Black Nerd Problems: Essays

The creators of the popular website Black Nerd Problems bring their witty and unflinching insight to this engaging collection of pop culture essays—on everything from Mario Kart to issues of representation—that “will fill you with joy and give you hope for the future of geek culture” (Ernest Cline, #1 New York Times bestselling author). When William Evans and Omar Holmon founded Black Nerd Problems, they had no idea whether anyone beyond their small circle of friends would be interested in their little corner of the internet. But soon after launching, they were surprised to find out that there was a wide community of people who hungered for fresh perspectives on all things nerdy. In the years since, Evans and Holmon have built a large, dedicated fanbase eager for their brand of cultural critiques, whether in the form of a laugh-out-loud, raucous Game of Thrones episode recap or an eloquent essay on dealing with grief through stand-up comedy. Now, they are ready to take the next step with this vibrant and hilarious essay collection, which covers everything from X-Men to Breonna Taylor with “alternately hilarious, thought-provoking, and passionate” (School Library Journal) insight and intelligence. A much needed and fresh pop culture critique from the perspective of people of color, “this hugely entertaining, eminently thoughtful collection is a master class in how powerful—and fun—cultural criticism can be” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

About the Author :
William Evans is an author, speaker, performer, and instructor known for founding the Writing Wrongs Poetry Slam and cofounding the popular website Black Nerd Problems. He has been a national finalist in multiple poetry slam competitions and was the recipient of both the 2016 Sustainable Arts Foundation Grant and the 2018 Spirit of Columbus Foundation Grant. The Callaloo and Watering Hole fellow is the author of three poetry collections and currently lives with his family in Columbus, Ohio. He is an MFA candidate at Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia. Omar Holmon lives as he writes, one nerd reference at a time. Recognized by Rutgers University as a distinguished Alumnus Poet, he is the author of the poetry collection We Were All Someone Else Yesterday and cofounder of the website Black Nerd Problems. Omar’s voice is one that makes a home across numerous demographics. Like A Beautiful Mind but with more comic book and movie quotes, Omar is able to find the correlation between pop culture and any body of work, using humor in his social commentary to make serious points.

Review :
“Evans and Holmon examine a broad swath of the popular-culture landscape, from anime and video games to comic books and movies, mixing social commentary and insight with the sheer love of the true fan… [The] authors reach far and wide across fan culture and use a pleasing blend of humor and pathos to connect readers to the material. An exercise in pop culture criticism that is simultaneously funny, thoughtful, and provocative.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred) “This book is a welcome, come-in gesture. You may not get every pop culture reference, but you’ll feel it.” —Chicago Tribune “Reading Black Nerd Problems will fill you with joy and give you hope for the future of geek culture. If you dig writing that is authentic, enthusiastic, and cynicism-free, this BNP collection will be your jam. I promise.” —Ernest Cline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ready Player One “[A] wide-ranging, compulsively readable debut collection…Evans and Holmon are often hilarious…and always original. This hugely entertaining, eminently thoughtful collection is a master class in how powerful—and fun—cultural criticism can be." —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “William Evans and Omar Holmon reveal the many things at work in the mind of the brown nerd: skepticism, humor, delight, but most of all, love. Man, I wish this book existed when I was a kid.” —Marc Bernardin, co-creator of Comixology’s Adora and the Distance and supervising producer of Star Trek: Picard "Holmon, [...is...] the co-founder, along with William Evans, 41, of the website Black Nerd Problems. Their book of the same title will be published this summer. Both projects excavate the territory of nerd culture — comics, anime, e-sports, tabletop gaming, science fiction, fantasy and more — from a Black perspective that the broader nerd community has historically overlooked or, worse still, outright attacked." —T, The New York Times Style Magazine “Omar and Will are the best of the best at dissecting pop culture.” —Kari Byron, bestselling author of Crash Test Girl, host of Crash Test World, and former host of Mythbusters “Alternately hilarious, thought-provoking, and passionate, sometimes all within the same essay. The authors’ knowledge of all things nerdy is encyclopedic yet the depth at which they connect their subject matter to real-life issues is what makes the book stand out.” —School Library Journal “The humor balances the seriousness of the subject matter, allowing for a better, more intimate understanding of the authors’ passions. By taking readers through feelings of disappointment, elation, confusion, and pure unbridled joy, Holmon and Evans make Black Nerd Problems an incredibly cathartic read and a must have for anyone that appreciates what it is to be a nerd.” —AIPT Comics “If you are a blerd, Black Nerd Problems is a must-read. It is insightful, humorous, and written like you are just having a conversation with a nerdy friend.” —Blerd.com “From the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the nuanced aspects of cosplay while Black, Evans and Holman give their unabashed and at times emotional takes on some of pop culture’s greatest hits, making for a very entertaining read.” —The Root, “The Best Books to Give (and Get) This Holiday Season”