next on booktv, jesmyn ward discusses her memorialrys about growing up poor in mississippi and the deaths of five men from her hometown that she was close to, including her younger brother. she talks about the circumstances of their deaths and the role that race, poverty, and lack of opportunity played their early demise. this is about 15 minutes. [applause] it s good to be here. i as i talk to more people about the memoir, i always say, inevitably, talk to someone about it and i say it s the hardest book if a ever written and i never want to write not memoir ever again because it was so hard, and i always laugh after i say it. but even though it was very difficult, i still believe in i believe in the book. i believe that it tells a story that is worth telling. and that in the end, it s tempting to say something important. so even though it was very hard for me, i don t regret it. i just know that i won t hopefully do it again. so i i figured eye d read a little bit fro