I Don't Want to Die Poor

By: Michael Arceneaux

Narrated by: Michael Arceneaux

One of NPR’s Best Books of 2020
One of Time’s 100 Must-Read Books of 2020

From the New York Times bestselling author of I Can’t Date Jesus, which Vogue called “a piece of personal and cultural storytelling that is as fun as it is illuminating,” comes a wry and insightful essay collection that explores the financial and emotional cost of chasing your dreams.

Ever since Oprah Winfrey told the 2007 graduating class of Howard University, “Don’t be afraid,” Michael Arceneaux has been scared to death. You should never do the opposite of what Oprah instructs you to do, but when you don’t have her pocket change, how can you not be terrified of the consequences of pursuing your dreams?

Michael has never shied away from discussing his struggles with debt, but in I Don’t Want to Die Poor, he reveals the extent to which it has an impact on every facet of his life—how he dates; how he seeks medical care (or in some cases, is unable to); how he wrestles with the question of whether or not he should have chosen a more financially secure path; and finally, how he has dealt with his “dream” turning into an ongoing nightmare as he realizes one bad decision could unravel all that he’s earned. You know, actual “economic anxiety.”

I Don’t Want to Die Poor is an unforgettable and relatable examination about what it’s like leading a life that often feels out of your control. But in Michael’s voice that’s “as joyful as he is shrewd” (BuzzFeed), these razor-sharp essays will still manage to make you laugh and remind you that you’re not alone in this often intimidating journey.

Critic reviews

"The charisma in [Author Michael Arceneaux]'s performance makes this a fun audio to hear. He knows how to embrace the pathos in his life and fully express the humor in his snappy writing. . . . Together, his honest delivery and the helter-skelter quality of his life make this an addictive kind of audio. His father was a tough and abusive alcoholic, his mother both nurturing and fearsome. His accounts of managing his homelife, his overeating, his being gay, and his quest to be a media star will make listeners want to root for his success and happiness."

A Story I didn’t know I Needed

I very much enjoyed his previous book but still was unsure what to expect from this book. Arceneaux’s sense of humor and wit mixed so well with the brutally honest way he spoke about his relationship to money. I loved it very much and I can already tell this is a book I’ll continue to revisit.

Captivating and Fun!

Arceneaux knocks it out of the park with a fun, thoughtful, and painfully honest collection of essays that speak to matters so many can relate on from feelings of inadequacy within one’s career to the repressive ever growing student loan debt crisis, all through the lens of self-awareness with specs of southern charm!

It’s a decent read

I was intrigued by the title of the book especially because I’m going through the same thing as a college student scared about how life is going to be stressful repaying the student loans. I liked his story in the beginning about his anxiety and stressful moment and how he overcome that pressure. I feel during the middle and end it was getting explicit with a lot of sexual contention which was unnecessary in my opinion

Love it when a book is narrated by the author

I loved that it was narrated by the author. He does a great job! Highly this book.

Arceneaux for Senate!

So proud and excited to have someone like Michael Arceneaux publishing his works. This book brought me so much joy.