I Can't Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race, and Other Reasons I've Put My Faith in Beyonc

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Featured as One of Summers most anticipated reads by the Los Angeles Times, Vogue, Vulture, Entertainment Weekly, ELLE, Buzzfeed, and Bitch Media.

From the author of I Dont Want to Die Poor and in the style of New York Times bestsellers You Cant Touch My Hair, Bad Feminist, and I'm Judging You, a timely collection of alternately hysterical and soulsearching essays about what it is like to grow up as a creative, sensitive black man in a world that constantly tries to deride and diminish your humanity.

It hasnt been easy being Michael Arceneaux.

Equality for LGBTQ people has come a long way and all, but voices of persons of color within the community are still often silenced, and being Black in America iswell, have you watched the news

With the characteristic wit and candor that have made him one of todays boldest writers on social issues, I Cant Date Jesus is Michael Arceneauxs impassioned, forthright, and refreshing look at minority life in todays America. Leaving no bigoted or ignorant stone unturned, he describes his journey in learning to embrace his identity when the world told him to do the opposite.

He eloquently writes about coming out to his mother; growing up in Houston, Texas; being approached for the priesthood; his obstacles in embracing intimacy that occasionally led to unfortunate fights with fire ants and maybe fleas; and the persistent challenges of young people who feel marginalized and denied the chance to pursue their dreams.

Perfect for fans of David Sedaris, Samantha Irby, and Phoebe Robinson, I Cant Date Jesus tells uswithout apologieswhat its like to be outspoken and brave in a divisive world.

Reviews

There are stories that simply demand to be told and Michael Arceneauxs is one such story. In I Cant Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race, and Other Reasons Ive Put My Faith in Beyonc, 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 fathers 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 fromThe critical thinking, from beginning to end, is outstanding. I Cant 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 towardcontentment, wholeness and reconciliation with faith and familyas an unapologetically black, queer and Southern man.I know our patron saint Beyonc would be proud!"Janet Mock, New York Times bestselling author of Redefining RealnessandSurpassing Certainty
I Cant Date Jesusis 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, Beyonc, Michael has a Negro, Creole, and Texas Bamaalchemy that will leave you weak with recognition,regret, and joy. I Cant 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 weve 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 relatablereading 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 Jesusis 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 . . . . Arceneauxs 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 mothers disapproval or the power of Beyoncs 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 Cant Date Jesuswill leave you cracking up with laughter and nodding your head like youre in the front row at church.Arceneauxs 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 theyve 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 . . . Arceneauxs acerbic humor is reminiscent of the very best work of American humorist and author David Sedaris.The Advocate
Thank Beyonc 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. Arceneauxs powerful essays about the alienation hes felt for so much of his life are mitigated with humor and the wit of a pop-culture fiend. Maris Kreizman, Vulture

Author Bio

Michael Arceneaux is the New York Times bestselling author of I Cant Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race, and Other Reasons Ive Put My Faith in Beyonc. 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 Gores internet. Hes ran his mouth on MSNBC, NPR, VH1, Viceland, Comedy Central, SiriusXM, and elsewhere. His second book is I Dont Want to Die Poor. Hes working very hard to avoid such fate.