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A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America
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A deeply personal exploration of the generational impact of guns on the Black experience in America
A few years ago, Trymaine Lee, though fit and only 38, nearly died of a heart attack. When his then five-year-old daughter, Nola, asked her daddy why, he realized that to answer her honestly, he had to confront what almost killed him—the weight of being a Black man in America; of bearing witness, as a journalist, to relentless Black death; and of a family history scarred by enslavement, lynching, the Great Migration, the also insidious racism of the North, and gun violence that stole the lives of two great-uncles, a grandfather, a stepbrother, and two cousins.
In this powerful narrative, Lee weaves together three the long and bloody history of African Americans and guns; his work as a chronicler of gun violence, tallying the costs and riches generated by both the legal and illegal gun industries; and his own life story. With unflinching honesty he takes readers on a journey, from almost being caught up in gun violence as a young man, to tracing the legacy of the Middle Passage in Ghana through his ancestors’ footsteps, to confronting the challenges of representing his people in an overwhelmingly white and often hostile media world, and most importantly, to celebrating the enduring strength of his family and community.
In A Thousand Ways to Die, Lee answers Nola and all who seek a more just America. He shares the hard truths and complexities of the Black experience, but he also celebrates the beauty and resilience that is Nola’s legacy.
A deeply personal exploration of the generational impact of guns on the Black experience in America
A few years ago, Trymaine Lee, though fit and only 38, nearly died of a heart attack. When his then five-year-old daughter, Nola, asked her daddy why, he realized that to answer her honestly, he had to confront what almost killed him—the weight of being a Black man in America; of bearing witness, as a journalist, to relentless Black death; and of a family history scarred by enslavement, lynching, the Great Migration, the also insidious racism of the North, and gun violence that stole the lives of two great-uncles, a grandfather, a stepbrother, and two cousins.
In this powerful narrative, Lee weaves together three the long and bloody history of African Americans and guns; his work as a chronicler of gun violence, tallying the costs and riches generated by both the legal and illegal gun industries; and his own life story. With unflinching honesty he takes readers on a journey, from almost being caught up in gun violence as a young man, to tracing the legacy of the Middle Passage in Ghana through his ancestors’ footsteps, to confronting the challenges of representing his people in an overwhelmingly white and often hostile media world, and most importantly, to celebrating the enduring strength of his family and community.
In A Thousand Ways to Die, Lee answers Nola and all who seek a more just America. He shares the hard truths and complexities of the Black experience, but he also celebrates the beauty and resilience that is Nola’s legacy.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 9, 2025
98 people are currently reading
5740 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
October 1, 2025
I grabbed an arc of this book from Netgalley because I care about both gun violence and the experiences of my Black neighbors in contemporary US. I was surprised by this book though, and I loved it more than I expected.
I read a lot about racism and social justice. For me, these books are elucidating opportunities to care about issues that don't touch me directly. The mood of these texts is heavy, usually, as might be expected. However, Trymaine Lee approached this subject in a way that surprised me. He walked me into the subject through stories about his own family. He allowed me to to know those wonderful people through his own memories. And then...I learned the story of how gun violence affected his own life and those of his family. I felt so close to this issue in those pages that I found a smudge of gunpowder later on my hands.
I think of this book as a journalist's memoir that also takes on the issue of that journalist's life. And because of the brilliant form and execution, I felt like I was right there with him, every step of history he walked me through.
I recommend this to readers of long form journalism, journalistic memoir, books about the impact of race on life and safety in the US, and books about gun violence in the US. For readers who enjoyed Everything and Nothing at Once by Joel Leon or Out There Screaming edited by Jordan Peele.
Thank you to Trymaine Lee, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of A THOUSAND WAYS TO DIE. All views are mine.
I read a lot about racism and social justice. For me, these books are elucidating opportunities to care about issues that don't touch me directly. The mood of these texts is heavy, usually, as might be expected. However, Trymaine Lee approached this subject in a way that surprised me. He walked me into the subject through stories about his own family. He allowed me to to know those wonderful people through his own memories. And then...I learned the story of how gun violence affected his own life and those of his family. I felt so close to this issue in those pages that I found a smudge of gunpowder later on my hands.
I think of this book as a journalist's memoir that also takes on the issue of that journalist's life. And because of the brilliant form and execution, I felt like I was right there with him, every step of history he walked me through.
I recommend this to readers of long form journalism, journalistic memoir, books about the impact of race on life and safety in the US, and books about gun violence in the US. For readers who enjoyed Everything and Nothing at Once by Joel Leon or Out There Screaming edited by Jordan Peele.
Thank you to Trymaine Lee, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of A THOUSAND WAYS TO DIE. All views are mine.
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July 30, 2025Thank you to Trymaine Lee for sharing the raw and heartbreaking insight of violence in America, and the systems that continue to oppress people of color.
As a white woman, I will never fully understand the systemic waves of racism that constantly bombard black communities, families, and individuals. But it is my responsibility to educate myself to the best of my ability so I can support and advocate for change alongside those who are already taking action.
We need stricter gun laws.
We need police to be held accountable for violence against POC.
We need more mental health programs and access for POC.
We need politicians who will push legislation that supports equality among the people.
We need a president who doesn’t perpetrate hate and violence against non-white citizens.
We need more voices of black citizens to be heard and taken seriously.
We need change. And I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants or needs to learn more about how violence affects black lives in America.
As a white woman, I will never fully understand the systemic waves of racism that constantly bombard black communities, families, and individuals. But it is my responsibility to educate myself to the best of my ability so I can support and advocate for change alongside those who are already taking action.
We need stricter gun laws.
We need police to be held accountable for violence against POC.
We need more mental health programs and access for POC.
We need politicians who will push legislation that supports equality among the people.
We need a president who doesn’t perpetrate hate and violence against non-white citizens.
We need more voices of black citizens to be heard and taken seriously.
We need change. And I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants or needs to learn more about how violence affects black lives in America.
September 6, 2025
This was such a deeply personal and well-researched book that opened my eyes even further to a problem I wish we didn’t have to face so persistently: gun violence—specifically, gun violence against Black bodies in America. What I found powerful was that the author didn’t take a narrow view of this issue. Instead, he examined gun violence from all directions, not just violence committed by other races against Black Americans, but also violence within and across communities of every background.
The book begins with the author’s own story, recounting how gun violence has touched his life—from his grandfather, who was murdered, to other family members who have held a gun to rob, to protect themselves, and more. This personal connection gave me a clear sense of why he wrote this book and made his arguments resonate more deeply.
Through his lived experiences, he sheds light on how guns are often misused, overused, and how their presence ripples far beyond the physical harm they cause—affecting mental health, finances, family dynamics, and even shaping entire communities for generations. I also appreciated how he balanced these narratives with staggering statistics and critical research. When Black communities continue to cry out about the devastating impact of gun violence, it matters that our voices are supported by relevant, current data. This book does just that, and it does so with both urgency and heart.
The book begins with the author’s own story, recounting how gun violence has touched his life—from his grandfather, who was murdered, to other family members who have held a gun to rob, to protect themselves, and more. This personal connection gave me a clear sense of why he wrote this book and made his arguments resonate more deeply.
Through his lived experiences, he sheds light on how guns are often misused, overused, and how their presence ripples far beyond the physical harm they cause—affecting mental health, finances, family dynamics, and even shaping entire communities for generations. I also appreciated how he balanced these narratives with staggering statistics and critical research. When Black communities continue to cry out about the devastating impact of gun violence, it matters that our voices are supported by relevant, current data. This book does just that, and it does so with both urgency and heart.
December 21, 2025
"It's one thing to tear down a monument made of brick or marble; how do you tear down what's in the hearts of men?"
July 12, 2025
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for an advanced audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review!
To be honest, I was propelled towards this audiobook because the journalist/author was giving various accounts that spanned time periods, and all of them were jarring to listen to. Normally this is not my cup of tea, but hearing about the systemic racism that spans centuries and still runs rampant today--particularly where guns and other types of firearms are concerned--boils my blood something fierce. Trymaine Lee's voice is powerful in the written word, and at times this book had me at an emotional low. Each anecdote had a lot of impact, and some of them hit more so than others (the idea that a DOCTOR at some point said losing weight was an upside to a woman's debilitating medical condition was WILD and infuriating to me).
To be honest, I was propelled towards this audiobook because the journalist/author was giving various accounts that spanned time periods, and all of them were jarring to listen to. Normally this is not my cup of tea, but hearing about the systemic racism that spans centuries and still runs rampant today--particularly where guns and other types of firearms are concerned--boils my blood something fierce. Trymaine Lee's voice is powerful in the written word, and at times this book had me at an emotional low. Each anecdote had a lot of impact, and some of them hit more so than others (the idea that a DOCTOR at some point said losing weight was an upside to a woman's debilitating medical condition was WILD and infuriating to me).
January 21, 2026
I almost feel wrong rating this due to the content, but this was such a raw look into the impact of gun violence. There were numerous times I just had to put this book down because of the emotional impact some passages made me feel, but overall a fascinating read, and a book I’ll be thinking about for a long time.
September 6, 2025
*exhales deep breath* speechless. not a single note from me.
this was so powerful and gut-wrenching. I received an advanced audio copy (thank you net galley and macmillan audio) and the author was the narrator. this book is focused on the generations individuals, families, and communities impacted by gun violence (rather than solely the political side) and it was so impactful and important. I cried multiple times.
everyone needs to read this book
this was so powerful and gut-wrenching. I received an advanced audio copy (thank you net galley and macmillan audio) and the author was the narrator. this book is focused on the generations individuals, families, and communities impacted by gun violence (rather than solely the political side) and it was so impactful and important. I cried multiple times.
everyone needs to read this book
August 4, 2025
A Thousand Ways to Die is a memoir/nonfiction hybrid exploration into the many ways that Black people live in a significantly darker and more dangerous world than their white counterparts, and all the ways that impacts Black folk. Trymaine Lee is a journalist, and he 'cut his teeth' reporting on murders in various cities. He discusses reporting on Black stories in white newsrooms, and noting what stories are and are not deemed worthy of reporting. He explores the impacts of gun violence, beyond the one hit by the bullet, into Black families and communities. While written by a journalist, this book is not written quite as direct as expected, but has a touch of purple prose that makes it an incredible read. I work in criminal justice, so I hear a lot of stories along similar lines as the ones Lee focuses on, but regardless of your knowledge on the topics, his examinations will keep you engaged and heartbroken. This book is a must read, and will stick with you long after you finish it.
Lee was a fabulous narrator, and I would highly recommend the audiobook. He has a very relaxing voice for such deep content.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Lee was a fabulous narrator, and I would highly recommend the audiobook. He has a very relaxing voice for such deep content.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 13, 2025
Book Review: A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America
by Trymaine Lee
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Overview
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Trymaine Lee delivers a searing examination of systemic violence against Black communities in A Thousand Ways to Die. Blending memoir, reportage, and sociological analysis, Lee traces the generational trauma wrought by gun violence, policing, and structural neglect. Through intimate storytelling and unflinching honesty, the book exposes the human toll of America’s racial inequities while honoring the resilience of Black lives. It is both a personal reckoning and a clarion call for justice.
Themes and Content
Lee’s work stands out for its:
-Intergenerational Lens: Connects historical violence (e.g., slavery, Jim Crow) to contemporary crises like police brutality and mass incarceration.
-Narrative Depth: Weaves personal anecdotes (e.g., his own encounters with gun violence) with broader societal patterns, grounding statistics in lived experience.
-Structural Critique: Dissects policies, media narratives, and institutional failures that perpetuate cycles of harm.
-Resistance and Hope: Highlights community activism and collective survival as counterforces to despair.
Writing Style and Structure
Lee’s prose is lyrical yet urgent, balancing journalistic rigor with emotional vulnerability. The structure alternates between autobiographical reflections and case studies, creating a mosaic of Black experiences. Some sections lean heavily into anecdotal storytelling, which may leave readers craving more systemic analysis.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
-Emotional Resonance: Lee’s personal stake in the narrative amplifies its authenticity and impact.
Interdisciplinary Approach: Merges history, sociology, and journalism to create a holistic critique.
-Timeliness: Addresses urgent debates about racial justice and public safety.
Weaknesses:
-Uneven Pacing: Certain chapters feel rushed, while others linger on granular details.
-Limited Solutions: While the diagnosis is thorough, proposals for systemic change are less developed.
Section Scoring Breakdown (0–5)
-Emotional Impact: 5/5 – Devastating and deeply personal.
-Analytical Rigor: 4/5 – Strong critique but occasionally anecdotal.
-Narrative Cohesion: 4.5/5 – Powerful flow, though pacing wobbles.
-Originality: 4.5/5 – Fresh perspective on well-trodden issues.
-Call to Action: 3.5/5 – More prescriptive solutions would strengthen.
Final Verdict
A Thousand Ways to Die is a vital addition to the literature on racial violence, distinguished by Lee’s unique voice and unrelenting empathy. While it occasionally sacrifices depth for breadth, its emotional power and incisive critique make it indispensable reading.
★★★★☆ (4.5/5) – A haunting, necessary testament to Black survival amid systemic violence.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author, Trymaine Lee, for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
by Trymaine Lee
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Overview
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Trymaine Lee delivers a searing examination of systemic violence against Black communities in A Thousand Ways to Die. Blending memoir, reportage, and sociological analysis, Lee traces the generational trauma wrought by gun violence, policing, and structural neglect. Through intimate storytelling and unflinching honesty, the book exposes the human toll of America’s racial inequities while honoring the resilience of Black lives. It is both a personal reckoning and a clarion call for justice.
Themes and Content
Lee’s work stands out for its:
-Intergenerational Lens: Connects historical violence (e.g., slavery, Jim Crow) to contemporary crises like police brutality and mass incarceration.
-Narrative Depth: Weaves personal anecdotes (e.g., his own encounters with gun violence) with broader societal patterns, grounding statistics in lived experience.
-Structural Critique: Dissects policies, media narratives, and institutional failures that perpetuate cycles of harm.
-Resistance and Hope: Highlights community activism and collective survival as counterforces to despair.
Writing Style and Structure
Lee’s prose is lyrical yet urgent, balancing journalistic rigor with emotional vulnerability. The structure alternates between autobiographical reflections and case studies, creating a mosaic of Black experiences. Some sections lean heavily into anecdotal storytelling, which may leave readers craving more systemic analysis.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
-Emotional Resonance: Lee’s personal stake in the narrative amplifies its authenticity and impact.
Interdisciplinary Approach: Merges history, sociology, and journalism to create a holistic critique.
-Timeliness: Addresses urgent debates about racial justice and public safety.
Weaknesses:
-Uneven Pacing: Certain chapters feel rushed, while others linger on granular details.
-Limited Solutions: While the diagnosis is thorough, proposals for systemic change are less developed.
Section Scoring Breakdown (0–5)
-Emotional Impact: 5/5 – Devastating and deeply personal.
-Analytical Rigor: 4/5 – Strong critique but occasionally anecdotal.
-Narrative Cohesion: 4.5/5 – Powerful flow, though pacing wobbles.
-Originality: 4.5/5 – Fresh perspective on well-trodden issues.
-Call to Action: 3.5/5 – More prescriptive solutions would strengthen.
Final Verdict
A Thousand Ways to Die is a vital addition to the literature on racial violence, distinguished by Lee’s unique voice and unrelenting empathy. While it occasionally sacrifices depth for breadth, its emotional power and incisive critique make it indispensable reading.
★★★★☆ (4.5/5) – A haunting, necessary testament to Black survival amid systemic violence.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author, Trymaine Lee, for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2025
A Thousand Ways to Die just blew me away. This book is part memoir and part commentary on social justice issues impacting Black people in this country, but it is so much more. Trymaine Lee is clearly a talented journalist. He baits the perfect catch in the opening of this book (his near-death experience) and continues to reel you in throughout. While I tend to prefer my nonfiction reads to be footnoted and referenced in impeccable detail, I found that it did not bother me that this book was not. Written in more of a human-interest story style, it was like having the most profound conversation with a seatmate on a cross-country airplane ride. I was just mesmerized by Lee's storytelling and ability to weave his personal family stories with those he experienced meeting people around the country as a journalist and with history and statistics. As a health care provider, I particularly appreciated his chapter on the cost of a shooting... the human cost, the medical cost, but also the broader epidemiological cost to society. Shootings just don't happen to others; we all pay the price. The practical and reflective manner in which he presented his thoughts on gun violence (and the gun industry) and disparities affecting Black Americans made his words all the more impactful.
I listened to the audiobook for much of my reading experienced and referred back to the written version for more personal reflection. His message comes through clearly in both formats.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
I listened to the audiobook for much of my reading experienced and referred back to the written version for more personal reflection. His message comes through clearly in both formats.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
January 24, 2026
America's racially-based history is something I'm pretty well educated on, but this book still packed a punch. Aware of the many ways structural racism and inequality shorten black lives, I was utterly outraged reading about the white militias that sprung up to "shoot looters" in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and the fact that they swore to - and did - shoot anyone whose skin was "darker than a paperbag".
The relationship between guns and racism in America is something that does not get nearly enough attention. The fact that gun manufacturers went from a focus on hunting in their ads to "personal protection" DURING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT is a case in point. Also important is the fact that the second amendment was put in place *during slavery* to help the white men control hundreds of enslaved people - though, I don't think that was mentioned here, I know I definitely thought about it. What I didn't know, was that the first efforts at gun regulation were at the same time as the rise of the Black Panthers. Again, racism is the reason America has a gun problem not found in other countries.
The relationship between guns and racism in America is something that does not get nearly enough attention. The fact that gun manufacturers went from a focus on hunting in their ads to "personal protection" DURING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT is a case in point. Also important is the fact that the second amendment was put in place *during slavery* to help the white men control hundreds of enslaved people - though, I don't think that was mentioned here, I know I definitely thought about it. What I didn't know, was that the first efforts at gun regulation were at the same time as the rise of the Black Panthers. Again, racism is the reason America has a gun problem not found in other countries.
January 29, 2026
This is one of the most impactful and important books I have ever read.
I’d like to start off with how well-written this was. It was organized and had clear-cut insightfulness. There was no blame, in a book that could have been filled with blame.
I had a lot of feelings while I read these accounts, and it made me feel uncomfortable. I’m always looking for books that make me feel that way. We should all feel uncomfortable about the violence that happens in this country that could so easily be lessened if we cared less about money and our own pride and more about the quality of everyone’s human life.
What I was not expecting was a section in this book about my own hometown. Buffalo,NY. I no longer live and work there, but reading that chapter I was impressed with how the author captured the essence of the people who live there. I literally felt like I was back home walking alongside those people. I got goosebumps immediately when he started naming the individuals. I am sure this is true for others who read sections about their hometowns as well, but it emphasized every other story I had already read.
This one will stay with me for a very long time.
I’d like to start off with how well-written this was. It was organized and had clear-cut insightfulness. There was no blame, in a book that could have been filled with blame.
I had a lot of feelings while I read these accounts, and it made me feel uncomfortable. I’m always looking for books that make me feel that way. We should all feel uncomfortable about the violence that happens in this country that could so easily be lessened if we cared less about money and our own pride and more about the quality of everyone’s human life.
What I was not expecting was a section in this book about my own hometown. Buffalo,NY. I no longer live and work there, but reading that chapter I was impressed with how the author captured the essence of the people who live there. I literally felt like I was back home walking alongside those people. I got goosebumps immediately when he started naming the individuals. I am sure this is true for others who read sections about their hometowns as well, but it emphasized every other story I had already read.
This one will stay with me for a very long time.
September 17, 2025
WOW! Just WOW!
I don’t even know where to start. This book shares some hard truths about gun violence in America.
This is well researched and full of details that I had no clue about. AND it has a touch or two or three of personal experience by the author with gun violence.
It also touches on the tragedy of America’s past and its present. There were several places I gasped out loud at the shocking details. I was also shocked at where some of the guns are run through…one of them…my small home town of Ripley, MS and the neighboring towns of Holly Springs and Tupelo. Talk about research and details, it is all in here.
Y’all know I love a book narrated by the author. This just adds to the emotions. And believe me, this book..IT IS POWERFUL!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
I don’t even know where to start. This book shares some hard truths about gun violence in America.
This is well researched and full of details that I had no clue about. AND it has a touch or two or three of personal experience by the author with gun violence.
It also touches on the tragedy of America’s past and its present. There were several places I gasped out loud at the shocking details. I was also shocked at where some of the guns are run through…one of them…my small home town of Ripley, MS and the neighboring towns of Holly Springs and Tupelo. Talk about research and details, it is all in here.
Y’all know I love a book narrated by the author. This just adds to the emotions. And believe me, this book..IT IS POWERFUL!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
September 27, 2025
I listened to this on audio and it was eye opening, thought provoking and so upsetting. The systems of oppression and violence that African Americans experience daily is staggering.
December 4, 2025
Listened to this one. SO heavy but SO important to know about. I appreciated the historic and present intertwining messaging.
September 8, 2025
Real Rating: 4.5* of five
The Publisher Says: A deeply personal exploration of the generational impact of guns on the Black experience in America
A few years ago, Trymaine Lee, though fit and only 38, nearly died of a heart attack. When his then five-year-old daughter, Nola, asked her daddy why, he realized that to answer her honestly, he had to confront what almost killed him—the weight of being a Black man in America; of bearing witness, as a journalist, to relentless Black death; and of a family history scarred by enslavement, lynching, the Great Migration, the also insidious racism of the North, and gun violence that stole the lives of two great-uncles, a grandfather, a stepbrother, and two cousins.
In this powerful narrative, Lee weaves three the long and bloody history of African Americans and guns; his work as a chronicler of gun violence, tallying the costs and riches generated by both the legal and illegal gun industries; and his own life story—from almost being caught up in gun violence as a young man, to exploring the legacy of the Middle Passage in Ghana through his ancestors’ footsteps, and navigating the challenges of representing his people accurately in an overwhelmingly white and often hostile media world, and most importantly, to celebrating the enduring strength of his family and community.
In A Thousand Ways to Die, Lee answers Nola and all who seek a more just America. He shares the hard truths and complexities of the Black experience, but he also celebrates the beauty and resilience that is Nola’s legacy.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Nothing is free. All actions have reactions, consequences. A causal chain has a beginning. Identifying that beginning is a challenge when the subjects are human beings.
Author Trymaine had a near-fatal heart attack at 38. There's a dramatic effect for you...but the cause...? How does a man tease out the causes of poor health outcomes like a heart attack in very early middle age? His five-year old crystallizes the question with the clarity of a child: Why? Why did your heart attack you?
If you're a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist like Author Trymaine, you look into the stressors of a life led in a high-intensity job, and start digging the roots now that you see the stems...and hope to grow the leaves. The heart attack made a lot more sense as the stress of life reporting on the truly terrible things people do to each other daily, without resting between awfulnesses, led him into the eternal source of human misery: Why? Why does a journalist always have an inexhaustible well of misery and cruelty and callousness to draw from? As Author Trymaine focuses on the Black community he lives in, why does that well so very often have a gun at the bottom of it?
Thinking of his own morality, he naturally thinks of those dead before him, those whose lives were cut short by gun violence. There are members of his own family dead too young because of guns. So answering why for himself means looking at the thing all of them have in common.
They live in a violent country rife with systemic racism. Watch your local news, notice the times there's a violent crime, the photos they choose to show. The criminal's a Black man? Picture of him, mugshot if possible. Perp's a white guy? Picture of the victim. Of course it's impacted all of us, but where is the hatred and the violence aimed? At minorities. The fields sown with hatred and violence are the places it grows. There's a lot of personal pain in this book, but none of it is paraded for the reader's sympathy or judgment. It tells of a system designed to oppress and Other those of a certain skin color that is "working" in that the targets have internalized the nastiness. It's no wonder Author Trymaine is a busy reporter with the amount of rage and hate there is heaped on Black people from outside bubbling and erupting.
The central problem is that systemic rage and hatred; it's the root of many, many evils, though, so if religion can't fix it neither can secular measures. What simple and effective tool is there to address the hideous societal and personal cost of this fact of human existence? What tried and tested means is there to prevent the incompetent, ill-intentioned, sociopathic from acting out their hatred?
Controlling access to the means to kill. Licenses for driving cars are harder to get than licenses to own guns.
Very simple, really.
In exploring the fact of his too-early heart attack with a journalist's training, a seeker's mind, and a father's heart, Author Trymaine lays bare the real, personal, intimate costs of failure. We've all failed. This world of 2025 was not inevitable. Author Trymaine shows us the ways we failed.
But while we are still alive, we can...and should...choose not to fail any longer.
The Publisher Says: A deeply personal exploration of the generational impact of guns on the Black experience in America
A few years ago, Trymaine Lee, though fit and only 38, nearly died of a heart attack. When his then five-year-old daughter, Nola, asked her daddy why, he realized that to answer her honestly, he had to confront what almost killed him—the weight of being a Black man in America; of bearing witness, as a journalist, to relentless Black death; and of a family history scarred by enslavement, lynching, the Great Migration, the also insidious racism of the North, and gun violence that stole the lives of two great-uncles, a grandfather, a stepbrother, and two cousins.
In this powerful narrative, Lee weaves three the long and bloody history of African Americans and guns; his work as a chronicler of gun violence, tallying the costs and riches generated by both the legal and illegal gun industries; and his own life story—from almost being caught up in gun violence as a young man, to exploring the legacy of the Middle Passage in Ghana through his ancestors’ footsteps, and navigating the challenges of representing his people accurately in an overwhelmingly white and often hostile media world, and most importantly, to celebrating the enduring strength of his family and community.
In A Thousand Ways to Die, Lee answers Nola and all who seek a more just America. He shares the hard truths and complexities of the Black experience, but he also celebrates the beauty and resilience that is Nola’s legacy.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Nothing is free. All actions have reactions, consequences. A causal chain has a beginning. Identifying that beginning is a challenge when the subjects are human beings.
Author Trymaine had a near-fatal heart attack at 38. There's a dramatic effect for you...but the cause...? How does a man tease out the causes of poor health outcomes like a heart attack in very early middle age? His five-year old crystallizes the question with the clarity of a child: Why? Why did your heart attack you?
If you're a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist like Author Trymaine, you look into the stressors of a life led in a high-intensity job, and start digging the roots now that you see the stems...and hope to grow the leaves. The heart attack made a lot more sense as the stress of life reporting on the truly terrible things people do to each other daily, without resting between awfulnesses, led him into the eternal source of human misery: Why? Why does a journalist always have an inexhaustible well of misery and cruelty and callousness to draw from? As Author Trymaine focuses on the Black community he lives in, why does that well so very often have a gun at the bottom of it?
Thinking of his own morality, he naturally thinks of those dead before him, those whose lives were cut short by gun violence. There are members of his own family dead too young because of guns. So answering why for himself means looking at the thing all of them have in common.
They live in a violent country rife with systemic racism. Watch your local news, notice the times there's a violent crime, the photos they choose to show. The criminal's a Black man? Picture of him, mugshot if possible. Perp's a white guy? Picture of the victim. Of course it's impacted all of us, but where is the hatred and the violence aimed? At minorities. The fields sown with hatred and violence are the places it grows. There's a lot of personal pain in this book, but none of it is paraded for the reader's sympathy or judgment. It tells of a system designed to oppress and Other those of a certain skin color that is "working" in that the targets have internalized the nastiness. It's no wonder Author Trymaine is a busy reporter with the amount of rage and hate there is heaped on Black people from outside bubbling and erupting.
The central problem is that systemic rage and hatred; it's the root of many, many evils, though, so if religion can't fix it neither can secular measures. What simple and effective tool is there to address the hideous societal and personal cost of this fact of human existence? What tried and tested means is there to prevent the incompetent, ill-intentioned, sociopathic from acting out their hatred?
Controlling access to the means to kill. Licenses for driving cars are harder to get than licenses to own guns.
Very simple, really.
In exploring the fact of his too-early heart attack with a journalist's training, a seeker's mind, and a father's heart, Author Trymaine lays bare the real, personal, intimate costs of failure. We've all failed. This world of 2025 was not inevitable. Author Trymaine shows us the ways we failed.
But while we are still alive, we can...and should...choose not to fail any longer.
October 3, 2025
It was not too long ago during a fun discussion over Shabbat a friend noted just how much Black on Black gun violence there was in USA. Don’t ask how the discussion got there; afternoon chats on such a special day can run the gauntlet and the dark path that led to that subject quickly volte-faced into more pleasant talk…
...but it did make me wonder and looking up information later on did confirm the morbid at-the-time hearsay as being quite factual. This is bad. Why is there so much gun violence among Black Americans compared to other groups? What is the cause? Is it “cultural”? While those looking for easy answers just how physiognomy was believed once upon a time to do the same thing (guess who came out on top and guess who was dead last?) may want to point to a “Black people are violent” answer, my money’s on the real reason being something a lot more complex than four words.
Something about this phrase noted way early on in A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America stuck with me. I had a feeling even then that if there was a leitmotif that would be revisited again and again, it would revolve around this statement...and I was right.
Or perhaps could the better theme of the book be: “The people with all the issues have all the guns”? (transcription from audiobook)
It depends—and it really should be noted if it wasn’t obvious already that this book is part social community and part memoir. This is not the book to read for a data-driven look about Black violence in America. We do get data, but we also get stories—some that are too close to home for Trymaine Lee, the author of the book. Policy should never be decided solely on anecdotes, but at times it’s important to examine the faces and stories behind the figures. There’s a reason things are how they are and like most big issues in the world, it’s equal parts complex and tragic.
The question I return to again: why is there so much more gun violence among Blacks? Chicago is zeroed in and the reasons are legion: decades (or really longer if we go back pre-Civil War as this book did early on) of oppression, racism still alive and “well”, police staffed with those not from the neighborhood they live in often not of the same skin color, and thus a fear of them, of wanting to stay safe. Protection. With uncertainty comes strife, a need to find support from elsewhere. Enter gangs, enter guns, enter patchwork gun laws where being strict in the city makes no sense if they can still be funneled in from neighboring counties and states.
Going back to that leitmotif mentioned a few paragraphs up, the book did deliver. There seem to be numerous top-down issues at play causing so much strife in Black communities. However—and a thousand apologies to some—as the book ran its course, I was really hoping for a bit less “jump from one tragic anecdote to another” and more of something...I guess you could say “academic”. Thus, this is both a book that’s powerful, sheds lights on people who have been adversely affected (saying it lightly) by institutional gun violence, but also one I feel like may not be the best to read if one’s main goal is to get a full and robust look at my initial queries in the second paragraph up top.
Thus, A Thousand Ways to Die is by no means a bad book. In fact, for those really interested in its subtitle, The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America and want a ground level view, it’s probably one of the best available (caveat: I don’t know much about other books like this one, but it sure felt like the author achieved his goal and is a great writer). For me though, it somewhat missed its mark, but for others, this could be truly invaluable material.
...but it did make me wonder and looking up information later on did confirm the morbid at-the-time hearsay as being quite factual. This is bad. Why is there so much gun violence among Black Americans compared to other groups? What is the cause? Is it “cultural”? While those looking for easy answers just how physiognomy was believed once upon a time to do the same thing (guess who came out on top and guess who was dead last?) may want to point to a “Black people are violent” answer, my money’s on the real reason being something a lot more complex than four words.
“Structural violence begets gun violence.” (from the book’s introduction, my transcription from the audiobook)
Something about this phrase noted way early on in A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America stuck with me. I had a feeling even then that if there was a leitmotif that would be revisited again and again, it would revolve around this statement...and I was right.
Or perhaps could the better theme of the book be: “The people with all the issues have all the guns”? (transcription from audiobook)
It depends—and it really should be noted if it wasn’t obvious already that this book is part social community and part memoir. This is not the book to read for a data-driven look about Black violence in America. We do get data, but we also get stories—some that are too close to home for Trymaine Lee, the author of the book. Policy should never be decided solely on anecdotes, but at times it’s important to examine the faces and stories behind the figures. There’s a reason things are how they are and like most big issues in the world, it’s equal parts complex and tragic.
The question I return to again: why is there so much more gun violence among Blacks? Chicago is zeroed in and the reasons are legion: decades (or really longer if we go back pre-Civil War as this book did early on) of oppression, racism still alive and “well”, police staffed with those not from the neighborhood they live in often not of the same skin color, and thus a fear of them, of wanting to stay safe. Protection. With uncertainty comes strife, a need to find support from elsewhere. Enter gangs, enter guns, enter patchwork gun laws where being strict in the city makes no sense if they can still be funneled in from neighboring counties and states.
Going back to that leitmotif mentioned a few paragraphs up, the book did deliver. There seem to be numerous top-down issues at play causing so much strife in Black communities. However—and a thousand apologies to some—as the book ran its course, I was really hoping for a bit less “jump from one tragic anecdote to another” and more of something...I guess you could say “academic”. Thus, this is both a book that’s powerful, sheds lights on people who have been adversely affected (saying it lightly) by institutional gun violence, but also one I feel like may not be the best to read if one’s main goal is to get a full and robust look at my initial queries in the second paragraph up top.
Thus, A Thousand Ways to Die is by no means a bad book. In fact, for those really interested in its subtitle, The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America and want a ground level view, it’s probably one of the best available (caveat: I don’t know much about other books like this one, but it sure felt like the author achieved his goal and is a great writer). For me though, it somewhat missed its mark, but for others, this could be truly invaluable material.
June 25, 2025
To be fully transparent, I’m not Black, but one of my personal goals this year has been to read more nonfiction by BIPOC authors, especially books that speak to social justice and lived experiences that differ from my own. A Thousand Ways to Die by Trymaine Lee was heavier than I expected, but in hindsight, how could it not be?
This book is devastating, eye opening, and necessary. It dives deep into the generational trauma and systemic violence that has haunted Black communities in America for centuries, particularly through the lens of gun violence, policing, and structural neglect. Trymaine Lee blends his personal experiences with powerful reporting in a way that is both intimate and devastating. His storytelling is lyrical and raw, never shying away from hard truths.
One of the central threads is New Orleans, as he focuses on the before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina, and the trauma, neglect, and resilience of its Black population. Trymaine Lee’s writing captures the heartbreak of what happened, but also the pride and perseverance that still burns bright in that city.
There are tough themes throughout, especially when it comes to subjects like domestic abuse and death, and while I typically avoid books that go into those topics because they can be so hard on the mind, I’m glad I stuck with this one. It made me uncomfortable at times, but in a way that pushed me to reflect, learn, and sit with the realities that too many people face.
Flipping between memoir and social critique, Trymaine Lee shows how deeply personal and systemic trauma intersect. It’s not just about one man’s story, but it’s about the long shadow cast by history, from slavery to modern day media narratives. The book isn’t just sad though. It’s filled with love, for his daughter Nola, for community, for family, and for the potential of a better, more just future.
If I had any critique, it’s that I would’ve liked a bit more exploration of actionable solutions, and some chapters felt a little unbalanced in terms of pacing. But the emotional weight and honesty of the writing more than made up for that.
I do believe that A Thousand Ways to Die is essential reading, especially for those of us who want to listen, learn, and be better allies. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything, and it shouldn’t. This book will stay with me for a long time.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for emotional impact and powerful storytelling.
Thank you to NetGalley, Trymaine Lee, and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of this book.
This book is devastating, eye opening, and necessary. It dives deep into the generational trauma and systemic violence that has haunted Black communities in America for centuries, particularly through the lens of gun violence, policing, and structural neglect. Trymaine Lee blends his personal experiences with powerful reporting in a way that is both intimate and devastating. His storytelling is lyrical and raw, never shying away from hard truths.
One of the central threads is New Orleans, as he focuses on the before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina, and the trauma, neglect, and resilience of its Black population. Trymaine Lee’s writing captures the heartbreak of what happened, but also the pride and perseverance that still burns bright in that city.
There are tough themes throughout, especially when it comes to subjects like domestic abuse and death, and while I typically avoid books that go into those topics because they can be so hard on the mind, I’m glad I stuck with this one. It made me uncomfortable at times, but in a way that pushed me to reflect, learn, and sit with the realities that too many people face.
Flipping between memoir and social critique, Trymaine Lee shows how deeply personal and systemic trauma intersect. It’s not just about one man’s story, but it’s about the long shadow cast by history, from slavery to modern day media narratives. The book isn’t just sad though. It’s filled with love, for his daughter Nola, for community, for family, and for the potential of a better, more just future.
If I had any critique, it’s that I would’ve liked a bit more exploration of actionable solutions, and some chapters felt a little unbalanced in terms of pacing. But the emotional weight and honesty of the writing more than made up for that.
I do believe that A Thousand Ways to Die is essential reading, especially for those of us who want to listen, learn, and be better allies. It doesn’t sugarcoat anything, and it shouldn’t. This book will stay with me for a long time.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for emotional impact and powerful storytelling.
Thank you to NetGalley, Trymaine Lee, and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of this book.
September 27, 2025
Trymaine Lee delivers a searing and layered work in A Thousand Ways to Die, one that is not only an exploration of the structural and interpersonal violence that shape Black life in America but also a deeply personal narrative. Lee’s central argument is both simple and profound: Black people have always lived under the shadow of violence, in ways large and small, visible and invisible.
While the book devotes significant attention to gun violence, I was especially struck by the chapters addressing racial violence and the concept of “weathering.” Lee explains weathering as the cumulative toll that structural racism, generational trauma, and daily racial stressors take on Black bodies and minds. It is not just the spectacular moments of violence that shorten our lives but the quiet, daily assaults that grind us down. This framing resonated with me more deeply than statistics alone could, because it connected policy and social science to lived Black experiences.
What distinguishes this book from some other nonfiction works on similar topics is Lee’s choice to foreground narrative. Too often, texts of this kind are dominated by numbers, policy frameworks, and broad examples that keep the reader at a distance. Lee insists on the opposite. Stories save us. Stories remind us who we are, who we have been, and who we might yet become. His weaving of individual experiences with broader historical and social patterns makes this work both intellectually rigorous and emotionally compelling. The personal stories are not distractions from the “real” content; they are the content.
Lee also begins with the idea of legacy. His goal is not only to record the costs of violence but to ensure that Black life and Black survival are documented in ways that future generations can inherit. We are not only dying in countless ways, we are also living in ways that defy the expectation of death. This balance between truth-telling and legacy-building gives the book a resonance that lingers beyond its pages.
In terms of structure, the length is well-judged. It avoids the density and overly formal tone that sometimes render academic nonfiction inaccessible, while still maintaining analytical sharpness. For readers seeking a work that is both educational and deeply human, Lee has crafted something extraordinary.
This was my first NetGalley review, and I could not have chosen a more timely or necessary book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
While the book devotes significant attention to gun violence, I was especially struck by the chapters addressing racial violence and the concept of “weathering.” Lee explains weathering as the cumulative toll that structural racism, generational trauma, and daily racial stressors take on Black bodies and minds. It is not just the spectacular moments of violence that shorten our lives but the quiet, daily assaults that grind us down. This framing resonated with me more deeply than statistics alone could, because it connected policy and social science to lived Black experiences.
What distinguishes this book from some other nonfiction works on similar topics is Lee’s choice to foreground narrative. Too often, texts of this kind are dominated by numbers, policy frameworks, and broad examples that keep the reader at a distance. Lee insists on the opposite. Stories save us. Stories remind us who we are, who we have been, and who we might yet become. His weaving of individual experiences with broader historical and social patterns makes this work both intellectually rigorous and emotionally compelling. The personal stories are not distractions from the “real” content; they are the content.
Lee also begins with the idea of legacy. His goal is not only to record the costs of violence but to ensure that Black life and Black survival are documented in ways that future generations can inherit. We are not only dying in countless ways, we are also living in ways that defy the expectation of death. This balance between truth-telling and legacy-building gives the book a resonance that lingers beyond its pages.
In terms of structure, the length is well-judged. It avoids the density and overly formal tone that sometimes render academic nonfiction inaccessible, while still maintaining analytical sharpness. For readers seeking a work that is both educational and deeply human, Lee has crafted something extraordinary.
This was my first NetGalley review, and I could not have chosen a more timely or necessary book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
May 19, 2025
Pulitzer Prize and Emmy Award–winning journalist Trymaine Lee first came onto my radar through his vital reporting in The 1619 Project. So when I had the opportunity to request an advanced reader’s copy of his debut book A Thousand Ways to Die, I didn’t hesitate.
This book left a mark on me.
Lee unpacks the painful truths about America’s gun industry. He writes about where weapons are manufactured, how they end up in our neighborhoods, and the cracks in the system that allow violence to flourish. What elevates this book beyond statistics and case studies is Lee’s deep humanity. As a Black journalist, he doesn’t simply report stories. It's abundantly clear that he builds relationships with the people behind them, many of whom are navigating unimaginable grief.
In one of the most harrowing passages, Lee recalls interviewing an elder in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. As she struggled to speak through tears, describing her escape from a flooding attic and the dead baby she saw floating in the water, Lee writes that he couldn’t stop his own tears from falling. That moment gutted me.
As a therapist serving my community, I understand the toll that vicarious trauma takes. Lee’s honesty about how this work has shaped—and shaken—him is courageous. It means even more to me that Lee writes from the vantage point of Black manhood and Black fatherhood. His love for his daughter is a central through line in the narrative.
Lee writes not just about gun violence’s impact on the Black community, but about how it lives in his body, his lineage, and his daily reality as a father. And in prose that is both lyrical and clear-eyed, he reminds us what bearing witness really looks like:
“I’d collected strips of construction paper for a grim kaleidoscope that contorted American life and death. And I remember all the hues, vividly.”
This book is not easy—but it is essential. Trymaine Lee doesn’t just tell us the truth. He invites us to hold it, mourn it, and push forward anyway, armed with memory, integrity, and love.
This book left a mark on me.
Lee unpacks the painful truths about America’s gun industry. He writes about where weapons are manufactured, how they end up in our neighborhoods, and the cracks in the system that allow violence to flourish. What elevates this book beyond statistics and case studies is Lee’s deep humanity. As a Black journalist, he doesn’t simply report stories. It's abundantly clear that he builds relationships with the people behind them, many of whom are navigating unimaginable grief.
In one of the most harrowing passages, Lee recalls interviewing an elder in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. As she struggled to speak through tears, describing her escape from a flooding attic and the dead baby she saw floating in the water, Lee writes that he couldn’t stop his own tears from falling. That moment gutted me.
As a therapist serving my community, I understand the toll that vicarious trauma takes. Lee’s honesty about how this work has shaped—and shaken—him is courageous. It means even more to me that Lee writes from the vantage point of Black manhood and Black fatherhood. His love for his daughter is a central through line in the narrative.
Lee writes not just about gun violence’s impact on the Black community, but about how it lives in his body, his lineage, and his daily reality as a father. And in prose that is both lyrical and clear-eyed, he reminds us what bearing witness really looks like:
“I’d collected strips of construction paper for a grim kaleidoscope that contorted American life and death. And I remember all the hues, vividly.”
This book is not easy—but it is essential. Trymaine Lee doesn’t just tell us the truth. He invites us to hold it, mourn it, and push forward anyway, armed with memory, integrity, and love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2025
This is a heartbreakingly devastating book. Built on research of the violence that was AND is inflicted on Black bodies, and the authors own memories of how gun violence has personally affected his own family [some of these stories are so deeply personal and vivid that all I could do was weep for the author and his family and ALL they have lost], this book really lays out just how devastating violence, especially gun violence, has affected the Black community, but especially their Black boys and men.
Touching on multiple instances of violence and gun violence, including the aftermath of Katrina, the Mother Emmanuel Church shooting, and the shooting of a Tops Grocery Store in Buffalo, NY, as well as all the young Black men and women who have been killed by just being, this book is a reminder just how difficult it is for Black peoples to avoid violence, all while trying to navigate an already difficult walk.
A much needed book in these times of increasing unrest, it IS a huge reminder to me, as a white woman who will never know the struggles that the Black community faces on a minute-by-minute basis, just how much work I need to continue doing [both on myself AND within my own community], to advocate, support, and work to change the violence/gun violence against Peoples of Color.
We need change, and this book will 100% show you why. Read it, let it completely break your heart, and then go to work for change. It absolutely starts with us.
The author, Mr. Trymaine Lee narrates this book and he does a magnificent job here. I cannot even begin to imagine having to narrate the stories of the violence inflicted on his family, much less all the other violence he writes about in this book, but he does it and does it well. I highly recommend listening to this man tell both HIS story and the story of so many that have suffered at the hands of others; you will not be sorry.
Thank you to NetGalley, Trymaine Lee, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for providing both the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
Touching on multiple instances of violence and gun violence, including the aftermath of Katrina, the Mother Emmanuel Church shooting, and the shooting of a Tops Grocery Store in Buffalo, NY, as well as all the young Black men and women who have been killed by just being, this book is a reminder just how difficult it is for Black peoples to avoid violence, all while trying to navigate an already difficult walk.
A much needed book in these times of increasing unrest, it IS a huge reminder to me, as a white woman who will never know the struggles that the Black community faces on a minute-by-minute basis, just how much work I need to continue doing [both on myself AND within my own community], to advocate, support, and work to change the violence/gun violence against Peoples of Color.
We need change, and this book will 100% show you why. Read it, let it completely break your heart, and then go to work for change. It absolutely starts with us.
The author, Mr. Trymaine Lee narrates this book and he does a magnificent job here. I cannot even begin to imagine having to narrate the stories of the violence inflicted on his family, much less all the other violence he writes about in this book, but he does it and does it well. I highly recommend listening to this man tell both HIS story and the story of so many that have suffered at the hands of others; you will not be sorry.
Thank you to NetGalley, Trymaine Lee, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for providing both the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
September 13, 2025
As the tagline for this book states, this is a deeply personal look at the true cost of gun violence on Black people in the United States. Lee's extensive experience as a journalist comes through in the writing, which is both compelling and heartbreaking.
Each chapter weaves together a true story about gun violence with the historical roots of that violence. Some of those stories are from Lee's own family, where he traces how guns have left holes in his family tree and driven their migration across states. Other stories are from his time as a reporter, where he covered both local and national stories of gun violence. Some of those stories will be deeply familiar (the Buffalo grocery store massacre, the killings at Mother Emanuel Church) and others will be new to most (the murder of a mother and daughter, the killing of a veteran while his father watches). Even in the most familiar of stories, I learned something new. The chapters on police killings in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is shocking.
As I write this review, the president is threatening to send federal forces into Chicago and Memphis, two cities with significant Black populations that have been hollowed out by gun violence. Yet, as Lee shows, this violence isn't going to be fixed by more policing. The violence represents the culmination of centuries of racial violence against Black people and the racism that is baked into our systems. While it will never happen, I wish the people that fear-monger about Chicago's violence picked up this book and really interrogated the roots of that violence.
There are many standout pieces from the book, but if you read nothing else, read the chapter tracing the origins of the gun that murdered Tommy Wortham. It's one of the most compelling pieces I've read on the need for wide-scale, federal gun control interventions.
* Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. *
Each chapter weaves together a true story about gun violence with the historical roots of that violence. Some of those stories are from Lee's own family, where he traces how guns have left holes in his family tree and driven their migration across states. Other stories are from his time as a reporter, where he covered both local and national stories of gun violence. Some of those stories will be deeply familiar (the Buffalo grocery store massacre, the killings at Mother Emanuel Church) and others will be new to most (the murder of a mother and daughter, the killing of a veteran while his father watches). Even in the most familiar of stories, I learned something new. The chapters on police killings in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is shocking.
As I write this review, the president is threatening to send federal forces into Chicago and Memphis, two cities with significant Black populations that have been hollowed out by gun violence. Yet, as Lee shows, this violence isn't going to be fixed by more policing. The violence represents the culmination of centuries of racial violence against Black people and the racism that is baked into our systems. While it will never happen, I wish the people that fear-monger about Chicago's violence picked up this book and really interrogated the roots of that violence.
There are many standout pieces from the book, but if you read nothing else, read the chapter tracing the origins of the gun that murdered Tommy Wortham. It's one of the most compelling pieces I've read on the need for wide-scale, federal gun control interventions.
* Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. *
July 16, 2025
A Thousand ways to die, by Trymaine Lee, weaves history, recent events, and his family history into a powerful and compelling account of how violence, especially as related to guns, affects individual Black lives and Black communities as a whole.
I know some readers may have a hard time connecting his personal stories to the history and/or stories he has covered as a journalist, but if you can read and follow the connections he explicitly makes, you will appreciate how every layer of storytelling builds upon what came before. For instance, he tells us about visiting Africa and weaves the story of how guns were trafficked alongside slaves with the intention to increase the slave trade. No comment is casual and, if you read carefully, they all connect.
I think part of the power is from Lee's ability to help the reader feel what those involved felt. From those who had few if any opportunities to get ahead and resorted to violence to those who were victims of violence. And before anyone has any kneejerk reactions, acknowledging that how society is set up, intentionally, leaves little room for the majority to feel there is hope isn't the same thing as condoning violent action. If you aren't willing to openly look at root causes of issues, then you're not really interested in working toward solutions that benefit everyone involved. And we are all involved, these are our fellow human beings.
I would highly recommend this to readers who want both a micro and a macro look at how guns, directly and indirectly, are a root cause of much of not only the violence but the systemic issues confronting Black communities.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
I know some readers may have a hard time connecting his personal stories to the history and/or stories he has covered as a journalist, but if you can read and follow the connections he explicitly makes, you will appreciate how every layer of storytelling builds upon what came before. For instance, he tells us about visiting Africa and weaves the story of how guns were trafficked alongside slaves with the intention to increase the slave trade. No comment is casual and, if you read carefully, they all connect.
I think part of the power is from Lee's ability to help the reader feel what those involved felt. From those who had few if any opportunities to get ahead and resorted to violence to those who were victims of violence. And before anyone has any kneejerk reactions, acknowledging that how society is set up, intentionally, leaves little room for the majority to feel there is hope isn't the same thing as condoning violent action. If you aren't willing to openly look at root causes of issues, then you're not really interested in working toward solutions that benefit everyone involved. And we are all involved, these are our fellow human beings.
I would highly recommend this to readers who want both a micro and a macro look at how guns, directly and indirectly, are a root cause of much of not only the violence but the systemic issues confronting Black communities.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
September 29, 2025
I am proud to say that I witnessed the birth of Trymaine 4.0, and I also want to offer a sincere apology to my friend Trymaine for any pressure I may have placed on him to finish this important work.
About eight years ago, when Trymaine first told me he was writing a book about the economic impact of gun violence in America, I’ll admit that my initial thought was, “What a snoozefest.” But then he suffered a heart attack, and I began to understand the paralysis he describes so powerfully in his epilogue. I encouraged him to keep writing — to keep putting pen to paper — even if the work evolved into something entirely different from what he originally envisioned.
In many ways, A Thousand Ways to Die is the book Trymaine set out to write. And in many ways, it is not. It is something far more expansive — a book that examines not only the economic cost of gun violence in America but also the emotional toll on our communities and the psychological burden on the nation as a whole.
In a country where toxic individualism is deeply entrenched and intertwined with a culture that venerates guns, Trymaine’s book stands as a deeply personal, poignant, and beautifully written testament. It bears witness to the role guns have played in his own life and the heavy responsibility he feels to serve as a griot — a storyteller — of his own pain, that of his family, his community, and his country.
This is an important book — one that I am grateful to have read. It has helped me better understand myself and the communities I serve as a mental health counselor, and it has deepened my appreciation for the profound human costs behind the statistics.
About eight years ago, when Trymaine first told me he was writing a book about the economic impact of gun violence in America, I’ll admit that my initial thought was, “What a snoozefest.” But then he suffered a heart attack, and I began to understand the paralysis he describes so powerfully in his epilogue. I encouraged him to keep writing — to keep putting pen to paper — even if the work evolved into something entirely different from what he originally envisioned.
In many ways, A Thousand Ways to Die is the book Trymaine set out to write. And in many ways, it is not. It is something far more expansive — a book that examines not only the economic cost of gun violence in America but also the emotional toll on our communities and the psychological burden on the nation as a whole.
In a country where toxic individualism is deeply entrenched and intertwined with a culture that venerates guns, Trymaine’s book stands as a deeply personal, poignant, and beautifully written testament. It bears witness to the role guns have played in his own life and the heavy responsibility he feels to serve as a griot — a storyteller — of his own pain, that of his family, his community, and his country.
This is an important book — one that I am grateful to have read. It has helped me better understand myself and the communities I serve as a mental health counselor, and it has deepened my appreciation for the profound human costs behind the statistics.
June 25, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press for the digital copy of this book and audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
If you’ve been following Bargain Sleuth Reviews for any length of time, you may have noticed a shift in some of my reading. I still love cozy mysteries and historical fiction. I promise to get back to Nancy Drew reviews. However, my interests have shifted. I am trying to read more BIPOC fiction and non-fiction books. A Thousand Ways to Die is just such a book.
Trymaine Lee, a Pulitzer Prize winner, has written a deliberately thoughtful piece. It provides a revealing look at the historically grounded systemic racism in the United States. This work is interwoven with his memoir of his own life. This reflection on his own life is a reflective look at his own experiences with racism and gun violence.
This book is a lot heavier than I thought it would be. The gun violence and generational trauma of the Black experience in the United States must be talked about more. This is necessary, no matter how uncomfortable it may make you if you’re an American. The book contains domestic abuse themes. I normally try to avoid these themes. However, I also found it necessary to read about them.
One of the big themes is New Orleans and how Hurricane Katrina all went down. He makes his point with heartbreak and resilience of the Black population in NOLA. This trauma-filled book was tough to get through, yet I found it necessary.
If you’ve been following Bargain Sleuth Reviews for any length of time, you may have noticed a shift in some of my reading. I still love cozy mysteries and historical fiction. I promise to get back to Nancy Drew reviews. However, my interests have shifted. I am trying to read more BIPOC fiction and non-fiction books. A Thousand Ways to Die is just such a book.
Trymaine Lee, a Pulitzer Prize winner, has written a deliberately thoughtful piece. It provides a revealing look at the historically grounded systemic racism in the United States. This work is interwoven with his memoir of his own life. This reflection on his own life is a reflective look at his own experiences with racism and gun violence.
This book is a lot heavier than I thought it would be. The gun violence and generational trauma of the Black experience in the United States must be talked about more. This is necessary, no matter how uncomfortable it may make you if you’re an American. The book contains domestic abuse themes. I normally try to avoid these themes. However, I also found it necessary to read about them.
One of the big themes is New Orleans and how Hurricane Katrina all went down. He makes his point with heartbreak and resilience of the Black population in NOLA. This trauma-filled book was tough to get through, yet I found it necessary.
July 16, 2025
A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America* by Trymaine Lee
This audiobook had me **woke and wrecked** in one listen. Trymaine Lee’s voice isn’t just narrating—it’s channeling his grief, anger, hope, and history *straight into your ears*.
After a personal near-death experience, Lee takes us on a powerful journey through his own life, while unpacking the generational, systemic, and deeply personal costs of violence in Black communities. It’s equal parts memoir, journalism, and social reckoning—and every word *matters*.
**Why the audio slaps so hard**:
* It’s **authentic**—Lee’s own voice brings unmatched emotional depth.
* The **tone** shifts seamlessly from reflective to rallying; it feels like sitting across from someone telling their truth.
* Runtime is around 8 hrs 45 min—long enough to go deep, but tight enough to stay fully engaged.
**Listen if you want:**
🎙️ A memoir-reporting hybrid that hits intellectually *and* emotionally
🧠 A deeper understanding of the long shadow of violence in America
🔥 Powerful, soul-deep narration from the author himself
This audiobook didn’t just make me listen—it *made me feel*, question, reflect, and carry those truths with me. Highly recommend if you're ready for something raw, real, and unforgettable.
This audiobook had me **woke and wrecked** in one listen. Trymaine Lee’s voice isn’t just narrating—it’s channeling his grief, anger, hope, and history *straight into your ears*.
After a personal near-death experience, Lee takes us on a powerful journey through his own life, while unpacking the generational, systemic, and deeply personal costs of violence in Black communities. It’s equal parts memoir, journalism, and social reckoning—and every word *matters*.
**Why the audio slaps so hard**:
* It’s **authentic**—Lee’s own voice brings unmatched emotional depth.
* The **tone** shifts seamlessly from reflective to rallying; it feels like sitting across from someone telling their truth.
* Runtime is around 8 hrs 45 min—long enough to go deep, but tight enough to stay fully engaged.
**Listen if you want:**
🎙️ A memoir-reporting hybrid that hits intellectually *and* emotionally
🧠 A deeper understanding of the long shadow of violence in America
🔥 Powerful, soul-deep narration from the author himself
This audiobook didn’t just make me listen—it *made me feel*, question, reflect, and carry those truths with me. Highly recommend if you're ready for something raw, real, and unforgettable.
January 5, 2026
In this difficult but powerful exploration of the generational impact of guns on Black Americans’ lives, Trymaine Lee explores the challenges and traumas of living as a Black man in the United States, the historical relationship between African Americans and guns, and his work as a chronicler of gun violence and the (il)legal gun industries. By discussing this specific relationship of violence, Lee also explores the larger issues of race-based violence towards Black Americans, the challenges of representing Black America in the largely white and often hostile media, and the strength of his family and community. Not shying away from difficult topics or the complexities of his experiences, this book is a powerful exploration of American gun culture and race-based violence. At times difficult to read, this book is powerful, poignant, and insightful, and its unique combination of questions and themes will really pull readers into the narrative. The mix of personal and professional encourages readers to empathize with Lee, whose prose is beautifully written, emotional, and brutally honest. With its big-picture questions and concerns with systemic social issues as experienced by the individual, this book is a must-read because of its timeliness and emotional impact on the reader.
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the advance copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the advance copy.
August 23, 2025
Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader’s edition of A Thousand Ways to Die. This review is from that edition.
Pulitzer Prize winning author Trymaine Lee is moved to write about the connection of guns and their impact on Black American experience after facing an unexpected health crisis. The book explores Lee’s experience with guns and violence as a journalist in his professional career, their impact on the community in his personal life and professional life, and the history of guns in legal and illegal spaces. The stories take the reader from the Middle Passage, Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement, to the present, including stories about those who own guns, and those who work for companies that manufacture guns.
Lee also discusses the challenges of being one of a few number of black journalists covering these stories and the physical and mental stress that comes with it. This includes persons he connected with again in writing the book. This book also highlights the resiliency of people in the face of loss, including his stories about persons in New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina’s impact. Lee also discusses how his personal and professional life has changed as it relates to gun ownership. It was a challenging but necessary read.
Pulitzer Prize winning author Trymaine Lee is moved to write about the connection of guns and their impact on Black American experience after facing an unexpected health crisis. The book explores Lee’s experience with guns and violence as a journalist in his professional career, their impact on the community in his personal life and professional life, and the history of guns in legal and illegal spaces. The stories take the reader from the Middle Passage, Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement, to the present, including stories about those who own guns, and those who work for companies that manufacture guns.
Lee also discusses the challenges of being one of a few number of black journalists covering these stories and the physical and mental stress that comes with it. This includes persons he connected with again in writing the book. This book also highlights the resiliency of people in the face of loss, including his stories about persons in New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina’s impact. Lee also discusses how his personal and professional life has changed as it relates to gun ownership. It was a challenging but necessary read.
December 22, 2025
Some audiobooks just hit differently when the author is the one telling the story. This was one of those listens where I felt completely locked in from the first chapter, not just because of the subject matter, but because of how powerfully it was delivered.
This book is heavy, urgent, and deeply human, examining violence, systemic failure, and the many ways people are failed long before death ever enters the picture. Lee’s reporting is thoughtful and compassionate, but what really elevates this on audio is his narration. You can hear the care, the frustration, the grief, and the responsibility he carries toward the stories he’s telling. It never feels performative or distant; it feels lived-in and intentional.
Audiobook thoughts: author narration makes all the difference here, and this was exceptional. His voice adds gravity and clarity, guiding the listener through difficult material with respect and purpose. This is one of those audiobooks where listening feels essential, not optional.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗩𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸:
🎙️ powerful author narration
🖤 heavy but necessary subject matter
🧠 thoughtful, investigative storytelling
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗳:
you’re not in the headspace for difficult, real-world topics
Big thanks to Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC!
This book is heavy, urgent, and deeply human, examining violence, systemic failure, and the many ways people are failed long before death ever enters the picture. Lee’s reporting is thoughtful and compassionate, but what really elevates this on audio is his narration. You can hear the care, the frustration, the grief, and the responsibility he carries toward the stories he’s telling. It never feels performative or distant; it feels lived-in and intentional.
Audiobook thoughts: author narration makes all the difference here, and this was exceptional. His voice adds gravity and clarity, guiding the listener through difficult material with respect and purpose. This is one of those audiobooks where listening feels essential, not optional.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗩𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸:
🎙️ powerful author narration
🖤 heavy but necessary subject matter
🧠 thoughtful, investigative storytelling
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗳:
you’re not in the headspace for difficult, real-world topics
Big thanks to Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC!
August 12, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for providing a free e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"A Thousand Ways to Die" is a brief history of violence against Black people in the US, prompted by the author's near death experience. It is at times moving and personal, although the majority of the writing I found to be detached and journalistic (in line with the author's career). For a person looking to understand the cycle of anti-Black violence, how it started, how it was amplified and how it is being maintained by the White, this would probably be a good introduction to the topic. However I'm not sure the book brings up a lot of novel points for someone who is already familiar with the atrocities of slavery, the false promises following the Civil War, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights movement and recent anti-Black sentiment and policing. Perhaps the book tried to cover too much, because I felt it lacked focus. The transitions between topics also took too long for my taste. I'm sorry I'm not giving this a higher rating, I probably would have enjoyed this more had I been earlier in my reading journey about racism and racial violence in America.
"A Thousand Ways to Die" is a brief history of violence against Black people in the US, prompted by the author's near death experience. It is at times moving and personal, although the majority of the writing I found to be detached and journalistic (in line with the author's career). For a person looking to understand the cycle of anti-Black violence, how it started, how it was amplified and how it is being maintained by the White, this would probably be a good introduction to the topic. However I'm not sure the book brings up a lot of novel points for someone who is already familiar with the atrocities of slavery, the false promises following the Civil War, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights movement and recent anti-Black sentiment and policing. Perhaps the book tried to cover too much, because I felt it lacked focus. The transitions between topics also took too long for my taste. I'm sorry I'm not giving this a higher rating, I probably would have enjoyed this more had I been earlier in my reading journey about racism and racial violence in America.
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