No Ashes in the Fire: Coming of Age Black and Free in America by Darnell L. Moore

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No Ashes in the Fire: Coming of Age Black and Free in America by Darnell L. Moore



                I’m pretty much in love with reading memoirs by Black people right now. Doing so, keeps reassuring me that we, as Black people, are not a monolith and our diversity is something to be celebrated. I want to celebrate Moore after reading his memoir. I want to celebrate him and the amount of growth he experienced from being a young insecure teen, bullied by the other kids in the neighborhood to being an accomplished sexually fluid man who advocates for the rights of Black people and the LGBT community.
                It takes a lot of courage to express your truth. Moore’s truth is one filled with overcoming circumstances and learning to accept oneself. Moore had to deal with the physical abuse of his mother, understanding his queerness and levying that with his faith. His is a unique story and I really enjoyed the detail he was willing to include. It showed a level of honesty and introspection that I didn’t expect. The moments I found most sincere were his thoughts about his position in the church and how his position in the patriarchy affected the way he loved and treated others. Moore was able to describe how and why in such a succinct, matter of fact way that can only be a credit to not only introspection but genuine growth and a willingness to change.
                I would definitely recommend this book. It’s a singular experience that I feel many would be able to relate to. I found Moore’s writing to be exceptional in his descriptive and nuanced style. His story is one that I am grateful I was exposed to. I’ve learned from him and his experience. These are the stories everyone needs to be reading. The stories that may be extremely different from our own but refuse to let us “other” them because they are steeped in the truth of their lived experiences.

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