Here For It by R. Eric Thomas Review

 Title: Here For It: Essays 

Author: R. Eric Thomas 

Age Group: Adult 

Genre: Nonfiction, essays 

Series: Standalone 

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars 

I won an advanced review copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program—thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, and Goodreads! 

TW: Racism, homophobia on page

R. Eric Thomas is a news columnist and writer for Elle magazine, and to be honest with you, I didn’t even realize that I’d read some of his articles for Elle before I started reading this collection of essays. Thomas touches on everything: being Black in a predominantly white world, being gay and a Christian at the same time, suicide, code-switching in college, dating while dealing with severe mental health issues like anxiety and depression, and the genius of Kanye West’s music. In this collection of nineteen essays, I felt like I was having tea (both literally and metaphorically) with a good friend. I was wheeze-laughing, crying, and cheering by the end of it; he was just so honest and funny. I very much enjoyed this wonderful, unflinching book of essays; it might be one of my favorite books I’ve read this year! R. Eric Thomas is a natural at wordplay, and as a writer myself, I very much appreciated that. This book was like a window into what it’s like, being gay and Black in America, with all the cards stacked against you already. I loved the honesty that was shone in this book, and the humor! I was laughing out loud throughout. 

In this set of nineteen essays, I adored all of them, especially the one that described a budding relationship with a white boyfriend who is a horror fan and was gifted an Elf on the Shelf turned Krampus, as well as the horror that lurks in the shadows of white suburbia. I loved every word of this book, honest, at times cynical, but full of hope. I loved how all the essays tied together, from his privileged childhood at a white prep school, to an ultimately unsuccessful college bid at Columbia, punctuated with food service jobs along the way, to the meeting of his white church-leading husband. It honestly felt like an old friend was sitting on my couch, telling me about his life. My favorite, though, was Thomas’s accidental fame on the newly-minted Internet, after writing a satirical piece for a magazine.  I loved every moment of it; I always admire honesty in a nonfiction author, and Thomas brought that in spades. I loved, loved, loved this collection, and I hope to go back to it someday with fresh eyes! Thank you again to Goodreads and the publisher! The bottom line: Hilarious, honest, and thought-provoking, I am 100% Here For It! Next on deck: The Book in Room 316 by RaShonda Tate Billingsley!