In the vein of other startup novels like The Circle and startup memoirs like Uncanny Valley, Black Buck is a satirical startup novel viewed through the prism of race. Darren, a 22-year-old barista (hence his corporate-bestowed nickname, Buck) is lured from the easy life of coffee service to the cult-like hell of a startup that is "disrupting" counseling services. The company, Sumwun, sells corporations on zoom-based counseling for employees. But what Darren endures during his training goes well beyond the fervor of company pride and he is subjected to blatant aggressions as the sole Black employee of the company. And what follows is life-changing for Darren and everyone he knows. The plot is propulsive and lightning-fast, raising the melodrama and satire level. Readers are asked to examine their own biases and must also suspend disbelief to get to the end. Overall, Black Buck examines the ideas of saleship and adherence to personal, tribal, and corporate allegiances. Buck's relationships are mostly superficial, though he seems to yearn for more.

It’ll take me awhile to form my full thoughts, but this was one of the most memorable books I’ve read in a long time. It’s dark satire that’s compulsively readable- Bucks a character you can’t look away from. Reminded me of Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s We Cast a Shadow. Great for book club. I

This book took me on a rollercoaster. I went from laughing, scratching my head, to crying, shaking my head, getting upset, and feeling happiness over again. This story focuses on Darren "Buck" Vender who enters the WWW (World White Web) / corporate world. He was used as a guinea pig to save his company from bad publicity, but ended up trashing his personal life/friends in the process of building his professional life. This book does a wonderful job of exposing the perceptions that corporate America has about Black men entering the chat. We get to meet characters that we have all encountered, including that one racist who is in denial about being racist. We get to see the perspective of a "token Black" man in the corporate sales world. Towards the middle of the book, I found myself really disliking who Darren had become, Then, as he was on the path to becoming a better person, the book took more twists and turns. This was definitely an entertaining read.

Black Buck was a great read! I loved reading about the wacky world of sales and the culture of a tech startup. Some of it seemed awfully outlandish, but somehow I don't doubt that it hit pretty close to the mark. It was really interesting to see the rise and fall of "Buck" and witness how he grew and changed over the course of the novel.
I thought the whole cast of characters was interesting and entertaining. While there were many unlikable characters, it totally fit the story and didn't take away from my enjoyment of it.
I found myself not wanting to put the book down because I just didn't know where it was going to lead. It definitely took some unexpected twists, which added to my overall enjoyment of the book.
One of the things I liked most about the book is that while it is fictional, it's written like a memoir and sales handbook. The reader is given lots of sales tips (most of which actually sound like valid, helpful tips for anyone in sales). I loved the inventive way they were worked into the book.
Overall I found this a very enjoyable book that manages to tackle some heavier topics while still being a light read.

Wow.
This is quite the commentary on corporate culture, capitalism, racism, and so much more.
When we first met Darren he is an underachiever, afraid to take advantage of an opportunity, but fully content with where he is in life. Soon he becomes unrecognizable.
This book was, justifiably, hard to read. The treatment of “Buck” in the workplace was abhorrent.
This was twisty, at times funny, and probably too close to a lot of POC’s real life experiences.
This left me with a lot to think about.
I also wish we could have a different ending, but I do know that was the ending the book was working towards however.
But, this book was very well done. Definitely need a hard copy on my shelf.

This debut novel from Mateo Askaripour is a great way to start 2021. It's the story of Darren Vender, a young black man content with his mediocre station in life yet full of the talent & intellect to be more. Everyone of significance in his life recognizes his potential and tells him so yet when a job opportunity presents itself in the form of a white man from corporate America (the most trusted form of white man) Darren finally sees the light and becomes the token Black Buck. "F*ck the old Darren...I'm Buck."

Satirical literature is rarely done right but Black Buck hit all the marks for me. The striking title and cover had me immediately. The book reads like part memoir, part horror story, part self-help book, part cautionary tale. I had moments where I wanted to hug Darren and then throat punch him, moments where I was proud of him and moments where I felt shame and sadness. I never quite got him and that's what I loved. Set in the fast paced world of the startup/sales culture This book hilariously tackles the issues of racism, cultural appropriation, loss and much more. A well written and entertaining story.

The language is different from what I am accustomed to while reading a novel.

This novel is a modern novel. I thought that the language and the dialogue was reflective of the current generation of young adults.

The protagonist is a young biracial man whose mother has high ambitions for Darren. Though he does not seem to have ambition and is happy working as a barista at a coffee chain.

While reading this novel by a new to me author, I feel as if I am watching a movie. I think fans of modern fiction will enjoy this novel.

Note: I received a free digital copy from NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Darren is a managing barista at a busy Starbucks in Manhattan just waiting for his big break. When one of his regulars comes in alone one afternoon, Darren works up the courage to pitch a new drink to him. The customer always orders the same beverage, but Darren knows another drink would be better suited to him. Able to persuade the customer to try something new, Darren realizes he may have bit off more than he can chew when the customer is so surprised that he asks Darren for a meeting in his office.

Darren skips out on the meeting, claiming it isn't the "right" opportunity. But Rhett, the customer, refuses to take no for an answer. And so begins Darren's adventure into sales.

Walking into the Manhattan high-rise, Darren is taken aback by just how white and non-diverse the start-up is. Worse, racism seems to underscore every aspect of the company, from the names of the rooms, to the hiring practices, to how the employees see and treat one another. Sales is a sink or swim, dog-eat-dog world and it seems the entire company, except Rhett, may be against a Black man succeeding in "their" arena.

What did Rhett see in Darren that made him so special? And will it be enough to help Darren survive not only hell week, but a sales career in general?

This was a really fantastic book that tackles the super important and relevant topic of race and racism, as well as a multitude of related issues such as white privilege, reverse racism, gentrification, stereotypes, and microaggressions. Additionally, many aspects of the book almost felt like a self-help novel with life advice and sales tips and tricks scattered throughout.

Darren was a relatable and generally likeable character. It was easy to empathize with his rise and falls, relationships with other characters, and decision-making (though sometimes I wanted to shake him and yell 'what are you doing?!?').

I loved the writing style. The storyline flowed and I really liked that Darren often provided premonitions to let us know where the story was going, without really giving anything away. The plotline ended up in a direction I would not have predicted, but it worked well for the story and made the stylistic choices (i.e. tidbits of advice) really make sense.

I wouldn't say this book has a happy ending or that it was necessarily a "feel-good" book, however, again, I thought that worked for story and made it much more realistic. Unfortunately, racism and classism very much exist and for many people who experience racism and hatred directed toward them on a regular basis, there isn't a happy ending. This book was eye-opening in a lot of ways and really shines a light on white privilege and the lack of opportunities for minorities, impoverished, and disabled individuals.

I absolutely recommend this book and think it would be a great choice for a book club or buddy read.

Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, BookishFirst, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel.

This is a well written and insightful novel that touches on so many issues but does so in a different way than any I've read before. Darren thinks he's hit the jackpot when he gets a job at Sumwun, a hot start up. He finds, however, that things aren't what they seem (what does the company do, anyway?) but he pushes ahead to be the best salesman he can be. That's great until it's not, as Darren, known in the company as Buck because he worked at Starbucks, realizes that he's lost himself. This has lessons on how Black men are viewed, on the arrogance of the start up culture, and on how money can warp a person. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Yes, it's satire and at times laugh out loud funny but it's also sobering.

What a shame! I had such high hopes for "Black Buck". The beginning seemed really quirky, cute, and full of personality. I found all the secondary characters to be so over-the-top and unrealistic. The main character, Darren felt like a real person. His character had the best conflict between good and evil. After a while though, even Darren was behaving in an absurd way. I just didn't care after that. The ending was ridiculous. The author is talented, but he tried way too hard to add so many different plot/ideas/social commentary in one book. This baby felt like a tv mini-series than a novel. Huge disappointment. Sometimes less is more.

Darren Vender was the valedictorian of his high school class but now works at Starbuck's as a supervisor and likes his job. He is happy living at home with his mom, has a long term girlfriend and is respected at work. They are all telling him that he has to do something more, be more ambitious. Then one morning one of his regular customers comes in and Darren upsells him on a different drink and the guy offers him a job at his tech company upstairs. He goes through a brutal orientation and training as the only black person there. The company, Sumwun, sells visions and seems kind of sketchy. During the course of a year Darren, now called Buck, reaches the highest highs and the lowest lows. I don't want to give out anymore plot details but I will say at the beginning of the book I really liked Darren but then about half way he has turned into such a jerk and not likeable at all. The other thing I found unbelievable is that this whole story takes place over a year's time. That kind of stretches my level of believability.

The book is labeled as satire but I didn't find it funny. I just found it sad. It was a pretty quick readable and flowed from one thing to the other. Just because I didn't like Buck towards the end I did like the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for a copy of this book.

4.5/5 I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one at all and I ended up finishing it in one day! The story is pretty much bonkers and goes off the rails in so many ways, but the writing was witty and extremely engaging. Overall, my only complaint is that I don't know what the book is trying to say about society and I'm not sure how to feel about the ending. Is it saying that black people are doomed to fail? Or that there always needs to be a martyr for a cause? Or are we supposed to think he got what he deserved because he had turned into a horrible person? Definitely one that would be good for book club discussions.

Black Buck is unlike any other book I have read. Darren, an incredibly bright 20-something, finds himself working for Rhett Daniels, CEO of an elite tech start up after 4 years of working at Starbucks. The only Black person working at Sumwun, he begins to refer to himself as Buck and becomes unrecognizable to friends and family. After tragedy hits, Buck finds himself organizing an underground society to teach young people of color skills necessary to find well paying jobs in the sales force. His life changes forever as chaos ensues.

Mateo Askaripour does an incredible job with this book. Buck tells the story to the reader, as a training manual on how to become a salesperson. He touches on race, in and out of the workplace. A serious subject, however written in a light manner. I did not find this book to be heavy or difficult to read (although there were parts that made me cringe!) It was an eye opening perspective on the workforce and how it can change a person. I highly recommend this book!

Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour is a satirical novel on the sales industry and just being a BIPOC in a white man's world. The book is narrated by Darren AKA Buck through writing a sales manual/memoir for black people (yes, it’s entitled Black Buck, because he is black).

Black Buck follows Darren as he creates a new persona when he gets an unexpected opportunity to join the sales world as Buck. Buck is ruthless and will do anything to get a deal and make quota, even make nice with the white frat boy culture in the office. Well, that’s until tragedy strikes, and then? Then he’s ready to give back. Watch the character arc of Buck becoming someone those who love him can’t recognize and his fall from grace to his way back up and the challenges that greet him along the way. Oh, and also be ready for some tips to be a great salesman.

This book was a book in a book, which you know, I love, and the social commentary was on point. This book showed how a capitalist nation like the US, one that thrives on other peoples failures, having people to step on top of on the way up, can make all the difference. How some people start several steps ahead of others whether it be by their wealthy connections, their gender, or the color of their skin. It comments on how white supremacy and the white supremacists are easily enraged by any disruption or potential threats to their power and the lengths they’ll go to keep it. This book was outrageous at times but hit home and made every point stick.

NOW, I am going to say this book can get uncomfortable, but the good uncomfortable. The kind of uncomfortable that spurs important conversations.

This book has cutting humor. Great social commentary. And it was a book was fast paced and I couldn’t put it down.

I loved this book! First of all, I'm a Starbucks girl and secondly, I’m in sales, so I have to say I was intrigued- and hooked from the first page. The language and conversation style of writing is so engaging, it was impossible for me to put this book down! 

Black Buck offers dueling insights into how both black and white communities perceive a black man in corporate America. Darren, the Starbucks barista, is transformed into Buck, the man who can successfully sell anything. Author Mateo Askaripur takes us on a ride as he tackles significant and relevant issues, with satirical wit, which had me laughing out loud many times throughout the story. I could not help but root for Buck the entire time; as he encounters and attempts to overcome the systemic roadblocks of white privilege, as he climbs the corporate ladder, and as he extends a hand to help other people of color find a path to success. 

The characters in the story are masterfully crafted by Askaripour. I have to extend an honorable mention to Wild Cat, I just loved him and his wisdom! Askaripour infuses all of the people around Buck with a plausibility that makes their personal journeys believable, inspiring and compelling, to the very last page of the book.

What an excellent job the author did with this debut, I have become a big fan and look forward to future books.

In a Wolf of Wall Street meets When No One is Watching-esque satirical commentary on startup culture, Darren Vender gets sucked into the world of business. After a bold move during a shift at Starbucks, Darren is recruited into sales at therapy-alternative startup, Sumwun. Given the nickname Buck, Darren climbs the business ladder, losing himself almost entirely before stumbling into greater purpose.

Black Buck is written in the style of a memoir/business self-help book, with Buck weaving in tips for how to engage in sales effectively. The novel, set in Brooklyn and Manhattan, addresses themes related to overt and systemic racism in startup culture, white supremacy, gentrification, hustle culture, and ethical liability.

As a therapist, I was both fascinated and horrified by the concept of Sumwun, especially as it’s reality-adjacent. I enjoyed seeing Darren/Buck grapple with his self identity and values, and really appreciated him as a flawed character.

I found Black Buck to be a gripping, compelling, and at times wild ride, and would recommend Mateo Askaripour’s debut to those skeptical about the ethics of “socially-focused” startups.

Thank you to NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and the author for an advanced copy of this book, which releases January 5, 2021.

This is a very funny and perceptive satire of race, business (especially the tech sector), and the cult(ure) of salesmanship. Written in the format of a sales "how-to" book, it captures the silliness of that genre, and his send-up of the business world shows the inanity of a lot of "disruptive" and "cutting edge" corporate practices. This is all great fun.

More importantly, Askaripour illustrates the casual racism of the workplace and shows how hard it is for a person of color to be successful in that world while holding on to his integrity. Here again, he can be extremely funny and insightful (sales teams in one company naming themselves after hip hop performers, e.g.). Things do get a little over the top in the last section of the book, but that's fitting with the overall arc of the story.

And the story itself is pretty good. The characters are mostly believable and sympathetic; the tale is well told by Askaripour; and the prose is crisp.

I look forward to additional books from this author.

This book is categorized as satire and while there was some satire in it it was largely too real to be funny. It was a great read and highlighted some important issues particularly around race that I think need to be highlighted more. When I think of satire I think of grossly exaggerated and pushing the boundaries by making it absurd to get you to think, but everything that happened in this book I could see occurring. Darren “Buck” is a young black man working as a supervisor at Starbucks when an opportunity falls into his lap that leads him down the rabbit hole into the predominately white business world of New York. Faced with targeted hazing and with a burning desire to succeed he starts a journey that will keep you glued to the pages. I will admit this book had me laughing a few times (there’s a horrible running joke about all of the famous black people each new white person thinks looks just like Buck) and crying more than a couple. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future books by Mateo Askaripour.

This is a quick, fast paced book that's just easy to enjoy. Darren aka Buck leads us on his journey of growth, discovery and turning into a top salesperson - as he also tells us tips on how we too can be the best salesperson ever. That sounds stuffy, but this book is a fun read with an interesting cast of characters. Darren was the valedictorian at a top high school, but he didn't go to college and instead is a bad-ass barista at Starbucks. Everyone who knows him - his mom and the people in his Bedstuy neighborhood thinks he can do better. One day, when he upsells one of his high powered customers who's so impressed he invites him to interview for a job.

The book is written like a memoir/ "self help" book with various tips for the reader - and it worked well to help us get a feel for Darren and his personality. I enjoyed the authors attention to detail of the characters - and if anything, it might have just been a bit too much crammed into this book, but I loved it overall and recommend this for anyone going through a reading slump, or that just needs a fun, easy read.

From the first page of Chapter 1, I knew this was going to be a compelling story. Narrated in the first person by Buck himself, Darren Vender, he tells his story of becoming a salesman and reaching his “full potential” as the only black salesman in the company. His story starts while he is working at Starbucks several years after he graduated as valedictorian of his class, unmotivated to pursue college. Once he is befriended by the head of a corporation to become a salesman, the story really takes off and, as in all good satires, just keeps going “off the rails”. Excellent read that kept my interest and went so many places: racism, stereotypes and more.