num_pages: 224
description: Twelve original and interconnected stories in the traditions of Junot Díaz and Sherman Alexie. Victor D. LaValle's astonishing, violent, and funny debut offers harrowing glimpses at the vulnerable lives of young people who struggle not only to come of age, but to survive the city streets.In "ancient history," two best friends graduating from high school fight to be the one to leave first for a better world; each one wants to be the fortunate son. In "pops," an African-American boy meets his father, a white cop from Connecticut, and tries not to care. And in "kids on colden street," a boy is momentarily uplifted by the arrival of a younger sister only to discover that brutality leads only to brutality in the natural order of things.Written with raw candor, grit, and a cautious heart, slapboxing with jesus introduces an exciting and bold new craftsman of contemporary fiction. LaValle's voices echo long after their stories are told.
language: English
title: Slapboxing with Jesus
titlecomplete: Slapboxing with Jesus
genres: Collections, Literary Fiction, Novels, Fiction, Short Stories, Anthologies, Horror, Short Story Collection
ratings_count: 478
awards: awardedAt: 1009872000000
name: PEN Open Book Award
publisher: Vintage