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Resmaa Menakem

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Books Written by Resmaa Menakem

Menakem is a therapist and trauma specialist whose work centers on somatic abolitionism — the idea that racialized trauma lives physically in the body, passed down across generations, and that healing it requires body-based practice, not just conversation.

My Grandmother’s Hands is the book to start with — it establishes the somatic framework that Menakem’s later work builds on.

By Lisanne Swart · 3 books · Trauma & Racial Healing · Updated August 2026

Quick answer

Resmaa Menakem is best known for My Grandmother’s Hands (2017), followed by The Quaking of America (2022) and the earlier Monsters in Love (2013). My Grandmother’s Hands is the essential starting point.

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Trauma & HealingStart here

My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies

Resmaa Menakem · 2017

Menakem’s foundational book, arguing that racialized trauma is stored physically in the body across generations, and that healing requires somatic practices rather than intellectual understanding alone.

The book that established his framework of somatic abolitionism, widely discussed during the 2020 protests over police violence.

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Watch: Understanding Racialized and Intergenerational Trauma: A Conversation with Resmaa Menakem

UCSF hosts a conversation with Resmaa Menakem on how racialized trauma is stored in the body and passed down across generations.

Where to start with Resmaa Menakem

If you’re new to his work

Start with My Grandmother’s Hands — the book that established his framework.

If you want the national-scale application

The Quaking of America extends the ideas to collective political division.

If you want his earlier relational work

Monsters in Love shows his approach before his focus on racial trauma.

Frequently asked questions about Resmaa Menakem’s books

How many books has Resmaa Menakem written?

Three main books: Monsters in Love (2013), My Grandmother’s Hands (2017), and The Quaking of America (2022).

What is the best Resmaa Menakem book to start with?

My Grandmother’s Hands — his most influential book and the one that establishes his framework.

What is somatic abolitionism?

Menakem’s term for the idea that racialized trauma lives physically in the body and is passed down across generations, requiring body-based healing practices.

Written by Lisanne Swart

Lisanne curates books for curious readers at lisanneswart.com, publishing original reading lists, author deep-dives, and honest recommendations since 2021. Read more about Lisanne.

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