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No Sense in Wishing: Essays on Black Music, Belonging, and Baltimore
A BEST BOOKs OF THE YEAR (2025): The New Yorker & Kirkus Reviews
A personal and analytical essay collection from culture critic Lawrence Burney that is a personal and analytical look at his home city of Baltimore, music from throughout the global Black diaspora, and the traditions that raised him.
There are moments in our lives when we discover an artist, an album, a film, or a cultural artifact that leaves a lasting impression. These moments inform how we understand the world, and ourselves, moving forward.
In a time when music is spurring Black Americans’ connection with Africans on the Continent, culture critic Lawrence Burney takes us on a journey from the streets of Baltimore to the concert halls of Lagos, reminisces on seeing his mother perform as the opening act of a Gil Scott-Heron show when he was a child, and sits at a Maryland crab feast with family, assessing how the Black people in his home state have historically improvised paths for their liberation. Burney explores these profound interactions with incisive and energizing prose, offering us a personal and critical perspective on the people, places, music, and art that transformed him.
No Sense in Wishing is a kaleidoscopic exploration of Burney’s search for self. With its gutsy and uncompromising criticism alongside intimate personal storytelling, this “powerful collection of essays” (Rolling Stone) is like an album that hits all the right notes, from a promising writer on the rise.
A personal and analytical essay collection from culture critic Lawrence Burney that is a personal and analytical look at his home city of Baltimore, music from throughout the global Black diaspora, and the traditions that raised him.
There are moments in our lives when we discover an artist, an album, a film, or a cultural artifact that leaves a lasting impression. These moments inform how we understand the world, and ourselves, moving forward.
In a time when music is spurring Black Americans’ connection with Africans on the Continent, culture critic Lawrence Burney takes us on a journey from the streets of Baltimore to the concert halls of Lagos, reminisces on seeing his mother perform as the opening act of a Gil Scott-Heron show when he was a child, and sits at a Maryland crab feast with family, assessing how the Black people in his home state have historically improvised paths for their liberation. Burney explores these profound interactions with incisive and energizing prose, offering us a personal and critical perspective on the people, places, music, and art that transformed him.
No Sense in Wishing is a kaleidoscopic exploration of Burney’s search for self. With its gutsy and uncompromising criticism alongside intimate personal storytelling, this “powerful collection of essays” (Rolling Stone) is like an album that hits all the right notes, from a promising writer on the rise.
- GenresNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
Published May 26, 2026
About the author
Lawrence Burney
2 books39 followersLawrence Burney is a writer, critic, and the founder of True Laurels, an independent magazine covering Baltimore's music and culture scene. His work has appeared in publications such as New York magazine, GQ, and Pitchfork. He has also worked at The Fader, VICE, and The Baltimore Banner. No Sense in Wishing is his first book. Follow him on Instagram and X @TrueLaurels.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 22, 2026
I really liked the opening line of the summary of this book that sometimes art can sometimes leaves you with lasting impression. I think Burney very specifically communicates my feelings on how you can connect to art at certain moments or repeatedly in your life and have a completely different understanding, especially as someone who isn't doing the art as a profession. There is so much in black art (across the diaspora) specifically that I think really goes hand in hand with each of Burney's essays reflections on how he interacts and grows within the world. Regardless of if you agree with the author or not, I really think that culture journalist experience is put to work here. He tells you what exactly about the art connects to the theme of the essay. I had a good time! And now I have a lot of music recs
May 26, 2026
Thank you to Atria Books for the gifted copy of No Sense in Wishing: Essays on Black Music, Belonging, and Baltimore by Lawrence Burney.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This felt less like reading a collection of essays and more like listening to someone sit down and tell you stories about music, identity, culture, family, and the places that shaped them. There’s a lot of heart here, but also a lot of thoughtfulness. It never felt like it was only talking about music, it felt like it was talking about everything music carries with it.
I really liked how personal this felt. Burney blends criticism and memoir in a way that makes the essays feel lived-in rather than detached. Baltimore itself also felt like its own presence throughout the book, woven into the stories instead of simply acting as a setting.
Some essays definitely hit harder than others for me, which is kind of expected with a collection, but the overall experience still felt cohesive.
What I Loved
• The blend of personal storytelling and cultural analysis
• The way music becomes a lens for identity and belonging
• Baltimore feeling alive throughout the essays
• Writing that felt thoughtful without feeling inaccessible
• The emotional honesty woven throughout
What Didn’t Work for Me
• Some essays connected with me more than others
• A few sections felt slower or more reflective than engaging
• Certain cultural references may resonate differently depending on the reader
Overall, this felt thoughtful, personal, and layered. If you enjoy essay collections that combine memoir, music, and cultural commentary, this one has a lot to offer.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This felt less like reading a collection of essays and more like listening to someone sit down and tell you stories about music, identity, culture, family, and the places that shaped them. There’s a lot of heart here, but also a lot of thoughtfulness. It never felt like it was only talking about music, it felt like it was talking about everything music carries with it.
I really liked how personal this felt. Burney blends criticism and memoir in a way that makes the essays feel lived-in rather than detached. Baltimore itself also felt like its own presence throughout the book, woven into the stories instead of simply acting as a setting.
Some essays definitely hit harder than others for me, which is kind of expected with a collection, but the overall experience still felt cohesive.
What I Loved
• The blend of personal storytelling and cultural analysis
• The way music becomes a lens for identity and belonging
• Baltimore feeling alive throughout the essays
• Writing that felt thoughtful without feeling inaccessible
• The emotional honesty woven throughout
What Didn’t Work for Me
• Some essays connected with me more than others
• A few sections felt slower or more reflective than engaging
• Certain cultural references may resonate differently depending on the reader
Overall, this felt thoughtful, personal, and layered. If you enjoy essay collections that combine memoir, music, and cultural commentary, this one has a lot to offer.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
It was a good book
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Illuminating essays!
September 17, 2026
Terrible….. could not get engaged. Two many different names mentioned, too many songs to review/listen to. Felt more like a memoir.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews