The Selfless Act of Breathing by J.J. Bola is a poignant and uplifting novel that is a perfect fit for readers who appreciate stories about resilience, hope, and the human quest for belonging, and are drawn to complex characters navigating themes of grief, depression, and the search for meaning in a world filled with injustice.

A lyrical book about a depressed man, which gives great humanity but is also heavy. It is wrought with pain and tenderness.

The description of The Selfless Act of Breathing buy JJ Bola speaks of the life of a refugee, the Black experience in London, a loss, a new beginning, and a transformation. However, it leaves out that the main character begins the book contemplating suicide. That aside, the book narrates the story in a two-time line approach, at times first person and at times third person. Not knowing or understanding Michael's "why" for this final journey makes it challenging to follow him as a character.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2023/12/the-selfless-act-of-breathing.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

Thanks #netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review. Easy read. I was a little let down after the buildup on the story. The plan for the author to end his life when his money runs out. The build up is excellent - I was just disappointed with the ending.

overall i liked this! i read it during a super busy time at work, so i feel like i wouldve gotten more out of it if i was able to put mire energy towards it. many of the passages were relatable and phenomenally written.

A reflective story about love and ache and grief in every shade of blue.

A man is experiencing deep hopelessness, constant suicidal ideation, grief at the loss of a parent, and severe displacement.
It is also a story about revision, if you pay close attention. And the point of it is compassion and empathy, not total understanding. If you consider Michael solely as a fictional character on a flat page, nothing more than ink and sorrow, you will miss all the moments where he is just like someone you love or even you.

If you pay attention, you will note not only all the ways in which Michael revised his cries for help, muffling his own voice in favor of more subtle ones, but also all the ways in which you've missed the same cues in people you love. At least, I did.

This book made me feel the same way as I did with Long Division and Moonlight, respectively, so I'm willing to wager that fans of those might understand this, too.

"Many times in our lives we know better but we don't do better."

The Selfless Act of Breathing by J.J. Bola is a mixture of sadness, hope and humanity. Michael is a Congolese-British Londoner who experiences a devastating loss. He decides to take a trip to the U.S. and live every experience until his savings runs out. Once it runs out, he'll end his life.

Told between his past in London and his current escapades in the U.S. This novel looks at so much from mental health, loss, suicide and much more. The prose is beautiful and expresses turmoil almost poetically.

Not every part resonated with me but I can't deny how poignant and well done this was. I thank Atria for putting this one on my radar. All thoughts are my own. True rating 3.5/5.

Bola's writing is lyrical in The Selfless Act of Breathing, though the content is intense. From the start, readers know that protagonist Michael Kabongo plans to die by suicide once the funds he's used to take a trip to the United States run out. It's in the connections he makes that has him questioning his choice.

Any book grappling with this topic will pose a challenge for many to read. Bola navigates the topic as well as any writer could.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Very well written and, at times, devastating. I had to put this down a time or two, just to process.

This is a story much deeper than you anticipate- I was reading this and had no idea the twist it would take. Deep down, this is a story about a young man trying to work through his losses, racism and finding himself. A tough read if you’re not ready to take a look inward!

I just couldn't get into this one. I read about 1/3 of it and neither the characters nor the plot were drawing me in to make me want to read more.

I never connected with either this book or its main character. It’s written in a disjointed style, with a back and forth between the past in London and the present day in America. Michael gives up his teaching job in London and decides to fly to America with his life savings. When it’s gone, he intends to kill himself.
It’s a depressing book. It’s beautifully written, as befits the author being a poet, but it’s just way too dark for me. The underlying sense of the book was a severe hopelessness. “Do you ever wish that you could die… but without all of the dying?” he says, “Like, not die, but just cease to exist, disappear, be invisible, every trace of your life, even the memories of you in other people’s hearts and minds, all gone.”
While I could understand what led to Michael’s despair, I couldn’t connect with him. I appreciated the scenes set in London and would have preferred a story that focused just on that side of things. In fact, there was one plot point I wish had been further fleshed out. I struggled to get through the American side of things. To be honest, the book frustrated me. It had potential, but I just didn’t feel it worked.
My thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book.

If you knew how your life was coming to an end, how would you spend your last dime? In The Selfless Act of Breathing, Michael Kabongo seems to have so much to live for but he doesn’t feel that way. Instead of going to therapy, he decides to cash in his life savings and travel to America. Michael’s intention is to end his life when the money is gone.

“Do you ever wish that you could die… but without all of the dying?” he says, “Like, not die, but just cease to exist, disappear, be invisible, every trace of your life, even the memories of you in other people’s hearts and minds, all gone.”

Michael, a Congolese-British teacher in London, has spent his career connecting with his students and trying to make a difference. He endures a loss that affects him deeply. Michael believes that all of the work that he has done to end the disparagement of and violence against Black men in his community has been in vain.

So he travels around the United States meeting interesting people, spending money, and counting down the days until his last day.

JJ Bolla is an excellent writer. Every word is like poetry, which makes sense since Bolla is also a poet. The mental health issues and suicidal thoughts are difficult to read about so if you are sensitive – proceed with caution.

If you are interested in issues like mental health and racism, then this might be a book for your TBR list.

Honestly, I think this should be on a list of required reading for Proud Boy members and recruits.

This was such a beautifully written book. Definitely a mood read - you have to be in the right headspace to truly connect and reap the benefits of this book. Loneliness and rawness were truly captured.

Author # J.J. Bola has a soul searching novel. The character Michael is a British-Congolese teacher living in London. Beloved by all ,behind closed doors he’s frustrated.He can’t address the injustice’s he sees before him.
After a devastating loss he longs to escape. Spontaneously he packs up and goes to America.With every intention of living the life of his dreams ,until his bank account runs out…….
Thank you for the advance copy,
#Netgalley and # Atria Books 📚

I struggled with this one, folks. I couldn't connect with the characters, I couldn't connect with the story, and I couldn't connect with the writing. Bola certainly has something to say and I can see how it could be a home run for some - but just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a sweet yet often depressing look at life and one man's continual struggle to find meaning and happiness in existence. Michael is a high school teacher in London but decides to leave suddenly for the US as he is despondent and relives the trauma of his father's death too often. He decides that when he runs out of money (and he has less than $10,000) he will kill himself. And so we are off with him on his journey to find peace before his death. Lots of adventures and people, some lovely, some crazy/offbeat. It's a journey you don't want to have to take yourself, so lean into his! This was such an incredibly different novel than mainstream but it kept me entranced as I rooted for Michael to find something more meaningful than death. A heartbreakingly lovely debut! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

this was a very well written debut novel with all the feels. I felt his pain totally. I look forward to more from this author!

4.5/5 stars !

What an extraordinary book that is both an emotional, yet powerful read. I will be recommending this one to everyone!

I was not sure what to expect going in, but it definitely did not disappoint and was so worth it!

This book sends the message as to not judge a book by its cover, and to never make assumptions about someone or prejudgments, because you never know what someone could be going through in their life, so always treat people with respect and dignity.;

The MC, Michael, is such a friendly and charming guy, but inside he is struggling and facing his own inner demons as he struggles with depression and the meaning of life.

We follow Michael on a journey as he struggles to find the meaning of life.

This book is powerful, gripping, and a must read! The author's writing is amazingly beautiful. This author is amazing, and his writing and words left me breathless and wanting more. I am already looking forward to his next work. He also does such a fantastic job at touching on real life issues for many people today.

Please read this one, do not pass it up!

2.5 stars, rounded up.

Loneliness is being there for everyone, everyone, in the hope that someone will be there for you. But no one ever is. You are the sun, lighting the world of another, while setting yourself on fire.

The Selfless Act of Breathing is a tender look at what it is like to move through the world feeling too much through the eyes of Michael Kabongo, a British Congolese teacher based in London.

"I quit my job; I am taking my life savings, $9,201, and when it runs out, I am going to kill myself." And so Michael's story begins. We follow present-day Michael as he travels in the United States, while we learn about Michael's backstory - how he got to where he is - through flashbacks to the past.

The Selfless Act of Breathing isn't flashy. It's quiet and meditative. In some ways, it can be described as a collection of musings, a journal of sorts. I have to admit J.J. Bola is a master of prose, but...

- A few chapters in, I thought this was *the* book because I could really connect with Michael. The state of caring too much about the world, yet feeling abandoned by it. Then the book took a turn and for the rest of the chapters, the intensity of Michael's feelings wasn't captured as well compared to the beginning.

- I wonder if the book would've conveyed Michael's emotions better if the destinations were cut down.

- I wasn't a fan of the portrayal of the female characters. Felt like a lot more effort could've been put in to ensuring these characters are not reduced to an afterthought.

- The book ended rather abruptly. As in I couldn't reconcile the ending with everything that came before. Maybe most readers expected an epiphany, a feel-good ending, which this book provides, but I think the book would've elicited a greater emotional response with a vague ending.

Takeaway: "You can't save everyone, Michael. Life just isn't designed like that. You have to find the one or two people in your life who you truly care about, who you truly love, and give them all of your heart; sometimes that person is yourself. Everything else will work itself out."