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now_booking's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book really takes you on a journey. A journey and a half indeed and in a really short time. This debut is part sales handbook, part self-help treatise, part contemporary exploration of race in Corporate America, part cautionary tale, all sly but astute humor.
The premise is that Darren (known as Buck after his glow up) is a young, unambitious man from Bed-Stuy, NY, who lives at home with his mom and is perfectly happy with his job as a barista and occasionally hooking up with his girlfriend in his childldhood bedroom, despite having been an academic highflyer in high school. One day, he gets the chance of a lifetime to join a prestigious tech start up where he gets a baptism of fire into the harsh world of corporate America as a young, black man and learns some difficult life and professional lessons on the way.
I really enjoyed this book. Quite alright it’s not my usual cup of tea but from the blurb, I was fascinated by a book that simultaneously promised sales skill building, self-help and humorous fiction. I’m far enough in my career now to know that all of us in the workforce, no matter our fields, are selling something even if we’re not technically “in sales.” I had to pick this up and I wasn’t disappointed. This book dragged my emotions from pillar to post here, there and yonder, but it was also filled with a lot of useful tips (about sales and about being a professional in an environment that wasn’t intended “for you” and about succeeding in life) that I think would apply to anyone whatever field they’re in. I’m very impressed with this debut novel and the story that the author tells of success and failure and change and equal opportunity through it. I’ve never read anything quite in this style before. It’s one of those that you read wondering whether it’s truth or fiction and are halfway to googling to find out if it’s a true story. This has some humour to it but it’s definitely more sartorial than laugh out loud, and more than humour, I’d celebrate it for being a fast-paced breezy read with a truly deep, visceral emotional punch. You read this knowing that the author and the character had been through or truly understood the experience of microagressions and outright racism, the push and pull of wanting to be more than your past, wanting to be better than you were raised, but again not wanting to alienate your people and culture and those who “knew you when.” It’s a story about recognizing your humanity and making devastating mistakes, but also making amends and knowing you can always go home.
The feelings that this book stirs as I’ve said, we’re all over the place. I was angry and upset, I was relieved and happy, I was sad, I was judgmental, the twists and turns of Buck’s (Darren’s) experience had me questioning a lot of things about contemporary American society and even Black American society and male friendships and family dynamics. This book made me consider what success really is and how much change and growth in a person is desirable and when does it get toxic- what should we leave behind and move on from as we reach for success and what do we forgive and how far do we go for old family and friends? The ending was a bit of a surprise and I wasn’t in love with it, but I think reading the last page, I can grudgingly admit it fit in well with the book and I’m glad I read this. I highly recommend this- it’s good and would be great for discussion in a book club because there are so many bits of this to discuss and analyze. I think this would be a perfect bridge book for someone who doesn’t read a lot of fiction but likes self-help.
Many thanks to the publishers, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing me with a complimentary copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The premise is that Darren (known as Buck after his glow up) is a young, unambitious man from Bed-Stuy, NY, who lives at home with his mom and is perfectly happy with his job as a barista and occasionally hooking up with his girlfriend in his childldhood bedroom, despite having been an academic highflyer in high school. One day, he gets the chance of a lifetime to join a prestigious tech start up where he gets a baptism of fire into the harsh world of corporate America as a young, black man and learns some difficult life and professional lessons on the way.
I really enjoyed this book. Quite alright it’s not my usual cup of tea but from the blurb, I was fascinated by a book that simultaneously promised sales skill building, self-help and humorous fiction. I’m far enough in my career now to know that all of us in the workforce, no matter our fields, are selling something even if we’re not technically “in sales.” I had to pick this up and I wasn’t disappointed. This book dragged my emotions from pillar to post here, there and yonder, but it was also filled with a lot of useful tips (about sales and about being a professional in an environment that wasn’t intended “for you” and about succeeding in life) that I think would apply to anyone whatever field they’re in. I’m very impressed with this debut novel and the story that the author tells of success and failure and change and equal opportunity through it. I’ve never read anything quite in this style before. It’s one of those that you read wondering whether it’s truth or fiction and are halfway to googling to find out if it’s a true story. This has some humour to it but it’s definitely more sartorial than laugh out loud, and more than humour, I’d celebrate it for being a fast-paced breezy read with a truly deep, visceral emotional punch. You read this knowing that the author and the character had been through or truly understood the experience of microagressions and outright racism, the push and pull of wanting to be more than your past, wanting to be better than you were raised, but again not wanting to alienate your people and culture and those who “knew you when.” It’s a story about recognizing your humanity and making devastating mistakes, but also making amends and knowing you can always go home.
The feelings that this book stirs as I’ve said, we’re all over the place. I was angry and upset, I was relieved and happy, I was sad, I was judgmental, the twists and turns of Buck’s (Darren’s) experience had me questioning a lot of things about contemporary American society and even Black American society and male friendships and family dynamics. This book made me consider what success really is and how much change and growth in a person is desirable and when does it get toxic- what should we leave behind and move on from as we reach for success and what do we forgive and how far do we go for old family and friends? The ending was a bit of a surprise and I wasn’t in love with it, but I think reading the last page, I can grudgingly admit it fit in well with the book and I’m glad I read this. I highly recommend this- it’s good and would be great for discussion in a book club because there are so many bits of this to discuss and analyze. I think this would be a perfect bridge book for someone who doesn’t read a lot of fiction but likes self-help.
Many thanks to the publishers, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing me with a complimentary copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Bullying, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Terminal illness
lklitup's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Black Buck was truly unlike any novel I’ve ever read before... I’m still processing.
I found the starting off point for my review from this description: “Black Buck is a hilarious, razor-sharp skewering of America’s workforce; it is a propulsive, crackling debut that explores ambition and race, and makes way for a necessary new vision of the American dream.” Plus, I hope more readers enjoy this novel now in the lens of the GameStop/hedge fund/Wall Street story still unfolding.
“Hilarious” is not the adjective I’d used to describe this book. Uncomfortable. Poignant. Cutthroat. Maybe stretch it to all-too-real. Matteo Askaripour’s observations are certainly razor-sharp. The code switching, microaggressions, internalized behavior monitoring... Darren “Buck” Vender’s entire thought process was turned inside-out for the reader to know and learn from. It was harrowing. My heart broke and rebroke for Darren throughout this novel. I wouldn’t say that the skewering is limited to the workforce, either; that doesn’t give enough credit to this writing.
Rhett was keenly written as the color-blind “ally.” Mr. Rawlings and Wally-Cat as the local elders who are all too aware of the dangers lurking for Black men. Jason and Soraya as the friends who represent Darren from “Before Buck” times, from whom Darren must grow to embody “Buck.” Clyde as the personification of white selfishness and American (not just corporate) greed. He was honestly terrifying.
I kept thinking about the different ways in which “buck” could be used in this novel. Starbucks. Cash. Opposing the system. A stalwart, imposing figure. They all come to play and are incorporated within the overall storyline.
This novel is going to stick with me.
I found the starting off point for my review from this description: “Black Buck is a hilarious, razor-sharp skewering of America’s workforce; it is a propulsive, crackling debut that explores ambition and race, and makes way for a necessary new vision of the American dream.” Plus, I hope more readers enjoy this novel now in the lens of the GameStop/hedge fund/Wall Street story still unfolding.
“Hilarious” is not the adjective I’d used to describe this book. Uncomfortable. Poignant. Cutthroat. Maybe stretch it to all-too-real. Matteo Askaripour’s observations are certainly razor-sharp. The code switching, microaggressions, internalized behavior monitoring... Darren “Buck” Vender’s entire thought process was turned inside-out for the reader to know and learn from. It was harrowing. My heart broke and rebroke for Darren throughout this novel. I wouldn’t say that the skewering is limited to the workforce, either; that doesn’t give enough credit to this writing.
Rhett was keenly written as the color-blind “ally.” Mr. Rawlings and Wally-Cat as the local elders who are all too aware of the dangers lurking for Black men. Jason and Soraya as the friends who represent Darren from “Before Buck” times, from whom Darren must grow to embody “Buck.” Clyde as the personification of white selfishness and American (not just corporate) greed. He was honestly terrifying.
I kept thinking about the different ways in which “buck” could be used in this novel. Starbucks. Cash. Opposing the system. A stalwart, imposing figure. They all come to play and are incorporated within the overall storyline.
This novel is going to stick with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Drug use
thebakerbookworm's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is written as a part memoir, part sales manual, and the format really worked for the story. Don’t let it fool you—Darren’s story is fictional, but his voice is so clear and convincing right off the bat, he’ll have you believing he’s a real person. I loved the sales tips interspersed throughout the story, as Darren shares what he’s learned and how sales tactics apply to everyday life. My experience with sales is working at a Barnes and Noble trying to sell books…so nonexistent 😂 Not only was this book a captivating story, but I learned from it too!
Seeing Darren’s transformation from the beginning to middle to end was very compelling. He’s a fully fleshed-out character who makes questionable decisions but you still root for him. There were also some great side characters and though they all didn’t get as much attention as I would’ve liked, they are complex.
I honestly had no idea where the plot was going to go most of the time but it kept me invested. The narration in the audio was literal 🔥🔥🔥
Thank you so much to Libro.fm, the publisher, and the author for my ALC.
Read if you like: talking to strangers, coffee, diversity in the corporate world.
Seeing Darren’s transformation from the beginning to middle to end was very compelling. He’s a fully fleshed-out character who makes questionable decisions but you still root for him. There were also some great side characters and though they all didn’t get as much attention as I would’ve liked, they are complex.
I honestly had no idea where the plot was going to go most of the time but it kept me invested. The narration in the audio was literal 🔥🔥🔥
Thank you so much to Libro.fm, the publisher, and the author for my ALC.
Read if you like: talking to strangers, coffee, diversity in the corporate world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Cancer, Drug use, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Police brutality
kmaron's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Cursing and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer and Drug use
araeofbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“I realized it was freedom that had motivated me from the very beginning. Not money, power, the need to prove myself, or even to make Ma proud, but the freedom to breathe where I want, when I want, how I want, and with whom I want in my beautiful brown skin.”
I finished this book a few days ago and honestly, I’m still thinking about and processing this book. It’s fiction, but it’s written as part memoir of our protagonist Darren and part self-help/sales how-to. I’ve never read anything quite like it. Darren is kind of stuck in his life. At 22, he forewent college and is working at Starbucks. He engages with the CEO of a tech start-up in the coffee shop, accidentally getting himself an opportunity as a saleman in this vague new company. The first part of this book felt to me like a satire about majority white, fraternity bro start-up culture. Darren is the only person of color in this workspace and there’s this running motif in which Darren’s new colleagues are constantly telling him he looks like a famous Black person and never the same famous Black person (he gets everything from Malcom X to Morgan Freeman). We see Darren get sucked into the cult-like mentality of this tech start-up.
This part of the book was really engrossing and uncomfortable (in a good way!) as a white reader. There are so many things I don’t necessarily think about the spaces I exist in, because I am very often in the majority, that this book really made me think long and hard about. That’s what I want in most of the books I read.
There was a dramatic turn in this book where it becomes something else -- still what I felt like was a satire about race and the way we talk about and view it, but at the beginning of this turn even our narrator Darren admits that the turn is “half absurd, half jaw-dropping, and a whole heaping of crazy.” I don’t know what I feel about this half of the book. It definitely felt absurd, but I appreciated that the narrator is like, yes, you are not crazy for feeling this way. This is intentional. This book was darkly funny, engrossing, and cringe-worthy, and I’m excited to see what Mateo Askaripour writes next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Racism
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Terminal illness, Torture, and Violence
julieuh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
all I can say is that I hope this book blows up, because it's what it deserves and because it's way too interesting to be under-read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Ableism
Moderate: Blood, Cancer, Grief, Medical content, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Torture
Minor: Drug use
agradstudentreadsforfun's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Racial slurs, Racism, and Torture
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