About the book
**As featured on Barack Obama's Summer 2022 Reading List**
Winner of the Gordon Burn Prize
Winner of the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction
Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award
Finalist for the Pen/Diamonstein-Spievogel Award for the Art of the Essay
Shortlisted for the National Book Award
'Gorgeous' - Brit Bennett
'Pure genius' - Jacqueline Woodson
'One of the most dynamic books I have ever read' - Clint Smith
At the March on Washington, Josephine Baker reflected on her life and her legacy. She had spent decades as one of the most successful entertainers in the world, but, she told the crowd, \"I was a devil in other countries, and I was a little devil in America, too\". Inspired by these words, Hanif Abdurraqib has written a stirring meditation on Black performance in the modern age, in which culture, history and his own lived experience collide.
With sharp insight, humour and heart, Abdurraqib explores a sequence of iconic and intimate performances that take him from mid-century Paris to the moon -- and back down again, to a cramped living room in Columbus, Ohio. Each one, he shows, has layers of resonance across Black and white cultures, the politics of American empire, and his own personal history of love and grief -- whether it's the twenty-seven seconds of 'Gimme Shelter' in which Merry Clayton sings, or the magnificent hours of Aretha Franklin's homegoing; Beyoncé's Super Bowl show or a schoolyard fistfight; Dave Chapelle's skits or a game of spades among friends.
Editions of Little Devil in America
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780141995793
- EBook
- ISBN 9780141995779
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9780241531006
Read an Excerpt
**As featured on Barack Obama's Summer 2022 Reading List**
Winner of the Gordon Burn Prize
Winner of the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction
Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award
Finalist for the Pen/Diamonstein-Spievogel Award for the Art of the Essay
Shortlisted for the National Book Award
'Gorgeous' - Brit Bennett
'Pure genius' - Jacqueline Woodson
'One of the most dynamic books I have ever read' - Clint Smith
At the March on Washington, Josephine Baker reflected on her life and her legacy. She had spent decades as one of the most successful entertainers in the world, but, she told the crowd, \"I was a devil in other countries, and I was a little devil in America, too\". Inspired by these words, Hanif Abdurraqib has written a stirring meditation on Black performance in the modern age, in which culture, history and his own lived experience collide.
With sharp insight, humour and heart, Abdurraqib explores a sequence of iconic and intimate performances that take him from mid-century Paris to the moon -- and back down again, to a cramped living room in Columbus, Ohio. Each one, he shows, has layers of resonance across Black and white cultures, the politics of American empire, and his own personal history of love and grief -- whether it's the twenty-seven seconds of 'Gimme Shelter' in which Merry Clayton sings, or the magnificent hours of Aretha Franklin's homegoing; Beyoncé's Super Bowl show or a schoolyard fistfight; Dave Chapelle's skits or a game of spades among friends.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Little Devil in America about?
**As featured on Barack Obama's Summer 2022 Reading List**
Winner of the Gordon Burn Prize
Winner of the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction
Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award
Finalist for the Pen/Diamonstein-Spievogel Award for the Art of the Essay
Shortlisted for the National Book Award
'Gorgeous' - Brit Bennett
'Pure genius' - Jacqueline Woodson
'One of the most dynamic books I have ever read' - Clint Smith
At the March on Washington, Josephine Baker reflected on her life and her legacy. She had spent decades as one of the most successful entertainers in the world, but, she told the crowd, \"I was a devil in other countries, and I was a little devil in America, too\". Inspired by these words, Hanif Abdurraqib has written a stirring meditation on Black performance in the modern age, in which culture, history and his own lived experience collide.
With sharp insight, humour and heart, Abdurraqib explores a sequence of iconic and intimate performances that take him from mid-century Paris to the moon -- and back down again, to a cramped living room in Columbus, Ohio. Each one, he shows, has layers of resonance across Black and white cultures, the politics of American empire, and his own personal history of love and grief -- whether it's the twenty-seven seconds of 'Gimme Shelter' in which Merry Clayton sings, or the magnificent hours of Aretha Franklin's homegoing; Beyoncé's Super Bowl show or a schoolyard fistfight; Dave Chapelle's skits or a game of spades among friends.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Little Devil in America?
Society and Social Sciences > Society and culture: general > Cultural and media studies > Cultural studies > Popular culture
Where can I read a sample of Little Devil in America?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780141995793
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Little Devil in America?
Hanif Abdurraqib
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Little Devil in America is available as paperback(ISBN 9780141995793) and ebook(ISBN 9780141995779) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9780241531006)
Where can I buy Little Devil in America online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Little Devil in America from below
Where can I buy Little Devil in America?