TELL THEM I TRIED

Tell Them I Tried is a haunting modern-day memoir told through the fragmented, journal-like entries of Dee — a young Black man from Columbus, Ohio, struggling to survive poverty, shame, and self-destruction after his unforeseen diagnosis. Through the voice of his inner “Angel” and “Devil,” Dee’s story explores the brutal honesty of addiction, isolation, and the war between self-hate and self-acceptance. What begins as an effort to find love turns into a desperate search for meaning — a raw reflection on how unspoken pain can quietly consume a soul.Told with gritty realism and emotional intensity, Tell Them I Tried forces readers to confront uncomfortable truths about mental health, masculinity, and the danger of living for others’ opinions. Read more