How does Abdurraqib use music as a metaphor for personal and collective longing? What do his musical references suggest about the relationship between art and survival?

How does Abdurraqib situate figures like LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and the Fab Five within broader conversations about race, media representation, and American expectations of Black athletes?

Why is Abdurraqib so drawn to the concept of “home,” and what does his struggle to return to Columbus suggest about memory, identity, and transformation? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.

How does Abdurraqib’s portrayal of Columbus, Ohio, contribute to his thematic exploration of The Impact of Place on Personal Development? How does he navigate the contradictions between love for his city and the trauma it has witnessed?

There’s Always This Year is organized like a basketball game, with “quarters,” “timeouts,” and “intermissions.” How does this nontraditional structure help communicate his central message? In what ways does it reflect the emotional or thematic arc of the book?

How does Abdurraqib’s reflection on police killings of Black youth (e.g., Tamir Rice, Henry Green) connect personal trauma with national histories of racial violence?

In what ways does the author challenge dominant narratives about protest, especially regarding the symbolism of fire and public anger?

How does Abdurraqib’s use of poetic interludes and lyrical language interrupt or enhance the memoir’s narrative flow? What do his structural choices suggest about the boundaries between genres more broadly?