No Ashes in the Fire Audiobook By Darnell L Moore cover art

No Ashes in the Fire

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

No Ashes in the Fire

By: Darnell L Moore
Narrated by: Darnell L Moore
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $22.48

Buy for $22.48

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

Lambda Literary Award (Gay Memoir/Biography) winner, 2019

From a leading journalist and activist comes a brave, beautifully wrought memoir.

When Darnell Moore was 14, three boys from his neighborhood tried to set him on fire. They cornered him while he was walking home from school, harassed him because they thought he was gay, and poured a jug of gasoline on him. He escaped, but just barely. It wasn't the last time he would face death. Three decades later, Moore is an award-winning writer, a leading Black Lives Matter activist, and an advocate for justice and liberation.

In No Ashes in the Fire, he shares the journey taken by that scared, bullied teenager who not only survived, but found his calling. Moore's transcendence over the myriad forces of repression that faced him is a testament to the grace and care of the people who loved him, and to his hometown, Camden, NJ, scarred and ignored but brimming with life. Moore reminds us that liberation is possible if we commit ourselves to fighting for it, and if we dream and create futures where those who survive on society's edges can thrive.

No Ashes in the Fire is a story of beauty and hope—and an honest reckoning with family, with place, and with what it means to be free.

©2018 Darnell L Moore (P)2018 Hachette Audio African American Studies Americas Biographies & Memoirs Black & African American Memoir Essentials Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences Specific Demographics United States Heartfelt Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year

"Stranded in the urban battleground of Camden, New Jersey... Moore struggles against a crush of bullying, bigotry, and self-loathing. He chronicles his odyssey in this piercingly vulnerable memoir, ultimately finding his way to LGBTQ activism and 'black joy' through faith and family."—O Magazine
"A staggering work that calls into question the truths we assume about ourselves and those among us."—Esquire
"In his frank debut memoir, journalist Moore recounts his experience growing up a queer black man in Camden, New Jersey in the 1980s. Loved by his vibrant but argumentative family and ostracized by many of his peers, Moore grapples with the complexities of his growing faith and burgeoning sexuality and his own self-loathing and self-acceptance in his journey to becoming an activist and outstanding voice in the Black Lives Matter movement."—Harpers Bazaar

Featured Article: The top 100 memoirs of all time


All genres considered, the memoir is among the most difficult and complex for a writer to pull off. After all, giving voice to your own lived experience and recounting deeply painful or uncomfortable memories in a way that still engages and entertains is a remarkable feat. These autobiographies, often narrated by the authors themselves, shine with raw, unfiltered emotion sure to resonate with any listener. But don't just take our word for it—queue up any one of these listens, and you'll hear exactly what we mean.

Featured Article The top 100 memoirs of all time
Powerful Memoir • Compelling Narrative • Unique Voice • Raw Storytelling • Inspirational Journey • Emotional Depth
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
This was one of my favorite books I’ve ever read in my whole life (I’m only 17). I’ve never read a book so raw and so beautifully emotional. I related to almost every word he said, as I am a black LGBT person in America, someone who struggles on a constant basis because of who I am and where I come from.

I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Non-fiction needs to be more popular in our society because it shows the reality of our communities and people.

AMAZING

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I loved it but struggled to finish. It took me awhile. Definitely recommend this powerful book by Darnell Moore.

Loved it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Loved learning about what knew & didn't know about Gay Black Man . Thank You.

Amazing. Story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Brilliant! A must read. Evokes a special feeling. Made me cry. Read it now for sure.

No Ashes In The Fire

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I, like many, saw Darnell's presence online and through to his greatness on viral posts and in enlightening short videos.

So, I purchased this "memoir" knowing that I'd receive invaluable takeaways, life lessons, and not just learn about Darnell's inspiring life, which he tells well. I ended the book admiring Darnell's greeeaat character and inspiried to be a better person and do more for the Black community.

I learned so much and not just about Darnell

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this book, but I was pleasantly surprised! Darnell's writing is real, raw, and captivating. His story of being black and queer in America is riveting - it's a story that should be both told and heard more. Thank you Darnell!

Yes!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I learned a lot. Highly recommended. This autobiography is heartfelt, heart warming, broke my heart. I come away from it a little wiser and more connected to more people.

engaging, important, insightful story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
What made this book vivid and real were the author’s authentic voice right down to his blackisms such as aks for ask, excape for escape. I really appreciate that he was allowed to speak with his own vocabulary as well as voice.

Authentic Narration

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is an incredible story. The writer does a great job of creating mental images and inciting emotion in you with this descriptions.

Loved this story!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
What an excellent memoir/autobiography. Darnell Moore tells of his life growing up Gay and Black and all of the turmoil it entails. If you're an Audible user, I suggest you listen to his story in his voice. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

What an excellent memoir/autobiography.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews