Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour is a book that is just buzzing with electricity! When we first meet Darren, he is a Starbucks manager in NYC with close-knit family/friends. He’s incredibly bright, but never really reached his potential, preferring to be a big fish in a small pond vs. taking real risks. He gets recruited to a sales team for a rising start-up app SumWun that provides individuals with someone to talk to at any time. He falls in with its enigmatic CEO and quickly becomes a rising star within the company. Through his meteoric rise I had no idea where the story would go. Black Buck is satire and some of the references made my mouth drop and made me laugh out loud. I loved how surprising some of these elements were, touching on race, masculinity, sales, etc. The pacing is really good and I love how Darren’s/Buck’s character changes and grows. I listened to the audiobook, which was masterfully narrated by Zeno Robinson. I loved how his voice captured the energy of the book. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like this novel, and it was so well-done!

Thank you Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

kinda loved this one. really interesting satire that looks at race and class and tech bro culture. I actually listened to this one on audio and thought the narrator did a fantastic job. Is it perfect...no. it goes a little off the rails in the back half, but ultimately I enjoyed a lot about it.

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."
Perhaps author Mateo Askaripour missed the "or" in Ben Franklin's quote when he chose to do both. He wrote the dark satire, Black Buck, that is worth reading and also is worthy of writing about his activism and raising awareness for organizations like Defy Ventures.
Black Buck is the story of 22 year old, Darren Vender, former valedictorian at Bronx Science High School, still living in the Bed-Stuy brownstone with his mother. Darren chose to enter the workforce after high school rather than the traditional college route.
Now a shift supervisor at a Park Avenue Starbucks, Darren is the perfect employee; hard-working, committed, likable and a great salesman. Art Turock once said, "There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit. When you're committed to something, you except no excuses, just result." That quote was featured on the back of a Starbucks cup but describes Darren to a tee.
Darren has dreams and aspirations of making it big, he just needs one person to give him a shot.
Enter Rhett Daniels, good-looking, rich, white and CEO of tech start-up company, SUNWUM. Rhett offers Darren that shot with an entry-level sales job in his company.
There is where author Askaripour shines as he writes of the treatment black Darren, now called Buck, receives from the all-white sales team at SUNWUM. He doesn't trivialize Darrens experiences or sugarcoat the characters actions,
This maybe a work of fiction but this dark satire is all too real for people of color. The racist stereotypes are rampant and the challenges that people of color must overcome may be shocking to some but it is profoundly sad to see how far we have to go to have a more diverse work force in America.
Mateo's book while full of humor and sadness, is a cautionary tale of that slippery slope when we don't learn from the lessons that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to teach us, "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #BlackBuck

"I didn’t want to start my career, especially as the only Black person in the room, as some wind-up monkey that would bang his cymbals whenever white people wanted him to.”

This!!!!

As someone who has been the only Black person in an all white office environment, I definitely related to this book as far as the frustration goes of being in that position goes. It felt like being under a microscope at all times and I had to conduct myself a certain way at all times while others didn’t. Also dealing with stereotypes. I’ll never forget the look on their faces when they found out I attended Catholic school. 🙃

The story is told in five parts. I really enjoyed the first three parts. Part four lost me a little not going to lie. Part 5 was buck wild (see what I did there) and I didn’t expect that ending at all!!
This was a solid debut and I’m highly anticipating Askaripour next novel.
This quote took me out clean.

“If you’re a black man, the key to any white person’s heart is the ability to shuck, jive or freestyle. But use it wisely and sparingly. Otherwise you’re liable to turn into Steve Harvey.”

Deceased.

CW: One of the main characters calls the workers the “r” word.

That is not what I was expecting from this story. The entire time I’m listening to this, I’m thinking what a ridiculous work environment and how is this going to set anyone up for success? And then I get a bombed dropped on me. This went so much deeper and so much more corrupt than I was expecting.

Black Buck explores the modern American work force, racism, and our severely lacking justice system all in one novel. The author also goes into depth with consequences in regards to your choices, posing a great question of where do you see yourself and how are you going to get there while also being mindful of your actions and how they make an impact, whether it be an impact on yourself or others?

On another note completely unrelated to the content of the novel or story, this cover is so eye catching! I really love it.

<i> I received an electronic copy of this novel prior to release from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

This was one of the most memorable books I’ve read in a long time. It’s dark satire that’s compulsively readable- Darren, or "Buck" is a character I couldn't look away from. Parts of this book absolutely infuriated and appalled me, which I think is part of the point. (Note, there is usage of the N and R words). It's about sales culture and being a BIPOC person in a white man's world and the backlash that can come with success. It's about the pervasiveness of white supremacy and the lengths those in power will go to to protect the status quo. And through this all, it maintained moments of tenderness and humor.

This is a book that holds no punches on the structural inequalities and the implicit/explicit racism present in the corporate world and some mainstream media. As a satire, it’s easy to dismiss the buffoonery and antics of the book’s aggrieved white people who resent Buck’s astronomical rise and deploy horrific tactics to destroy him. It may be tempting to think the author lazily evokes a caricature of real people, until one recalls with unease the social justice movement of 2020 and the rhetoric, actions, and biases it exposed. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The prose and storyline are almost cinematic; would make a GREAT Netflix adaptation.

It reminded me of Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s We Cast a Shadow, and I think it would make for a great discussion. I'm very much looking forward to reading more from the author!

I can already tell that Black Buck will stay with me for a long time. What a fantastic debut, it was thought provoking and came from an important and needed perspective when addressing race, class, and sexism. This will be a book I know I’ll buy to gift! Highly recommend.

A frequently funny but finally unsettling consideration of the places bucks, black and green, occupy in the grinding world of American enterprise capitalism.

I tried multiple times to read this novel and I can't get past 20%. I purchased a paper copy of this from my bookstore and am hoping that the format will help a little here. I really want to like this but online reading is not working for me on this one!

Mateo Askaripour is, to borrow the words of the protagonist of his debut novel Black Buck, “a black salesman on a mission”, and in true salesman fashion, begins by selling you his book. Once you have parted with your money, he proceeds to sell you his story, and my goodness, what a story!

Darren is twenty two years old, content to be the shift supervisor at Starbucks- he would rather stay near his mom and girlfriend than get out of his comfort zone to seek the greatness that everyone around him believes that he is destined for. So what if he was the valedictorian at the Bronx School of Science? Not everyone gets to be the Head Negro in Charge at Starbucks, and a pretty good one at that. So good that he manages to sell to the CEO of the flashy startup on the 36th floor something different from his regular order, and to the customer’s surprise, he actually likes it. Now in sales, if everyone who tries to sell is a salesman and everyone who manages to sell is a good salesman, then everyone who sells to the satisfaction of the customer must be a great salesman. So what is he doing here as a barista at Starbucks? Rhett tells Darren that he is destined for greatness (old news) and to meet him on the 36th floor to see what it’s like in the world of sales.

Does Darren go easily? No. For all his hidden potential, he does not want to give up a comfortable job that allows him to be close to both his mom and girlfriend. After a whole lot of coaxing, he gives in and enters a new phase of his life: as Buck the lone black shee—salesman. (Let’s not talk about the erasure of identity.) He has a hell of a training- partly because of the nature of his job and partly because he is black. (Oh, not the race card again! Hasn’t America overcome racism? It is the 21st century, for goodness’ sake! Tell that to George Floyd. And it is a bit too soon to forget Donald Trump.) And then Darren aka Buck is thrown head first into salesmanship and takes us along.

What makes this book so special?
Well, apart from throwing light on present day racism and the denial that modern society is in? Apart from black empowerment without violence? It is a great Bildungsroman told by a talented storyteller- it has humour, relationship drama, tragedy and self-realisation, with a bit of sales 101 on the side.

Why do I like it?
Being from a minority in India, I can understand very well how difficult it is for Buck to enter and stay in a place/position that his people has been kept away from, whether intentionally or not. My dad is kind of a Happy Camper himself. We learn, we get in, we try to let others learn and pave way for their empowerment as well. That’s what I like about Darren— albeit reluctantly, he taught others his trade. He could have been THE single black man out there, the one who made the difference, but he doesn’t covet that position. He does realise his true potential in the end- not as a great salesman, but rather as a great man.

"Black Buck" is a satire based in a tech start-up company in New York City. Mateo Askaripour wrote this book in the style of a self-help novel. Parts of the story are interrupted by Darren, the narrator, as he describes his experience as a black man in a predominantly white tech start-up. While the story is funny at times, it is also shocking and cringe-worthy. Overall, this is a very relevant book to read at this time.
#NetGalley #BlackBuck

It was hard for me to fully connect with Darren, but once I did the book became much more enjoyable. I absolutely adore the relationship between him and his mother, however it pained me to read about what he was subjected to while trying to live up to her expectation of him reaching his full potential. What I loved about the story were the moments that the author connected with the reader, in my mind I saw it as a breaking of the fourth wall. Also, I think this would translate amazingly on screen if there was ever the opportunity to do so.

*Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour*
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“Askaripour closes the deal on the first page of this mesmerising novel, executing a high-wire act of full verve and dark, comic energy” Colson Whitehead.
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I might just raise the bar on what Colson Whitehead said debut novel and say ‘If Magnum Ice-Cream were to invent a new flavour to top the Almond, it would be called - ‘Black Buck’
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If you loved watching ‘Wolf of WallStreet’ then you will DEVOUR #Blackbuck.
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In this electrifying rollercoaster trip of a ride, we have twenty-two year old Darren who is beyond comfortable in this job at Starbucks, living in a Bed-Stay Brownstone in Brooklyn with this mother. His mother is his bedrock, having raised him after his father died when he was two. They have a bond that reminds me of the one I have with my son…
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A chance meeting on day with a guy called Rhett Daniels, CEO of a new start-up thats’s sprung up in the same building as the Starbucks Darren works in, literally changes the course of his life forever.
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The start-up company - ‘Sumwan’ - is questionable in so many ways - for one, when Darren starts there he realises he’s the only black employee. But that’s the least of his worries, as this book unfolds.
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I finished this roller coaster of a trip ride and felt perhaps Darren might have been a lot happier if he’d simply stayed at Starbucks. The simple life is the best life right?
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Racism, Classism, Ambition, Love,Grief/Loss, Mental Health, Gentrification and more - @askmateo’s packaged it all in this. He’s also got a wicked sense of humour @askMateo should consider a career in standup comedy!
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I cannot WAIT to sit down with @askmateo tomorrow and fine-tooth comb his amazing satirical debut.

I went into this book completely blind, but maybe I should not have. For example, I did not realize it was a satire until after I finished reading it. My thoughts were sort of all over the place with it. It certainly was different than anything I’ve ever read before and I am glad I read it because it is outside of my comfort zone but did I like it? The jury is still out.

The author is talented, of that I have no doubt. I also think that it beings up many important discussion about race. I was so angry for Darren in many of the early scenes of the book. It was disgusting how he was treated. But I think there was truth to that, and that POC experience situations like that regularly. This would probably be an excellent read for a high school or college class. It would have some excellent talking points. I’m kind of bummed this isn’t a real life story though, because Darren is someone who could change the world.

What I didn’t like most was the parts that actually talked to the reader and gave point on how to be a good sales person. I think it took away from the story and it really bugged me.

This is an excellent novel, I'd love to see what else the author has written. The story and characters are rich and engaging - a must read.

This book is absolutely fantastic! It’s about Darren, a black man living in NYC. He was high school valedictorian but didn’t go on to college. He’s working at Starbucks as a shift lead instead. Everyone he cares about wants him to reach his potential, but he’s waiting for “his shot”. Then an opportunity presents itself when he convinces a hotshot CEO to change his regular order. Darren takes this opportunity and all manner of hell breaks loose.

This book to be a great mixture of humor, inspiration and jaw dropping confrontation with racism. It was smart. I was fully engaged in the story of the main character, Buck, formerly known as Darren. highly recommend this book and will definitely read more of his work.

5 Stars!!

Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for a review copy. The opinions stated here are my own.

Logically, I know this was one book - but you can't convince me this wasn't three separate novels in one. I want to see this turned into a movie ASAP! I felt like this book is a tongue in cheek mash up of The Wolf Of Wall Street and Otessa Moshfegh with a dash of Curtis Sittenfeld... So it checked all of the boxes for me. The important thing is going into this book understanding that it is satire, and masterful satire at that, otherwise I can see people being accidentally offended. This was beautifully done and an author I'll be buying in the future.

<i> "...The old me was gone, and I was happy about it, because he was a boy and I was finally a man. A man who took shit from no one."</i>

<I>Black Buck</i> was infuriating. I can't tell you who often my blood boiled while reading it. People have compared <I>Black Buck</i> to Wolf of Wall Street and I can see it. Darren is a complex character who makes about three consecutive circles throughout the whole plot. The writing is humorous, fast-paced, and sharp. The author notes sprinkled throughout the book, breaking up the third wall was funny. The beginning of the book was sharp, fast and infuriating but the second half of the book felt like a whole different novel the pacing and POV seems to have changed. The first half seems to focus on Darren but the second half loses track of Darren's motivations and the ending was lackluster. I do want to know what happened to Darren after the book had ended but alas. I would read something else by Askaripour because I see the vision in his writing.

I have been trying to figure out what I wanted to write about this book and I am still not sure that I know exactly. Black Buck is a novel of the time. It revolves around Darren "Buck" who is discovered one day at his Starbucks job by the CEO of a new life assistance company. After "hell" week, where he has to survive not just the sales rep role play but the overt racism his boss is putting out there, begins a job that will make his career. Over the next year Buck deals with family issues, friend issues, and work issues and through all of this he finds what he really should be doing in this world.
This is a book that is at times hard to take and makes you think. Now I do not have to deal with racism so all I can say is that this book did make me think. There was a point where I thought about what would someone do if they were the only of a group at a job. Could they go to HR when experiencing issues like racism or sexism.? Now while I liked that it made me think I will say that I really did not care for any of the characters in the book. And maybe that is the point. Not all people are likable or always do likable things. We make choices that others would not agree with and regret. I think if I had liked the characters it would have felt as real. They were very multi dimensional which was great.

I was able to read this book thanks to NetGalley. I really enjoyed the story and especially the characters. It was funny, real, and important. I will be recommending it to family and friends snd will be looking for more from this author in the future. Thanks again for the opportunity to read this book.