pioneering collection of Black humor from some of the most acclaimed writers and performers at work today

A critic explores the paradox of finding community in "the dozens" while grieving. A violent town ritual causes an all-too-familiar moral panic. An email thread between friends on why we need an updated Green Book but for public toilets. All across the nation, "Karens" become illegal overnight. These are just a few of the hilarious worlds contained in Damon Young's groundbreaking anthology featuring the best, funniest, and Blackest essays, short stories, letters, and rants.

With words that roast, ignite, and burn while connecting to and coalescing around a singular thesis, That's How They Get You emphasizes how and why Black American humor is uniquely transfixing. This is a mixture of not just observational anxieties and stream-of-consciousness lucidities but also acute political clarity about America. Edited and with an introduction by Damon Young, the critically acclaimed author of What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker, the collection features new material from an all-star roster of contributors, including Hanif Abdurraqib, Mahogany L. Browne, Wyatt Cenac, Kiese Laymon, Deesha Philyaw, Roy Wood Jr., and Nicola Yoon.

Review Quotes

One of The Millions' Most Anticipated Books of Spring

"A pioneering collection."--The Millions

"Promises to challenge and entertain readers with [Young's] signature voice . . . alongside curated essays from some of his favorite collaborators."--Pittsburgh City Paper

"Young has a wicked sense of humor and a vast vocabulary of invective, both of which are put to good use in this anthology. . . . Funny bones, raised fists, scorching insights into the biz, delicious insults, and much more are to be had here."--Kirkus

"It's so great curling up with folks who again and again make me laugh out loud. So needed right now--and always."--Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award finalist for Another Brooklyn

"That's How They Get You joins Hokum and Honey, Hush! in the handful of truly multi-dimensionally Black humor anthologies by multi-dimensionally Black humorists on my shelf. This extremely funny collection is a Damon Young house party where all the genres are invited: the storytellers, poets, journalists, comics, professors, and professional shit-talkers--no, actually none of the genres are invited, only brilliant Black people united by the gift of gab and jab."--Terrance Hayes, National Book Award-winning author of Lighthead

"A completely absorbing collection, hilarious and moving."--Amy Sedaris

"Reading That's How They Get You felt illicit in the best way, and brought back for me how I used to sneak into my father's record collection to listen to his Richard Pryor albums knowing full well I could get punished for doing so. Like Pryor's work, this collection is a riot and risqué, but also revelatory. The last essay in particular will make you chuckle before you say, in all seriousness, 'g*ddamn.' That's How They Get You is both a gut-punch and funny as f*ck."--Robert Jones, Jr., New York Times bestselling author of The Prophets

"A buoyant, beautiful book bursting with big names, big guffaws, and big emotions. Laugh out loud funny? Please. I busted my goddamn gut. Humor--in all its many forms--is one of God's great gifts, and it is on fine, kaleidoscopic display in this triumphant, artful collection."--Isaac Fitzgerald, New York Times bestselling author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts

About the Author

Pittsburgh writer DAMON YOUNG's debut memoir, What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir in Essays (Ecco), won the Thurber Prize for American Humor. A founder of the culture blog Very Smart Brothas and creator and host of the Crooked Media podcast Stuck with Damon Young, Damon has been a contributing columnist for The Washington Post Magazine, a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, and a columnist for GQ and was the inaugural writer-in-residence at the University of Pittsburgh's David C. Frederick Honors College.