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I Don't Want to Die Poor: Essays
From the New York Times bestselling author of I Can’t Date Jesus, which Vogue called “a piece of personal and cultural storytelling that is as fun as it is illuminating,” comes a wry and insightful essay collection that explores the financial and emotional cost of chasing your dreams.
Ever since Oprah Winfrey told the 2007 graduating class of Howard University, “Don’t be afraid,” Michael Arceneaux has been scared to death. You should never do the opposite of what Oprah instructs you to do, but when you don’t have her pocket change, how can you not be terrified of the consequences of pursuing your dreams?
Arceneaux has never shied away from discussing his struggles with debt, but in I Don’t Want to Die Poor, he reveals the extent to which it has an impact on every facet of his life—how he dates; how he seeks medical care (or in some cases, is unable to); how he wrestles with the question of whether or not he should have chosen a more financially secure path; and finally, how he has dealt with his “dream” turning into an ongoing nightmare as he realizes one bad decision could unravel all that he’s earned. You know, actual “economic anxiety.”
I Don’t Want to Die Poor is an unforgettable and relatable examination about what it’s like leading a life that often feels out of your control.
Ever since Oprah Winfrey told the 2007 graduating class of Howard University, “Don’t be afraid,” Michael Arceneaux has been scared to death. You should never do the opposite of what Oprah instructs you to do, but when you don’t have her pocket change, how can you not be terrified of the consequences of pursuing your dreams?
Arceneaux has never shied away from discussing his struggles with debt, but in I Don’t Want to Die Poor, he reveals the extent to which it has an impact on every facet of his life—how he dates; how he seeks medical care (or in some cases, is unable to); how he wrestles with the question of whether or not he should have chosen a more financially secure path; and finally, how he has dealt with his “dream” turning into an ongoing nightmare as he realizes one bad decision could unravel all that he’s earned. You know, actual “economic anxiety.”
I Don’t Want to Die Poor is an unforgettable and relatable examination about what it’s like leading a life that often feels out of your control.
240 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2020
246 people are currently reading
8517 people want to read
About the author
Michael Arceneaux
5 books360 followersMichael is the New York Times bestselling author of I Can’t Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race, and Other Reasons I’ve Put My Faith in Beyoncé.
Additionally, he is a regular contributor to Esquire, Elle, Essence, NBC News’ THINK, MTV News, among others. He’s also written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Houston Chronicle, Complex, Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue, Wired, BuzzFeed, The Guardian, them., Time Ideas, New York magazine’s Vulture, Salon, The Atlantic, NPR, Comedy Central Online, and numerous additional outlets.
In the past, you could find Michael in his most natural state on The Cynical Ones, a humor blog filled with commentary on politics, pop culture, and personal anecdotes. The Root once named Michael named one of the Best Black Bloggers to Know . ESSENCE magazine named him one of the top #BlackTwitter voices to follow.
His work has been referenced everywhere from The Weekly Standard to Jezebel to MSNBC and even been deemed required reading for courses at Harvard University. Michael has also been featured on MSNBC, NPR, BET, VH1, CBS News, Viceland, SiriusXM Radio, in addition to various radio interviews on nationally syndicated programs.
He is currently working on his second book I Don’t Want To Die Poor, which chronicles his struggles with private student loans and actual economic anxiety.
Additionally, he is a regular contributor to Esquire, Elle, Essence, NBC News’ THINK, MTV News, among others. He’s also written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Houston Chronicle, Complex, Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue, Wired, BuzzFeed, The Guardian, them., Time Ideas, New York magazine’s Vulture, Salon, The Atlantic, NPR, Comedy Central Online, and numerous additional outlets.
In the past, you could find Michael in his most natural state on The Cynical Ones, a humor blog filled with commentary on politics, pop culture, and personal anecdotes. The Root once named Michael named one of the Best Black Bloggers to Know . ESSENCE magazine named him one of the top #BlackTwitter voices to follow.
His work has been referenced everywhere from The Weekly Standard to Jezebel to MSNBC and even been deemed required reading for courses at Harvard University. Michael has also been featured on MSNBC, NPR, BET, VH1, CBS News, Viceland, SiriusXM Radio, in addition to various radio interviews on nationally syndicated programs.
He is currently working on his second book I Don’t Want To Die Poor, which chronicles his struggles with private student loans and actual economic anxiety.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
June 14, 2020
Update: Changing my GR rating to 3.5 stars rather than rounding it up to 4 as I realize that there's a lot more potential for Arceneaux to dig even deeper and more personal with his writing that I would've liked to see!
I enjoyed listening to Arceneaux read the essays in his audiobook - he has a sarcastic, no-bullshit manner of speaking that makes his writing feel relatable. My favorite essay is the one he dedicates to his mother, in which he describes his complicated feelings towards his parents, the "silent anger" that he's inherited, and how he can never repay her for all that she has done for him. His feelings of shame and dehumanization over his own debt is an unfortunate yet real situation for many working class millennials, shown by all his moments of doubt, alternate career paths, and sacrificing parts of his life just to be able to make ends meet. I'm not sure if I'd rate this 3.5 or 4 stars, as I found the essays in the second half of the book to be much stronger than the first half, in which the former included some work that felt like throwaway content. I would have loved to have read a deeper exploration of his personal thoughts consistently throughout the book instead of saving that poignancy for the last 1/3.
I enjoyed listening to Arceneaux read the essays in his audiobook - he has a sarcastic, no-bullshit manner of speaking that makes his writing feel relatable. My favorite essay is the one he dedicates to his mother, in which he describes his complicated feelings towards his parents, the "silent anger" that he's inherited, and how he can never repay her for all that she has done for him. His feelings of shame and dehumanization over his own debt is an unfortunate yet real situation for many working class millennials, shown by all his moments of doubt, alternate career paths, and sacrificing parts of his life just to be able to make ends meet. I'm not sure if I'd rate this 3.5 or 4 stars, as I found the essays in the second half of the book to be much stronger than the first half, in which the former included some work that felt like throwaway content. I would have loved to have read a deeper exploration of his personal thoughts consistently throughout the book instead of saving that poignancy for the last 1/3.
July 19, 2020
So appreciated this funny, vulnerable essay collection from Michael Arceneaux that centers on what it feels like to have immense student loan debt. In a wry, relatable tone, Arceneaux writes about the impact of debt on several facets of his life, ranging from his decision to seek or not seek medical care, his potential regret about choosing an artistic path or a more financially lucrative one, and his relationships with others and himself. Arceneaux frames this reflection on debt from the perspective of his salient social identities, such as his Blackness and queerness.
I loved the candor and courage Arceneaux displayed by writing so openly about his student loan debt in I Don’t Want to Die Poor. Money is often such a taboo or stigmatized topic to discuss, which sucks because a lot of us live in capitalism and money thus governs a lot of what we do and how we operate in the world. Arceneaux names the shame that accompanies talking about money and does it anyway, which I found so helpful given how so many millennials and young folk in the United States are afflicted with massive debt. Though this topic may sound like a downer, because it is, Arceneaux writes in such a fun, conversational tone – while still maintaining the intelligence of his arguments – that the collection felt like a breeze to get through. I also appreciated the many references to Black and queer culture. Through these references, I felt like Arceneaux exhibited an ability to present himself fully on the page, without trying to make himself too palatable or understandable to white and straight readers.
There were a few moments where I wanted just a bit more emotional depth from Arceneaux. He reaches these moments of depth in a few places, like when he writes about his mother or toward the end when he writes with raw honesty about investing in joy even with debt. The wry tone, while I think true to his character, obscured for me some of the emotional heights the essay could have reached. Though I recognize that tone may just be Arceneaux’s style and personality, which he does present well throughout the collection.
Overall, would recommend to those interested in books written by queer BIPOC, especially if you’re looking for something that manages to address a heavy topic without feeling too heavy altogether. I wish Arceneaux the best and look forward to reading more of his work. Also, he mentions how a negative experience with a white male therapist discouraged him from seeking therapy again – if he or anyone else is reading this and is in a similar boat, please do keep trying to find a therapist who understands oppression of intersectionality! And inquire about sliding scale. Just my two cents as someone in the mental health field.
I loved the candor and courage Arceneaux displayed by writing so openly about his student loan debt in I Don’t Want to Die Poor. Money is often such a taboo or stigmatized topic to discuss, which sucks because a lot of us live in capitalism and money thus governs a lot of what we do and how we operate in the world. Arceneaux names the shame that accompanies talking about money and does it anyway, which I found so helpful given how so many millennials and young folk in the United States are afflicted with massive debt. Though this topic may sound like a downer, because it is, Arceneaux writes in such a fun, conversational tone – while still maintaining the intelligence of his arguments – that the collection felt like a breeze to get through. I also appreciated the many references to Black and queer culture. Through these references, I felt like Arceneaux exhibited an ability to present himself fully on the page, without trying to make himself too palatable or understandable to white and straight readers.
There were a few moments where I wanted just a bit more emotional depth from Arceneaux. He reaches these moments of depth in a few places, like when he writes about his mother or toward the end when he writes with raw honesty about investing in joy even with debt. The wry tone, while I think true to his character, obscured for me some of the emotional heights the essay could have reached. Though I recognize that tone may just be Arceneaux’s style and personality, which he does present well throughout the collection.
Overall, would recommend to those interested in books written by queer BIPOC, especially if you’re looking for something that manages to address a heavy topic without feeling too heavy altogether. I wish Arceneaux the best and look forward to reading more of his work. Also, he mentions how a negative experience with a white male therapist discouraged him from seeking therapy again – if he or anyone else is reading this and is in a similar boat, please do keep trying to find a therapist who understands oppression of intersectionality! And inquire about sliding scale. Just my two cents as someone in the mental health field.
December 21, 2020
dreams often die at the encouragement of those who have long since let theirs die.This collection of essays is one of the most heartfelt, gut wrenching collections I've ever had the privilege of reading.
From worshiping our lordt and saviour Beyonce, to dealing with depression and anxiety, to being a black man in the US, to being a gay man, to being gay and black in Trump's America... Arceneaux is able to give a story that is oft times moving, sometimes gloriously irreverent and all-around addictive.
Here are my thoughts and brief summaries of all the essays.
YOU SELF-CENTERED BASTARD
Visceral first hand account of how the college debt system drives former students to high stress. Resulting in a vicious cycle of anxiety, depression, job dissatisfaction. The saddest thing is perhaps how this isn't unique.
FOR $1500 AN EPISODE
Seems to throw a lot of shade at reality TV while reminiscing that one time he almost enrolled for one due to his desperation for a steady paycheck. Waffles on about how he'd never do it then, how he'd never fucking do it now, shills for Chasing Atlanta then Chasing Dallas and hopes the gay black cast members are getting properly compensated.
QUIT PLAYING ON MY PHONE
Arceneaux speaks about the hell that debt collector agents put people through. As someone who is also in debt, I could relate to this. Tho mine is more of the American equivalent to a payday loan, here they're called mobile money loans. They call daily even after countless messages telling them, no I don't have money or a job. No, I don't know when I will get money (AND WE'RE IN A FUCKING PANDEMIC NOW). Arceneaux's account of the conversations with the mean spirited Zachaeeuses and the anxiety they induce is relatable as hell. And yes, he brought this situation on himself by not knowing any better but is ignorance supposed to be a life sentence? I certainly don't think so.
K STREET THOT (AND OTHER CAREERS CONSIDERED)
This reminds me of articles I wrote for my now defunct blog about how to get rich quick in this economy. My situation isn't quite so systemic but I can't deny that if my country's "democratic" government worked the way the French intended, I would not be in such dire straits. Arceneaux's thorough considerations of other careers-- from sugar baby to republican to a church of Beyoncé shiller (I'd do this too but I agreed with the author Bey is a Christian so this would be insulting to her and my queen is also litigious about taking her image in vain)-- are entertaining and *sigh* beyond relatable.
THIS IS A STORY ABOUT CONTROL
This is perhaps the most difficult minimemoir of them all. At least, it was difficult to get through in the sense of the rawness and realness that jumps off page. I at times want to hug Arceneaux and just smother him with warmed heart emoji pillows and feed him grapes or whatever people deserving great kindness and affection get. He talks about how he has struggled with eating disorder and how much he has over come after realizing that
there has to be a greater love of self that supersedes setbacks, and the dangerous coping mechanisms we turn to in order to deal.This is the first essay to make me cry. Though I suspect it won't be the last.
NEVER HAVE I EVER
Sweet, hilarious and a call to coupled friends to stop with the demands that a single person in their 30s be in a relationship because their standards demand so.
This seems to be a running theme among black people because here too are always comments and questions as to why you haven't 'settled' by a certain age.
The essay also covers how one should not allow self sabotage to prevent you from dating or meeting new people. If you ever want to be intimate with a partner, you'll always have to simply try.
COGNAC AND CELEXA
I look forward to the Cognac and Celexa drop. This essay points out some of the hoops a gay black rapper would have to jump through to make it in the hip hop industry. It's a shame the industry isn't meritocratic and remains committed to its homophobia.
FLOAT ON
In which Arceneaux comes to terms with his burgeoning alcohol addiction that his father also dealt with. He acknowledges the need for escapism and recreation and how any drug can be abused even if the users are "self-aware". Addiction does have genetic components and knowledge doesn't negate the fact that drug abuse can become a slippery slope for some. As someone who reaches for a bottle every time I "need" it, I often have the same thought processes he had. My family hasn't had any visible history with addiction and they're the kind to demonize consumption let alone understand addiction. Arceneaux also talks about how he's used weed (I didn't gel with Mary Jane but that's a story for a never day) and Adderall (can't afford it).
I LOVE INSTAGRAM. IT SOMETIMES MAKES ME WANT TO DIE.
Well, if that wasn't the most nuanced yet scathing takedown of comparison culture, idk what is.
SWIPE UP
This brings about the topic of ethical consumption of pornography. The internet is inundated with countless sites that distribute porn without compensating the entertainers. While other entertainers have premium accounts on those platforms and so will make their millions regardless, websites like Only Fans have democratized the process allowing entertainers to sell their content directly to fans. However, it does bring about the question of whether or not it's a good thing ultimately considering the choking yoke of capitalism has driven many a desperate person to wiggle their asses for the voyeur with disposable income. How can you as a consumer, be certain that the actors have agency? You can't. And so, at the end of the day, you just have to accept that they're making a living and the least you can do, as Arceneaux says is, tip your porn star.
IT'S CHEAPER TO DIE
Yet another scathing indictment of the American Healthcare system and its government's inability to fix it. The risks are made starker by Arceneaux's account. His pragmatic acceptance that he could end up a statistic of loss of life due to lack of Healthcare fills me with anger and despair. Is there no place black people are just OK?
SHRINKAGE
In which Arceneaux articulates the complexities that plague people like me
...but in terms of my life, having financial security means I can embark on the kind of freedom I’ve long been deprived of. The kind of life he was living. You have to be able to afford choice. Happiness is expensive.
MAMA'S BOY
TO FREEDOM
The US really needs to get a handle on its student debt crisis. Even if it's for the generations yet to enroll in college.
I DON'T WANT TO DIE POOR
The US student debt machine is familiar to me as there is a near similar system here. Thankfully (?) there is a government bureau that provides student loans and it seems largely manageable. The problem is the economy. People of my generation are losing jobs left, right and centre and the corruption rampant in my country's government would have me ranting until we all die of Covid-19 or Jesus comes back or whatever signals the apocalypse in your belief system.
Arceneaux articulates how debilitating debt can be even with a fairly well paying job. He grapples with the guilt of choosing this path to higher education and a "farfetched" dream. But it's his bed, he will lay in it as he contemplates when he will fix things. Hopefully he will get that TV deal, that billionaire sugar daddy, that "benevolent" plutocrat who will wipe out all student debt or highly profitable book sales.
Whatever the outcome, I hope for nothing but all the best things for the author.
June 21, 2020
Giveaway Win!
4.5 Stars!
I Don't Want to Die Poor isn't just the title of this book, its the life motto of everyone I know. Not only do we not want to die poor, we don't want to live poor either.
Michael Arceneaux is a real one. I have so much in common with him.
-We both love BEYONCE!!
-We both want to be hoe's but aren't because hoeing is hard work
- We both love trashy reality tv and mumble rap even tho both are horrible
Michael Arceneaux is a famous writer, I mean on the covet of this book it says New York Times Bestselling Author. He has written for important publications and appeared on tv shows to talk about important things.... And yet he lives paycheck to paycheck because as a 18 year old in order to go to college (Howard University) he took out student loans. Student loans that keep getting bigger each year they are not paid off. And he is not alone, everyone single one of my friends owes thousands of dollars in student loans. I'm lucky I didn't take out any loans, I saw my older sister struggle to pay her loans back(she's almost 50 and she still owes money)I knew I would never be able to pay them back and I hate debt. I've been called a unicorn because I have zero debt but its actually a bad thing because since I pay all my bills immediately and don't take on debt I'm considered a bad credit risk. It makes no sense that pay my bills and living debt free gets me penalized but hey that's America for ya!
Michael Arceneaux uses humor to point out all the ways that the American financial system screws Americans especially poor black Americans. We are told that education will set you free but in order to get that education you have to take on thousands of dollars of debt that you'll probably never pay off.
This book made me laugh and it made me think. I love this man and I want him to have every good thing he deserves(including Frank Ocean).
A Must Read!
4.5 Stars!
I Don't Want to Die Poor isn't just the title of this book, its the life motto of everyone I know. Not only do we not want to die poor, we don't want to live poor either.
Michael Arceneaux is a real one. I have so much in common with him.
-We both love BEYONCE!!
-We both want to be hoe's but aren't because hoeing is hard work
- We both love trashy reality tv and mumble rap even tho both are horrible
Michael Arceneaux is a famous writer, I mean on the covet of this book it says New York Times Bestselling Author. He has written for important publications and appeared on tv shows to talk about important things.... And yet he lives paycheck to paycheck because as a 18 year old in order to go to college (Howard University) he took out student loans. Student loans that keep getting bigger each year they are not paid off. And he is not alone, everyone single one of my friends owes thousands of dollars in student loans. I'm lucky I didn't take out any loans, I saw my older sister struggle to pay her loans back(she's almost 50 and she still owes money)I knew I would never be able to pay them back and I hate debt. I've been called a unicorn because I have zero debt but its actually a bad thing because since I pay all my bills immediately and don't take on debt I'm considered a bad credit risk. It makes no sense that pay my bills and living debt free gets me penalized but hey that's America for ya!
Michael Arceneaux uses humor to point out all the ways that the American financial system screws Americans especially poor black Americans. We are told that education will set you free but in order to get that education you have to take on thousands of dollars of debt that you'll probably never pay off.
This book made me laugh and it made me think. I love this man and I want him to have every good thing he deserves(including Frank Ocean).
A Must Read!
April 21, 2020
Like many essay collections, this one has some excellent ones and some that didn’t work for me. But one thing I can’t deny is that the author is absolutely hilarious and sarcastic and I had many laugh out loud moments. It’s even more fun if you listen to the audiobook.
However, the fun nature of the writing doesn’t take away from the seriousness of the topics he is discussing - crippling student debt, making not so happy career choices to keep paying the bills, having to choose between eating a meal or paying the next installment, dealing with bill collectors all the time, probably not going to the doctor in lieu of not being able to afford insurance, believing oneself not worthy of love or happiness or any good thing because being in debt is considered a moral failure, trying to drown the sorrows through other vices - every issue that author talks about and the situations that he has experienced tugs at your heartstrings. He is also rightfully critical of the political and capitalist systems that are responsible for the insurmountable debt that students find themselves in with no silver lining in sight.
His essay that he dedicates to his mother and says how he can never repay her for all that she has done for him really touched me, and also made me realize my own extreme privilege in graduating without any student loans and how I can’t truly understand the despair he talks about. And I’m still amazed at the irreverent tone he manages to maintain throughout.
But if there’s one thing that he wishes everyone takes from his book and one advise that I truly believe we all can use - it’s that learn to forgive yourself and make time for your own happiness. Whatever problem we have isn’t going anywhere, but that doesn’t mean we should deprive ourselves of the little things that give us joy.
However, the fun nature of the writing doesn’t take away from the seriousness of the topics he is discussing - crippling student debt, making not so happy career choices to keep paying the bills, having to choose between eating a meal or paying the next installment, dealing with bill collectors all the time, probably not going to the doctor in lieu of not being able to afford insurance, believing oneself not worthy of love or happiness or any good thing because being in debt is considered a moral failure, trying to drown the sorrows through other vices - every issue that author talks about and the situations that he has experienced tugs at your heartstrings. He is also rightfully critical of the political and capitalist systems that are responsible for the insurmountable debt that students find themselves in with no silver lining in sight.
His essay that he dedicates to his mother and says how he can never repay her for all that she has done for him really touched me, and also made me realize my own extreme privilege in graduating without any student loans and how I can’t truly understand the despair he talks about. And I’m still amazed at the irreverent tone he manages to maintain throughout.
But if there’s one thing that he wishes everyone takes from his book and one advise that I truly believe we all can use - it’s that learn to forgive yourself and make time for your own happiness. Whatever problem we have isn’t going anywhere, but that doesn’t mean we should deprive ourselves of the little things that give us joy.
April 16, 2020
Michael Arceneaux did that shit! This book is even funnier than his previous one, I Can’t Date Jesus, which was also fantastic.
His story of trying to become successful after college, dealing with bill collectors and those who will not let up trying to collect on endless student debt is incredibly relatable and was told with so much honesty that I felt seen, as someone also battling the student debt mountain.
He goes into how various government bodies are failing current new grads and future generations and how they’re currently crippling the livelihood of those who are just getting started after being told to go and secure a higher education.
He gets super political while managing to keep it all the way real, ratchet and HILARIOUS. I highkey laughed out loud at several different points reading this last night.
The essay to his mother, thanking her and saying how much he needs to pay her back for all the help she gave him was the most beautiful and heartfelt/heartbreaking thing I’ve ever read. It was heartbreaking because so many students feel the same way, and will we ever achieve paying back our parents when it feels like you’ll never get out from under your student loan debt? It’s hard to say and you could feel his happiness, joy and pain come through that chapter. It was sooo good. I’d give this book 6 stars for that essay alone.
He goes in on so many things related to family, love, being broke, being rich, comparing yourself to others, trying to heal yourself through vices, etc etc etc — he goes in and after reading this book I just felt left with this warm understanding of how different, yet the same we all are. We are all mostly just out here, trying to survive.
Michael Arceneaux is like Te-nehisi Coates for the Meg the Stallion crowd and I’m here for it all. Don’t sleep, Meg herself is also in school.. I think she’d get a kick out of this book. I sure did! It’s a 5-star, highly recommended read from me. You’re not going to get writing like this from just anywhere. The black community has young, gay and coming for that cheque, give it to you straight no-filter writers out here serving up political true tea and I’m here for it.
His story of trying to become successful after college, dealing with bill collectors and those who will not let up trying to collect on endless student debt is incredibly relatable and was told with so much honesty that I felt seen, as someone also battling the student debt mountain.
He goes into how various government bodies are failing current new grads and future generations and how they’re currently crippling the livelihood of those who are just getting started after being told to go and secure a higher education.
He gets super political while managing to keep it all the way real, ratchet and HILARIOUS. I highkey laughed out loud at several different points reading this last night.
The essay to his mother, thanking her and saying how much he needs to pay her back for all the help she gave him was the most beautiful and heartfelt/heartbreaking thing I’ve ever read. It was heartbreaking because so many students feel the same way, and will we ever achieve paying back our parents when it feels like you’ll never get out from under your student loan debt? It’s hard to say and you could feel his happiness, joy and pain come through that chapter. It was sooo good. I’d give this book 6 stars for that essay alone.
He goes in on so many things related to family, love, being broke, being rich, comparing yourself to others, trying to heal yourself through vices, etc etc etc — he goes in and after reading this book I just felt left with this warm understanding of how different, yet the same we all are. We are all mostly just out here, trying to survive.
Michael Arceneaux is like Te-nehisi Coates for the Meg the Stallion crowd and I’m here for it all. Don’t sleep, Meg herself is also in school.. I think she’d get a kick out of this book. I sure did! It’s a 5-star, highly recommended read from me. You’re not going to get writing like this from just anywhere. The black community has young, gay and coming for that cheque, give it to you straight no-filter writers out here serving up political true tea and I’m here for it.
August 25, 2022
I liked this essay collection quite a bit, although I feel I made a poor decision not to listen to this one on audiobook. Overall I gave it 3.5 stars rounded up for actual star selection. I liked most of these essay a lot, but a few of them dragged a little for me. I can see how the humor woven throughout these essays would have played stronger when read aloud, but I definitely felt the humor reading it myself as well. I liked that Michael was honest in these essays, but I did think there was room to dig deeper in some of them. I haven’t read anything else by Michael before this, but I will definitely be looking into his things in the future.
April 12, 2020
A really strong collection about money and debt for working class millennials. Arceneaux is really funny (this comes off even more in the audiobook) and his pop culture references are so great. Some of the essay are super strong some didn’t work for me. Overall good.
Read
December 26, 2020dnf. I just couldn't really get into this one? I was skimming the essays so there isn't much point continuing. I think I've just read a lot of these memoir/essays this year and this wasn't as strong as ones I've read recently. Might be a better read on audiobook.
July 12, 2020
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review....
DNF @ 19 %
Sadly, this book just isn’t for me. I don’t even want to review it because I didn’t read enough of it to give it a fair review. However, from what I did read, I can say that I don’t think it is a bad book by any means. It just isn’t a book for me. I gave it two stars for the writing skill alone, which was pretty decent. I wasn’t able to give it any other stars though as it couldn’t keep my interest in any way. Honestly, I struggled to make it to 19%. I don’t like to DNF books. I do my best to push through them. Right now I have a whole shelf and a half filled with books that are from giveaways that are waiting to be reviewed...so I just can’t keep reading a book that is that dull to me. That being said, it was still quality writing and could definitely entertain another person. It depends on your interests.
DNF @ 19 %
Sadly, this book just isn’t for me. I don’t even want to review it because I didn’t read enough of it to give it a fair review. However, from what I did read, I can say that I don’t think it is a bad book by any means. It just isn’t a book for me. I gave it two stars for the writing skill alone, which was pretty decent. I wasn’t able to give it any other stars though as it couldn’t keep my interest in any way. Honestly, I struggled to make it to 19%. I don’t like to DNF books. I do my best to push through them. Right now I have a whole shelf and a half filled with books that are from giveaways that are waiting to be reviewed...so I just can’t keep reading a book that is that dull to me. That being said, it was still quality writing and could definitely entertain another person. It depends on your interests.
February 10, 2020
I will read any and everything Michael Acreneaux writes without question
i was given an early copy of this book by the publishers for an honest review and I will say: everyone needs to read his work
I love it
i was given an early copy of this book by the publishers for an honest review and I will say: everyone needs to read his work
I love it
May 23, 2020
I was pretty disappointed with this book. I thought it'd be funnier, but it wasn't. I expected more essays talking about the difficulties of struggling financially & dealing with debt, but it was more of personal essays about the author's life in general, most of which weakly tied to his debt, I felt. I think this would be more interesting for someone who has already followed the author on social media & finds him interesting. The book reads more like someone's blog. No offense to the author since he seems like a nice person, but I didn't find any of the essays interesting at all.
May 18, 2020
These are funny, insightful, and profound essays. The ones about how student debt has shaped his life and his choices are heartbreaking. His voice is honest and witty and I am now a fan.
April 12, 2020
We still live in a culture that demonizes people for not having money, like there’s something wrong with them.
In Michael Arceneaux sophomore novel I Don't Want to Die Poor he writes in unflinching details what life is like living under a crushing student loan debt. In his essays he details how and why he decided to take a loan and how he's been spending the prime years of his life trying to pay it back. How dehumanizing having a debt can be, the access these creditors have to you, how they call you at any given time- It was a brutal read. As someone who recently paid off my credit card debt I was so moved by Arceneaux reality, my entire heart broke for him.
I really recommend everyone gives this a read, especially if you are thinking about student loan, or any loan for that matter.
Well written and timely.
In Michael Arceneaux sophomore novel I Don't Want to Die Poor he writes in unflinching details what life is like living under a crushing student loan debt. In his essays he details how and why he decided to take a loan and how he's been spending the prime years of his life trying to pay it back. How dehumanizing having a debt can be, the access these creditors have to you, how they call you at any given time- It was a brutal read. As someone who recently paid off my credit card debt I was so moved by Arceneaux reality, my entire heart broke for him.
I really recommend everyone gives this a read, especially if you are thinking about student loan, or any loan for that matter.
Well written and timely.
June 26, 2020
Michael Arceneaux returns with a biting, empathetic collection of essays recounting black millennial life in the “United States of Wage Stagnation and Economic Inequality.” The sparks and sentiments are there, but stylistically I found this book to be a tad overdone. As essays go on, it becomes hard to follow the many run-ons.
Would recommend as "summer reading" during a summer that is not 2020!
Would recommend as "summer reading" during a summer that is not 2020!
May 8, 2020
A great book of essays about being an older millennial and having lots of student loan debt. I think what makes this work so accessible is the familiarity of subject, but also because it’s funny, and littered with pop culture references for older millennials. I laughed at the funny parts, and reflected on the not funny parts, and I shed a tear in his essay to his mother. Would recommend.
September 9, 2020
If I could give this book 0 stars I would. It is not relatable content for general audiences. I thought this book would be about the journey of a young man trying to pay off his student loans and it was not. While student loan debt is mentioned, the entire book is really a personal rant on everything wrong in the world according to the author. . That kind of personal diary where experiences are purged onto a page are fine when advertised as such. I can see how some people think that his oversharing could be real, raw or refreshingly honest but it is just obscene. I wasn't offended about the author talking about his experiences with an alcoholic dad, growing up African American in Texas or any of the recreational drug references. I was offended when I thought a book about overcoming debt was commandeered by the authors "journey" discovering pornography. That is not why I picked up the book. I wanted to use this book for a book challenge but I can't finish it.
May 2, 2021
not as strong or focused as his other collection, some of the writing was poor, most of the essays felt surface-level and loosely connected to his student loan debt out of obligation. w/e it's over & he can get that coin
August 5, 2020
Michael Arceneaux is black, gay, and southern, and he uses the intersection of each of those points to give an often unheard voice to financial (primarily large student loans) and family problems throughout this life with the focus on his adulthood. I appreciated his perspective, and I'm glad I read this collection. I found the essays uneven, however, with several repetitive stories and a few others that didn't seem to fit with the rest. I will seek out more of his work based on the last 2 essays alone, but I'm not sure I would recommend this particular collection.
June 10, 2021
do yourself a favor and listen to the audiobook. on cardi b’s internet
June 26, 2020
... I just finished Michael Arceneaux's follow up to his phenomenal debut, "I Can't Date Jesus," a NYT Bestseller; "I Don't Want To Die Poor," a collection of essays regarding Arceneaux's struggles primarily with student debt.
Like so many other Americans it's crushing him yet he takes it in stride; illuminating, elucidating, and coming to terms ... even without a concrete plan to rid himself. But then what would be the point of this book? He doesn't tout it as a primer, but rather explores the factors on how he, on how we got here; and so far its often debilitating effects.
In the chapter I Love Instagram. It Sometimes Makes Me Want to Die, we get an inkling of his insecurities ("one doesn't have to be superficial and materialistic to let it get in your head; repetition takes down the mightiest of us."), but he's not above criticizing the rich which he states "... is not rooted in people being successful enough to become wealthy, but a system that allows people to build massive fortunes based on exploitation - and using that power to consolidate power that prevents them from ever facing any consequences for such abuses."
It's not " ... whether or not you can afford the yacht, but whether or not activities like say, not paying people livable wages are how you were able to pay for that yacht ... or was it being let off the hook for paying your fair share of taxes?"
What made "I Can't Date Jesus" a huge success is that Arceneaux knows how to shovel out the dregs of hs personal life, this tactic still a bane to his mother, dripping pop culture into scathing commentary, but he also knows how to bring levity: "I do not want to die poor, but if all else fails, I'll make sure to get life insurance so that in the event of my untimely death, I won't have to deal with letters going to my tombstone."
Speaking of his mother, Arceneaux writes in Mama's Boy, how his "anger would rise like the humidity in Houston in summer" (I live in Texas. I can feel That particular seething).
Like Jesus, he saves his best writing; maybe not best but his most naked and heart wrenching poignancy for his mother, ever fearful of "that quiet anger we both possess." Yet he also worries this is just another way of disappointing her and caring too much what she thinks.
Arceneaux deeply hurt ... is deeply moving.
Like so many other Americans it's crushing him yet he takes it in stride; illuminating, elucidating, and coming to terms ... even without a concrete plan to rid himself. But then what would be the point of this book? He doesn't tout it as a primer, but rather explores the factors on how he, on how we got here; and so far its often debilitating effects.
In the chapter I Love Instagram. It Sometimes Makes Me Want to Die, we get an inkling of his insecurities ("one doesn't have to be superficial and materialistic to let it get in your head; repetition takes down the mightiest of us."), but he's not above criticizing the rich which he states "... is not rooted in people being successful enough to become wealthy, but a system that allows people to build massive fortunes based on exploitation - and using that power to consolidate power that prevents them from ever facing any consequences for such abuses."
It's not " ... whether or not you can afford the yacht, but whether or not activities like say, not paying people livable wages are how you were able to pay for that yacht ... or was it being let off the hook for paying your fair share of taxes?"
What made "I Can't Date Jesus" a huge success is that Arceneaux knows how to shovel out the dregs of hs personal life, this tactic still a bane to his mother, dripping pop culture into scathing commentary, but he also knows how to bring levity: "I do not want to die poor, but if all else fails, I'll make sure to get life insurance so that in the event of my untimely death, I won't have to deal with letters going to my tombstone."
Speaking of his mother, Arceneaux writes in Mama's Boy, how his "anger would rise like the humidity in Houston in summer" (I live in Texas. I can feel That particular seething).
Like Jesus, he saves his best writing; maybe not best but his most naked and heart wrenching poignancy for his mother, ever fearful of "that quiet anger we both possess." Yet he also worries this is just another way of disappointing her and caring too much what she thinks.
Arceneaux deeply hurt ... is deeply moving.
May 30, 2020
These essays by Michael Arceneaux are packed with pop culture references (he and I are the same age, but clearly I’ve been living under a rock), and the truth about what it’s like to chase your dreams in America.
What is it like? Expensive.
He gives a sobering look, streaked through with moments of humor, satire, and scathing social criticism, on what it’s like to live with the sort of 5, sometimes even 6 figure debt that going to school can burden a young twenty-something with. What it’s like to have to borrow money for a college and then spend the rest of your life trying to pay it back.
What is it like? Really hard, if not impossible.
Highly recommend reading. But some other random thoughts too: he’s super on point regarding social media & Instagram. Dying really is cheaper than living, and omg there is so much recent literary talent coming out of Houston!
And finally and especially because of this line "We still live in a culture that demonizes people for not having money, like there’s something wrong with them," this book made me think about the shame of debt in American society, that there even is debt for education, and the messed up relationship we all have with money. I think if we all had a more open and honest conversation on these things: salaries, debt, cost of living, etc then a lot could change because you cannot see what has no light shed upon it, but we've got such a crazy hang up that such conversations are a social faux pas / a source of shame. This essay collection feels like an important step toward correcting that.
What is it like? Expensive.
He gives a sobering look, streaked through with moments of humor, satire, and scathing social criticism, on what it’s like to live with the sort of 5, sometimes even 6 figure debt that going to school can burden a young twenty-something with. What it’s like to have to borrow money for a college and then spend the rest of your life trying to pay it back.
What is it like? Really hard, if not impossible.
Highly recommend reading. But some other random thoughts too: he’s super on point regarding social media & Instagram. Dying really is cheaper than living, and omg there is so much recent literary talent coming out of Houston!
And finally and especially because of this line "We still live in a culture that demonizes people for not having money, like there’s something wrong with them," this book made me think about the shame of debt in American society, that there even is debt for education, and the messed up relationship we all have with money. I think if we all had a more open and honest conversation on these things: salaries, debt, cost of living, etc then a lot could change because you cannot see what has no light shed upon it, but we've got such a crazy hang up that such conversations are a social faux pas / a source of shame. This essay collection feels like an important step toward correcting that.
July 1, 2021
A phenomenal essay collection written by someone who's researched and lived what they're talking about.
Michael Arceneaux captures what it's like for the millions of Americans living with student debt -from the expectation of college without the financial means, to loan collectors who call day and night, exponential interest rates that won't let you get ahead, and all the way to promotional "success" stories that tout 5 and 6-figure debt payoffs through pausing their life in other ways, often with racial and economic privilege attached. (ex. adults who move back in with their parents to avoid rent/housing payments - requires the financial stability of the parents to support their housing/utility costs)
Besides the debt many individuals carry, there's also the familial expectations placed on them. Parents are working well into their retirement years to pay down their child's debt, or even their own. Children are supporting their parents, and making the minimum payments on high interest loans because necessities come first. It's a demoralizing and disheartening experience for all to have the weight and stress of such debt on them for years.
What Arceneaux chronicles is his personal experience living with high debt while also facing other social and economic barriers as a Black, gay man. Despite economic struggles, Arceneaux writes with much wit and levity, ultimately leaving the reader with hope and validation that education and opportunity shouldn't come from a place of such extreme financial burden. That living one's life looking back and questioning all your choices (many of which were made in survival mode) is no way to live at all. You did your best. You worked with what you had. Look forward, and keep going.
An excellent read!
Michael Arceneaux captures what it's like for the millions of Americans living with student debt -from the expectation of college without the financial means, to loan collectors who call day and night, exponential interest rates that won't let you get ahead, and all the way to promotional "success" stories that tout 5 and 6-figure debt payoffs through pausing their life in other ways, often with racial and economic privilege attached. (ex. adults who move back in with their parents to avoid rent/housing payments - requires the financial stability of the parents to support their housing/utility costs)
Besides the debt many individuals carry, there's also the familial expectations placed on them. Parents are working well into their retirement years to pay down their child's debt, or even their own. Children are supporting their parents, and making the minimum payments on high interest loans because necessities come first. It's a demoralizing and disheartening experience for all to have the weight and stress of such debt on them for years.
What Arceneaux chronicles is his personal experience living with high debt while also facing other social and economic barriers as a Black, gay man. Despite economic struggles, Arceneaux writes with much wit and levity, ultimately leaving the reader with hope and validation that education and opportunity shouldn't come from a place of such extreme financial burden. That living one's life looking back and questioning all your choices (many of which were made in survival mode) is no way to live at all. You did your best. You worked with what you had. Look forward, and keep going.
An excellent read!
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June 12, 2021I really loved Michael Arceneaux’s essay collection I Can’t Marry Jesus. This collection, focused mainly on the stress of debt and work, but ranging from Obamacare to reality TV to what the millennial generation has supposedly killed, was really great too. Michael Arceneaux’s writing is just the right amount clever, just the right amount sassy, just the right amount dismal.
Let’s pass some loan forgiveness bills. Nobody wants to die poor!
Let’s pass some loan forgiveness bills. Nobody wants to die poor!
April 3, 2020
I was lucky to receive an ARC of this book. I love the cover. This is a wonderful collection of essays that shows how being in debt, particularly from student loans, effects every part of your life. There is also commentary on being a black gay man in America. Overall, it’s well written, funny, and full of insights.
April 23, 2020
Another hard to press pause gem.
April 28, 2020
very funny. very relatable. very smart.
July 6, 2021
unfortunately, I didn't like this as much as arceneaux's previous book, which is sharper and funnier. I still enjoyed this collection but wasn't as charmed. there is one section towards the end that is addressed to his mom which is heart wrenching. also I appreciated him talking about the realities of living under crushing debt. it's one thing to be like yeah we have a student debt crisis in this country and another to understand the material ways in which it impacts people's lives.
April 24, 2020
I enjoyed Michael Arceneaux’s last book, so I didn’t hesitate to preorder this one. Of course I saw the title, but for some reason I still didn’t know what to expect.
I Don’t Want to Die Poor is an honest and vulnerable offering. Arceneaux does not hold back when discussing his fraught relationship with student loan lenders and how his debt impacts many areas of his life. His debt impacts the way he views himself, his relationship with his mother and even romantic relationships.
The writer is not whining or complaining. This is a clear illustration of how striving for a better existence through education can lead to financial turmoil. Many of us are told that if we attend college, we will get a “good” job and live a “good” life. It’s kind of difficult to feel like a success while negotiating thousands of dollars of debt with lenders that only care about timely payments.
I follow Arceneaux on Twitter. I think he’s brilliant and does an amazing job of responding to people that argue that if you didn’t want the debt or could not pay for college you should have made better choices. Shouldn’t we all receive a decent college education without having to take on such a heavy financial burden?
There are people that don’t have this issue and if you’re one of them, I still recommend that you give this book a chance. In addition to debt, there’s commentary on politics, family, coping mechanisms and a wonderful analysis of Only Fans. Yes, there are sections that are serious and even some heavy sections, but Arceneaux does a good job of balancing it out with humor. I look forward to buying his third offering without having a clue what it’s about and more importantly, I hope his book sales make a huge dent if not eliminate his student loan debt completely.
I Don’t Want to Die Poor is an honest and vulnerable offering. Arceneaux does not hold back when discussing his fraught relationship with student loan lenders and how his debt impacts many areas of his life. His debt impacts the way he views himself, his relationship with his mother and even romantic relationships.
The writer is not whining or complaining. This is a clear illustration of how striving for a better existence through education can lead to financial turmoil. Many of us are told that if we attend college, we will get a “good” job and live a “good” life. It’s kind of difficult to feel like a success while negotiating thousands of dollars of debt with lenders that only care about timely payments.
I follow Arceneaux on Twitter. I think he’s brilliant and does an amazing job of responding to people that argue that if you didn’t want the debt or could not pay for college you should have made better choices. Shouldn’t we all receive a decent college education without having to take on such a heavy financial burden?
There are people that don’t have this issue and if you’re one of them, I still recommend that you give this book a chance. In addition to debt, there’s commentary on politics, family, coping mechanisms and a wonderful analysis of Only Fans. Yes, there are sections that are serious and even some heavy sections, but Arceneaux does a good job of balancing it out with humor. I look forward to buying his third offering without having a clue what it’s about and more importantly, I hope his book sales make a huge dent if not eliminate his student loan debt completely.
May 12, 2020
Very funny, well-written essays about growing up as a gay black man and trying to find love, start your career in a world that devalues workers, and deal with the daily bullshit that comes from living in America—all while carrying around student loan debt.
Arceneaux writes with wit and clarity, I love how varied these essays were, while still relating to just how much student loan debt impacts every facet of his life and millions of other Americans.
I’ve read a fair share of these types of books that are often too focused on trying to be funny and topical, and end up failing to really say anything substantial. Arceneaux thankfully avoids that trap, with his lighter essays at the beginning, and the more serious ones at the end. It makes for a thoughtful and worthwhile read. 4/5
Arceneaux writes with wit and clarity, I love how varied these essays were, while still relating to just how much student loan debt impacts every facet of his life and millions of other Americans.
I’ve read a fair share of these types of books that are often too focused on trying to be funny and topical, and end up failing to really say anything substantial. Arceneaux thankfully avoids that trap, with his lighter essays at the beginning, and the more serious ones at the end. It makes for a thoughtful and worthwhile read. 4/5
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