The Love You Save

“Harrowing, transcendent and written with singular grace, The Love You Save is the best kind of memoir. Goldie Taylor reveals how in the face of adversity, we can find hope in books, in faith, in family, and most importantly, in our own inner resolve. A powerful book that will stick with you forever."—Tamron Hall, Emmy Award-winning journalist and author of As the Wicked Watch

"Bursting with hope, wonder and wisdom, The Love You Save is a deeply inspiring, must-read memoir about the transformative power of books to heal and unite us."—Gabrielle Union, New York Times bestselling author of You Got Anything Stronger?

"Goldie Taylor's The Love You Save is at once candid and devastating. Writing with clarity and elegance, Taylor has crafted a memoir about finding peace, hope, and love after surviving unspeakable violence. This book will stay with me a long long time."—Jaquira Díaz, author of Ordinary Girls: A Memoir

"In The Love You Save Goldie Taylor weaves a vibrant retelling of her youth and by proxy a side of America that is rarely seen on the page. Instead of pathologizing hardship, Taylor celebrates survival and gives the readers a front row seat to a fascinating and poignant life. Deeply honest, it is an important cultural document wrapped in a memoir. Words are powerful, the pen can be our best weapon and here Taylor shows us that she survived and thrived because of them."—Mikki Kendall, New York Times bestselling author of Hood Feminism

"Goldie Taylor writes of her childhood in East St. Louis—often cruel, often dire, punctuated by intense and complex familial love—with a clear-eyed lack of sentimentality, much less self-pity, and, somehow, unwavering compassion that put me in mind of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, especially as young Goldie finds strength and salvation in the transporting, redemptive power of books and the support of perceptive teachers. The writing in The Love You Save is always as beautiful as its story so often is not, and I read it through with a kind of fearful hopefulness."—Benjamin Dreyer, New York Times bestselling author of Dreyer's English

"The Love You Save is a powerful coming-of-age story about a little Black girl's determination to love and survive. It made me smile and grimace with deep recognition. This is a memoir about the pain and joy of being 'the first,' with all of the sacrifices that come with opportunity. Taylor renders a lovely memoir about a slice of Black life with compassion and truth-telling."—Tressie McMillan Cottom, National Book Award-nominated author of Thick: And Other Essays

"Indelible... This powerful examination of survival and self-forgiveness is an emotional reckoning."—Publishers Weekly

“An affecting memoir of overcoming adversity when every deck is stacked against you.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Taylor's narrative flows beautifully (even the parts that are hard to read) and integrates seamlessly with her reflections on love, care, and forgiveness. A beyond-compelling testimonial.”—Booklist STARRED review