Book review of "Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert" by Bob the Drag Queen ⭐⭐⭐⭐

At the beginning of February, after just finishing Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson (finally! I'd been reading it since September!), Mirage City by Lev Ac Rosen (you're 1000% getting a book review of this series one day), and The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson (so twisty, so good), I was about to pick up yet another mystery novel to consume. But I happened to see Bob's book sitting on my husband's nightstand and said, "Why not?" Black author, Black characters, historical Black figure, Black History Month. I'm normally an ebook guy. I bought a Boox Go last year and I absolutely adore it. I'm not locked into the Kindle ecosystem (coughcoughAmazoncoughcough), and it's a full e-ink Android tablet. Yet, again, "Why not?" Let's do it.

"Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert" is a pretty short book, something I am completely fine with after being locked down in the Cosmere for months on end. (Don't get me wrong, I love it there, but man those books are long.) I wasn't expecting much when I dived into it. Just some fun, really. "Harriet Tubman is alive again, and working to put on a show? LMFAO." A palate cleanser from all the magic-wielding people in armor, murder, and plot twists.

Well, this one just decided to hit me in the feels.

First off, I love our narrator, Darnell. His view of the world is funny as hell. Upon seeing Harriet for the first time, he instantly equates her walk to Viola Davis, and damnit I've been hooked ever since. (Well, honestly, before then.) The writing is clear, concise, and I find myself wishing I'd taken notes on certain sentences so I could reference the way they flowed.

Bob the Drag Queen wrote this?

Darnell has been hired by Harriet to write some songs for a show she wants to put on, after her—and many others—have Returned. There's very little explanation on this Return, which I'm honestly glad for. All we're told is that some famous dead people are no longer dead. Anyway, that's not what this story is about.

In the process of getting these songs for Harriet and her band made, Darnell asks her about her life to get a feel for what she's gone through, her lived experience, from her mouth, not just what history has taught us or what someone else wrote down in a book. I didn't expect a history lesson from this book. Again, I thought it was going to be more comedic, a fun romp, just imaging Harriet Tubman rapping over hip-hop beats. In hindsight, I'm not sure how that wasn't one of the first things to cross my mind. I've encountered so much new information in this book, I should be ashamed of myself. (I mean, I am, a little, but you don't know what you don't know, so I'm going to forgive myself. I forgive you, Tavon.)

For instance, did anyone else know that Harriet used to just pass out? She had a brain injury! Hit upside the head when she was a child. And yes, I googled this after encountering it in the book to verify. Can you imagine trying to escape to freedom and the one person who knows the way just...passes out!?

The stories we're told from Harriet and the rest of the cast are moving and powerful, all with strong lessons that can be applied to various aspects of our lives. I didn't anticipate equating Harriet's talks of freedom with things happening in my life right now. I'm going to picture her pointing a gun at my face the next time I decide I want to turn around and go back to something that wasn't for me.

The story's primary focus is on Darnell and this endeavor, but also Darnell's struggle with revealing his sexuality to his new employer. There's some definite trauma from his past, with an entire portion of the book devoted to the flashback. Once we're back in the present, we even get a bit of a Black LGBTQ+ history lesson. Again, love the unexpected lore drop on things I should be more familiar with.

Apparently, the only way for me to learn history is by being obsessed with a musical and, now, reading a fictional book. It shows that I may not actually hate history, it just needs to be given to me in a format that I can actually digest. I have Hamilton like 95% memorized, and from research after falling in love with it, I know which bits are factual, which are exaggerated a bit, or which ones are just wrong. (The Schuyler's had a ton of sons—and other daughters!—not just the three daughters we see.)

And now, thanks to Bob—and I guess Harriet and the Freemans—I know a bit more about Harriet, and even some queer history.

I'm giving this 4 out of 5 stars. Only removing a star because there are still some books out there more impactful, and the ending felt a bit rushed after we learn of Darnell's past, but damnit this was a great read.

We've been fans of Bob the Drag Queen (and Monet X Change) for some time (despite their occasional "hiccups"; different topic for some other time). My husband got me watching Rupaul's Drag Race in the beginning of our relationship. I'd never seen it, or cared about it, honestly. But he loves reality tv—especially competition shows—so it was just another show to add to the pile.

(Spoilers: reality tv owns this household now.)

My husband listens to their podcast, and we even went to see them live. So it was a no-brainer that I was going to gift my hubby Bob's new book.

Now excuse me while I find a place on the bookshelf for this gem.

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