Before I jump in, while I understand the reasoning to classify Black Buck as satire, I'm going on record as disagreeing • Some scenarios may seem over the top at first read but as I processed I found myself thinking "Shit, I really could see this happening...if it hasn't already."
"And what I learned is that either you sellin' somebody on yes or they sellin' you on no"
22 y/o Darren is content working at Starbucks, even if his mother thinks he is meant for more • When regular customer Rhett comes in one morning, Darren forgoes making his regular drink & sells him on trying something new • CEO of a fast-growing tech startup, Rhett sees talent in Darren and brings him on board as a salesman, altering Darren's life overnight
Black Buck is set up as a cross between a memoir & self-help book in how our narrator communicates • An idea that may seem it won't work in a fiction novel, but it absolutely does • I loved all the asides to the reader thrown in as sales tips • Askaripour's writing style hits it out of the park • His ability to fully flesh out a fairly large cast of characters & provide development arcs for them is phenomenal • I don't think I've ever read a novel with this many characters without feeling some were extraneous; each of his characters feels integral to the story he is telling • And the journey he takes Buck on, phew! • I was so engrossed in him that a certain story turn had me wishing I could pick up my phone to text Buck to get it together
A razor-sharp look at the American workforce, Black Buck raises questions of how race tips the scales for the same groups to achieve "the American Dream" generation after generation, while others are running a race they are being handicapped in over & over • Askaripour is a phenomenonal voice in our current climate, and I'm certain his voice will hold weight for many years to come
"And what I learned is that either you sellin' somebody on yes or they sellin' you on no"
22 y/o Darren is content working at Starbucks, even if his mother thinks he is meant for more • When regular customer Rhett comes in one morning, Darren forgoes making his regular drink & sells him on trying something new • CEO of a fast-growing tech startup, Rhett sees talent in Darren and brings him on board as a salesman, altering Darren's life overnight
Black Buck is set up as a cross between a memoir & self-help book in how our narrator communicates • An idea that may seem it won't work in a fiction novel, but it absolutely does • I loved all the asides to the reader thrown in as sales tips • Askaripour's writing style hits it out of the park • His ability to fully flesh out a fairly large cast of characters & provide development arcs for them is phenomenal • I don't think I've ever read a novel with this many characters without feeling some were extraneous; each of his characters feels integral to the story he is telling • And the journey he takes Buck on, phew! • I was so engrossed in him that a certain story turn had me wishing I could pick up my phone to text Buck to get it together
A razor-sharp look at the American workforce, Black Buck raises questions of how race tips the scales for the same groups to achieve "the American Dream" generation after generation, while others are running a race they are being handicapped in over & over • Askaripour is a phenomenonal voice in our current climate, and I'm certain his voice will hold weight for many years to come