Men We Reaped is a poignant memoir by the talented Jesmyn Ward, who recounts the heartbreaking loss of five men in her life over five years. These men were lost to drugs, accidents, and suicide, and their deaths are painted against the backdrop of the harsh realities of poverty and systemic racism in rural Mississippi.

Ward bravely explores the pressures faced by black men, the women who support them, and the communities that struggle with the absence of these men. Her narrative is both an intimate reflection and a powerful commentary on the social and economic struggles that foster drug addiction and the breakdown of family relationships.

As the only member of her family to pursue higher education, Ward writes with the objectivity that distance provides and the intimacy of someone deeply familiar with the struggles of her community. Men We Reaped is a compelling read that resonates with the themes of grief, resilience, and hope.