Friday black by nana kwame adjei-brenyah
Sales so good, they’re to die for.
The acclaimed debut collection from the author of Chain Gang All Stars; a piercingly raw and, at times, heartbreakingly satirical look at what it’s like to be young and Black in America.
From the start of this extraordinary debut, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s writing will grab you, haunt you, enrage and invigorate you. By placing ordinary characters in extraordinary situations, Adjei-Brenyah reveals the violence, injustice, and painful absurdities that Black men and women contend with every day in this country.
These stories tackle urgent instances of racism and cultural unrest, and explore the many ways we fight for humanity in an unforgiving world.
Noble, Barnes . “Friday Black|Paperback.” Barnes & Noble, 23 Oct. 2018, www.barnesandnoble.com/w/friday-black-nana-kwame-adjei-brenyah/1127659349?ean=9781328911247. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Why we loved it
In his book Friday Black, Adjei-Brenyah takes the madness of Black Friday shopping and turns it into something wild and scary. At first, it’s funny – imagine people fighting like animals over cheap TVs. But soon you realize this isn’t just a story. It’s showing us what really happens when people care more about sales than being decent.
The workers in the story are just as bad. They’re so focused on their jobs that they ignore people getting hurt around them. The crazy part? This isn’t fantasy. Adjei-Brenyah is showing us what we’re already like – just turned up a little louder.
Friday Black will make you laugh, but then it’ll make you think. Next time you see a “50% OFF” sign, you might remember this story – and check yourself before you turn into one of those zombie shoppers.
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