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After the Lights Go Out
After the Lights Go Out | John Vercher
2 posts | 1 read | 3 to read
A harrowing and spellbinding story about family, the complications of mixed-race relationships, misplaced loyalties, and the price athletes pay to entertain--from the critically acclaimed author of Three-Fifths Xavier "Scarecrow" Wallace, a mixed-race MMA fighter on the wrong side of thirty, is facing the fight of his life. Xavier can no longer deny he is losing his battle with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), or pugilistic dementia. Through the fog of memory loss, migraines, and paranoia, Xavier does his best to stay in shape while he waits for the call that will reinstate him after a year-long suspension. He watches his diet and trains every day at the Philadelphia gym owned by his cousin-cum-manager, Shot, a retired champion boxer to whom Xavier owes an unpayable debt. Xavier makes ends meet by teaching youth classes at Shot's gym and by living rent-free in the house of his white father, whom Xavier has been forced to commit to a nursing home because of the progress of his end-stage Alzheimer's. Dementia has revealed his father's latent racism and Xavier finally gains insight into why his Black mother left the family when Xavier was young. Then Xavier is offered a chance at redemption: a last-minute comeback fight in the largest MMA promotion. If he can get himself back in the game, he'll be able to clear his name and begin to pay off Shot. But with his memory in shreds and his life crumbling around him, can Xavier hold on to the focus he needs to survive?
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Vansa
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John Vercher's sentences are exquisite

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blurb
batsy
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I enjoyed last year's #CampTOB so I'm hoping to be able to join in this year. These are my #summercampsuggestions for #CampTOB2022 based on titles that I've been dying to read for awhile now and some new ones that came to my attention from PW.

@BarbaraBB

Cathythoughts These all look interesting 👍🏻♥️ 3y
thebluestocking Nice list!! 💙 3y
rockpools …and beautifully colour-coordinated as well! 🌸 3y
See All 13 Comments
vivastory Moshfegh 👏🤘 3y
Ruthiella @rockpools Yes! Totally impressed by the color coordination. 👍 Now if only someone would give me $$$ so I can quit working and read all day. 😂 3y
squirrelbrain Some really interesting-sounding choices there… ! 3y
BarbaraBB Oh no, I really want to read all six of these. And I‘m so happy with a new Moshfegh! 3y
merelybookish Wow, I'm so intrigued! All new to me save one. Also, I think you win best collection of titles! 3y
Megabooks So excited for the moshfegh! 3y
batsy @Cathythoughts @thebluestocking @squirrelbrain Nothing like nurturing and growing that TBR 😆 3y
batsy @rockpools I was quite surprised at how these covers complemented each other 😁 @Ruthiella Now that's living the dream! 3y
batsy @merelybookish Aww thanks! 😆 3y
batsy @vivastory @BarbaraBB @Megabooks The Moshfegh sounds so dark and weird and good! 3y
86 likes13 comments