I wasn't familiar with R. Eric Thomas' Elle.com writing before reading this book, but I can definitely see why his unique humor and wit is perfect for that kind of content. I think I'd be a huge fan of his writing in concentrated doses like that. For this book, I felt like the essays dragged on a bit. Maybe I was expecting a bit more of a memoir feel, but it seemed like this was much more humor. I wanted to know more about how Thomas navigated coming out to his family and how he found his community - these things were only briefly mentioned, even though he did go into detail about suffering from depression and loneliness. Overall, Thomas is hilarious, and I can see why his writing is successful. It just wasn't a slam dunk for me, and I can't even quite articulate why exactly. I think I'll check out his writing online, but maybe not a full collection again.

He was funny. He was honest. And it truly made the reading experience enjoyable. I really loved this one and I will recommend it to anyone who will listen

With a hilarity that can only come from having to fend for yourself for decades - R. Eric Thomas absolutely delivers in this set of essays. No matter where he's been, his entire life, Thomas has been an outsider. His predominately white, bougie suburban high school, Ivy-League university, conservative Black church - you name it, he's been there, trying to figure out the ropes on his own. Thomas takes the heartwrenching themes of belonging, home, family, and loving oneself, and gives them a bright light and a little giggle.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for advanced access to this title!

Is there any book that made me laugh louder or more this year? No. R. Eric Thomas is a national treasure and so is his book. I would be laughing and then catch my breath from the poignancy and honesty of his writing.

I’ve been on the nonfiction/memoir kick and loving it! Here For It was so good, and it was just the perfect read I needed in this challenging year. Perfect to read right now, and it definitely brought the humor.

I really loved the way that author Thomas handled life, and gave it a laugh right back.

*thank you Ballantine + Netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

LOVE LOVE LOVE. A joyful, funny, heartfelt memoir about self acceptance. I cannot recommend this book enough.

A very fun read. I enjoyed Eric's magazine essay's and loved his book. Great job. Can't wait for the next one.

Here For It felt like I was chatting with my funniest, smartest friend.

R. Eric Thomas speaks thoughtfully and emotionally on serious social topics (sexuality, religion, race) and then immediately has you cry laughing about a bad haircut in the next sentence.

Extra points for the Broad Street Ministry shout out (a pinnacle of support in Philly for people who are experiencing homelessness) and the perfect physical size of the book (it’s like 2 inches shorter than a typical hardback).

Best followed up with a deep dive into R. Eric’s Elle.com archives.

SERIOUSLY. So much fun.

I feel guilty saying how fun this was for me to read when in all honestly it had some pretty serious heartbreaking moments and revelations. But R. Eric Thomas had me in stitches so much of the narration that I just enjoyed it so much!

I didn't even know who he was prior to this book. He's such a gifted and talented story teller that literally has you peeing your pants with laughter one minute, then in tears as he relays some heavy and challenging times in his childhood, and then the next minute you're wrapped up in the warm fuzzies of hope and optimism.

This is the PERFECT book to read right now. It's snarky and relatable, heartwarming and conversational. And his Grover voice (on audio) is reason enough to take a listen. Just SO funny.

I had a great time reading R. Eric Thomas' debut book Here for It. I thought it might be fitting to do this review with the spirit of this book in mind so settle in and let's get into it!⁣

Things Julia is Here For: An Ode to the Magic that is Here for It⁣
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1) Black Student Unions at Predominantly White Institutions: Y'all, when Thomas describes the ninja like way that the Black Student Union at Columbia found him, I too was invested in this collegiate case of whoduneit. It gives me Gossip Girl vibes for real. Spotted: R. Eric Thomas has made his way to his freshman dormitory. Let the emails begin. You know you love me, XOXO. ⁣
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2) Living Your Best Life Facts be Damned: If we can glean anything from Thomas' account, it is to push forward with the confidence of..you know what I'm just going to leave that there. Do with it what you will. However, I will say that clearly we are living in a time where the tyranny of facts and information are a thing of the past. Imposter syndrome? I'm sorry I don't know her. ⁣
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3) Protecting Your Joy: I have always been Team Protect Your Peace, and I cannot think of a more appropriate time to be reminded to do just that. As Thomas writes, "I think it's important to revel in the small things that make us joyful, to indulge when possible and not problematic". So treat yourselves people and let's try and salvage what we can everyday with the hope of ushering out all the hateration and holleration in this dancery. ⁣
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I could go on, but listen I am a fool for sleeping on Thomas all these years. To think I could have had these jokes and colorful commentary in my life, years ago?! Sigh, that is the real tragedy here. If you don't get it by now, R. Eric Thomas does my kind of carrying on and I am here for anything else that he writes. Get into it!

I didn’t know much about R. Eric Thomas before reading this book, but his conversational tone throughout the essays made me feel like a close friend catching up with him at a fun coffee shop or bar. There were moments where I laughed out loud. Whether it was a sticky situation or just a scatter brained thought (the mini Krackel chocolate bars 😂), R. Eric Thomas knows how to tell a story. It wasn’t all fun and games though, as he writes about some low moments in his life. I thought overall there was a really great balance to the essays and it felt really cohesive and easy to read.

I adored this book! I was not familiar with the author's column prior to reading it, but had a feeling I would enjoy it based on the description. This was an unexpectedly delightful combination of humor, wit, sarcasm, and true emotional vulnerability. I finished the book thinking "I need to read all of his previous work" and "I wish we could be friends". Highly recommended to fans of essay collections or memoirs that combine levity and heavy topics in equal measure.

Included in column on Black LGBTQ+ Authors to Read in June 2020.

Review:

R. Eric Thomas, the columnist behind the popular “Eric Reads the News” on ELLE.com, is smart. And charming. And funny. And in Here for It, his first collection of essays, he uses this smart charming humor to explore his life as a gay, black, Christian man and what it means to be different--and to be one’s truest self.

Thomas bounces between disparate topics across his essays: Michelle Obama and Mister Rogers; racial slurs and horror movies; scented candles and Pride; family and religion and first loves and true love. (There are also lots of mentions of Beyoncé throughout). Though seemingly unrelated, this wide spread is evidence of Thomas’ skill as a storyteller, a testament to his ability to use one small anecdote as an entry point into larger conversations about racism, pride, religion, and mental health--just to name a few.

“The comedic surprise I’m always trying to get to in [my] column is hope” (11), a concept that is borne out across every page in Here for It. It’s rare to laugh out loud in the midst of a story that ends in a suicide; it’s unusual to guffaw when reading about racism. Thomas’ sense of humor, though, invites readers to laugh while acknowledging the very real, very large problems facing our world today. And in between it all, that laughter succeeds in delivering just what Thomas aims to do in his columns: hope.

This book was everything I hoped for and then some. To call it a collection of essays would be doing it a disservice - it is a collection of stories and R. Eric Thomas' art form is crafting a story. He found a way to make every story funny, witty, raw, and profoundly insightful. I found myself reading this oh so slowly so that I might draw it out.

I'm not sure if this will make sense to anyone else, but this dress felt like wearing a dress with sequins, eating cherries with pits, it smells like Tom Ford cologne, and it feels like crushed velvet.

I've now purchased multiple hard copies of this book and I'd encourage you to do the same.

I really enjoyed Here For It - listening to the audiobook felt like sitting with a friend and listening to his stories. There were definitely some laugh out loud moments and also some serious topics. I will definitely be watching for more to read from R Eric Thomas.

Thank you to Ballantine for the free digital ARC. I also purchased the audiobook so I could listen as well.

Ballantine Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Here For It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Here For It is a collection of essays by author R. Eric Thomas. As a freelance humor columnist for Elle.com, Thomas makes fun of politics and politicians online. The essays are about the author's life, how being black, gay, and Christian in America comes with its own unique set of challenges. On page 11, Thomas sums himself up by saying he is "black in a white environment, not black enough in a black environment, working-class in an upper-class environment, Christian in a secular environment, questioning in a devout environment, gay in a straight environment. Never quite right."

R. Eric Thomas details his life through a series of essays about his childhood, growing up in a broken-down neighborhood in West Baltimore with his parents and two brothers. Mr. Roger's Neighborhood was a staple in the "delicate utopia" his parents created at home. His parents worked hard to send their children to private schools and this culture rich environment helped Thomas, but also highlighted the inequities in the system.

As Thomas moves through his life, he has come to certain realizations about himself and the way he is viewed in the larger world. I wish I could say that the book was compelling, but it really did not grab my attention in a meaningful way. The humor did not really come through and I was expecting more given the rave reviews. Overall, Here For It does deliver on one promise, that readers can see the world differently through the author's experiences. For the reasons listed above, I would be hesitant to recommend Here For It to other readers.

Covid-19 has created an opportunity for me to take long daily walks- sometimes twice a day. I decided to use some of these walks as an opportunity to listen to audiobooks and started Here for It! It turned out to be the perfect book! It's read by the author and that man is hilarious! I would literally be walking down the street with my huge headphones (because I don't have AirPods) laughing. I'm sure all the neighbors, because everyone is home, saw me and laughed too. Not only is this book funny, it's true. There are so many deep topics covered in here along with the laughs. I'm sure I looked crazy walking around listening to it, but this book was good and it was worth it!

A great series of memoirs/essays dealing with Thomas' experiences as a black gay man. Thomas' writing is so compelling, I couldn't put it down. Fantastic read.

I'm a huge fan of R. Eric Thomas' writing -- what's not to love? He's funny, witty, and this book reflected everything I already admired about him.