Memoiren und Biografien von Fremden zu lesen ist immer etwas ganz besonderes. All Boys Aren't Blue präsentiert eine Perspektive, die ich als weiße Frau* in Deutschland nie erleben könnte. George erzählt eine wichtige Geschichte, seine Geschichte, eine Geschichte über die viel zu wenig geredet wird.

Reviewing a memoir or biography in a way you'd review any other book seems weird. There's no way to rate any person's story. And yeah, I could go on about how much I liked the writing, but it would shift away from what is important. First, I have to say that this book touches on several tough topics, so please have a look beforehand. CW: racism and slurs, sexual assault, incest, rape, abuse, violence, blood, cancer, death (of family members and friends), misgendering and deadnaming of a trans person, homophobia. We chose this book as the February Buddy Read for our University book club, and it coincidentally fit well with Black History Month. This story hit differently. I'm happy that we read it. Even though it's certainly not targeted at me, I was still able to identify and reflect on some of the things Johnson wrote. And I'm sure many will, too. Some of the book club members discussed the possibility of reading this book in school. It would be a great introduction to many queer topics, with appropriate caution, and I can definitely agree. There have been several chapters that emotionally touched me, especially the last. Johnson's story is definitely not an easy ride, and I was shocked and left without words more time than I can count. As the author said, "Whether this book is a bestseller or a flop, if one person is helped by my story, then it was all worth it.", I also believe that these stories will help others, as some might have even been through the same experiences. I also want to point out something that friends thankfully pointed out to me too. The author repeatedly deadnames his trans cousin and uses the wrong pronouns. It further complicates and makes this book uncomfortable for trans readers. I will not go into more details about the book here. But I'll end this review with a quote that is as sad as it is beautiful. "Time and Death are much closer than many of us would ever like them to be. [...] Time waits for no one, and for Black queer people, there are too many trying to steal the little bit of time we have. So, live your life."

"You sometimes don't know you exist until you realize someone like you existed before." This book is so personal, I can't possibly rate it. The author talks about his highs and lows, his childhood and relationships. It deals with racism and toxic masculinity, with sexuality and gender identity. Johnson shows how all these topics intersect and influence his life. It's such a great memoir which should be read by everyone, since I'm sure every single person can take something from it. "Finding happiness is important. Sometimes it takes pushing yourself past your own boundaries to get to that place."

Love who you want to love and do it unapologetically, Including that face you see every day in the mirror. “When people ask me how I got into activism, I often say, ‘The first person you are ever an activist for is yourself.’ If I wasn’t gonna fight for me, who else was?” - George M. Johnson George M. Johnson shows us with his memoir what it is like to grow up wanting something different, in a society that is unaccepting of everything out of their norm. How hard it is to find and finally accept yourself for who you are. This book was sad but beautiful, tragic and hopeful at the same time. I urge everyone to read this important book. We still have so much to learn.

Holy flipping moly! What a concise, well structured, deeply personal Memoire on being Black and queer (in America). I put that in brackets, because clearly that setting is integral to Johnson’s experiences, but at the same time I had no difficulty at all to identify with what they said, to learn from their tales and to empathise with their life lessons. If you’re Black, you’re seen here! If you’re queer, you’re seen here! If you’re Black and queer, YOU’RE SEEN HERE! In addition to that though, I feel you’re seen here if you simply feel like the odd one out sometimes. What an honest, educational read and what a forgiving, gracious look on life, without negating that hurtful and traumatising things happen in it, written by a wise and uplifting voice in this world that I hope many, many people will hear. The audiobook is read by the author and an absolute delight! 10/10, would recommend! CW: racism/white toxicity, death/grief, homophobia, racist/homophobic slurs (well contextualised), physical abuse, sexual abuse, brief mentions of drug use, terminal illness (I’m pretty sure there was more that I am currently not recalling)