Heavy: An American Memoir – Kiese Laymon

There is no book more difficult to review than a memoir in which the author lays bare their deepest insecurities and darkest secrets. 

It’s not really a matter of if you like or dislike what’s presented, it’s more about how it makes you feel and what action it stirs within you, especially if the writer has an upbringing vastly different from your own.

These raw and unfiltered memories from Kiese Laymon’s early life in Jackson, Mississippi - roughly pre-teen to mid-20s - left me uncomfortable, frustrated and sad. It’s no wonder this biography is titled “Heavy,” because there is so much weight - metaphorically and physically - that the author has had to carry throughout this life. 

Written as a letter to his estranged mother, Laymon recounts the multitude of ways his life could’ve derailed, and the ways it sometimes did. From physical and sexual violence to disordered eating and a gambling addiction, the author found little respite in any outlet of his life. 

And those are only the factors brought forward by his family and personal relationships.

Society had its own opinions of the author and his mother - two educated and upwardly mobile Black people navigating a path that few in their community had done before. The constant code switching took its toll on each of them and their relationship.

While the sections were difficult to read, I appreciated Laymon’s frank discussion of his body dysmorphia and the ways it was amplified by his race. This topic is not discussed enough by men, and even fewer men of color, so this is an essential and potentially life-changing outlet for readers who may be struggling with food and image in the same ways.

The audiobook was narrated by the author, and while rather one-note, he did better than most writers in bringing their words to life. Difficult topics are sometimes better experienced via narration, but I also didn’t connect to Laymon in the same way I may have had I read a physical copy. I would put the preferred format up to user preference. 

“Heavy” makes a solid companion to Ashley C. Ford’s, “Somebody’s Daughter,” Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “Between the World and Me” and Dax-Devlon Ross’ “Letters to My White Male Friends. These aren’t the types of books you pick up for easy reading, but they are full of critical lessons - especially for white readers.

Rating (story): 4/5 stars

Rating (narration): 3/5 stars

Formats: Audiobook (library loan)

Dates read: November 23 – November 25, 2022

Multi-tasking: Okay. I found myself not following along as closely to the narration since Laymon isn’t a professional entertainer.