Darren works at Starbucks, providing caffeinated drinks to the busy women and men who require a fix of this simple addiction as the slave away at their jobs. Little does Darren know, after influencing one simple coffee order, his whole future is about to go through some drastic changes, altering his future and throwing him into the intense and unpredictable world of internet startups. After enduring a hellacious hell week at the company Sumwun, and walking away with the name Buck, Darren eventually has to decide if he will forget where he came from, now that he is Sumwun, or if he will work to better his community.⁣
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Full of satire and humor, Black Buck is a novel that not only entertains but has some important messages that many need to hear. Covering racism, the media, internet startups, white fragility, and the beast that is New York City, Askaripour creates a rollercoaster ride of a novel that is extremely timely. The characters are amazing--gay, straight, rich, poor, black, white, and every color inbetween--they are all so well developed and enjoyable to read about. I can’t remember a time when I have ever gone back and forth so much about a character like I did with Darren/Buck, from rooting for him, to wanting to knock some sense into him, to rooting for him again. ⁣
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I highly recommend Black Buck. I found it to be a real page-turner that entertained me while covering some serious topics. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an electronic advanced copy of Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ⁣

This was a engaging, fast-paced read. The Wall Street/high-stakes sales world isn't something I'm interested in but the plot and writing was intriguing and I'm glad I picked it up. It had a chaotic energy and dark humor that will appeal to readers, as will the social critique.

<i>Black Buck</i> is a unique, hilarious, and devastating read. It's a satire focused on racism within startup culture. Unique in narrative and plot. Hilarious in writing: tight, witty, and laugh-out-loud black humor throughout. Devastating in its coverage of overt racism in the US. It's all written in a way that sounds too-ridiculous-to-be-true and at the same time feels completely possible/relevant in current-day America.

Darren, the narrator, has been working at Starbucks for four years; he refers to himself as the HNIC (head n**ga in charge) and is comfortable with his lifestyle. Then, on a day like any other, Darren decides to "reverse close" on a charismatic, fast-talking regular customer, Rhett. Rhett is beyond impressed, and offers him an opportunity on the spot. Darren is reluctant, but his mother and girlfriend, certain of his capacity for greatness, help convince him to give Rhett a try. On Day 1 at his new job, Darren is nicknamed Buck--short for Starbucks, the past job he prays will remain secret in his new life. Thus, Darren becomes Black Buck.

We know from the start that Darren has regrets about this decision, but the story of why unfurls in the course of the book. Darren tells the story as both history and a how-to manual on selling. He occasionally interjects notes to the reader--points he wants to drive home as important to becoming a convincing salesman. I loved the writing style and the biting humor. This type of humor helps me swallow painful truths about society and consider white privilege from new vantage points. I highlighted a dozen or so passages and could have highlighted so many more. I thought the book was fantastic and highly recommend.

Favorite quotes:

“‘Most superheroes don’t know they’re superheroes until they get caught up in a moment, just like you. Something either overcomes them, showing them a glimpse of their hidden powers, or they’re pushed so far past their limitations that they have no choice but to succumb to whatever makes them most special.’”

“In the same way Clyde claimed that all black people looked alike, I couldn’t tell one tall blond WASP from another. It was as if they were agents straight out of The Matrix. But instead of wearing black suits, they wore Ralph Lauren polos, Vineyard Vines pullovers, Easter-egg-colored slacks, and brown leather belts with matching Sperrys.”

“Believing that you can somehow prevent change is the surest way to fail.”

““Aye, I gotta piece of advice ’fore you go. I been on this corner long enough to see tens of thousands of transactions go down. And what I learned is that either you sellin’ somebody on yes or they sellin’ you on no. No matter what happens, some nigga gon’ be walkin’ away worse off than the other nigga, so you gotta figure out how tha’s never you, you feel me?’”

Reader: Pay attention to what Wally Cast just said, minus all the acronym BS. Whether you sell someone on yes or they sell you on no, a sale is always made.”

“No wonder she wasn’t getting destroyed in the role-plays. She had connections. Connections, like treasury bonds, are issued to every rich white person upon exiting the womb. Whenever one of them gets high and crashes their parents’ car, whenever they get busted for buying coke from an undercover, whenever they get caught messing with the wrong gangsters on vacation, they make a call, send a text, or whip out their AMEX.”

“Poor people and God usually go hand in hand because it’s easier to explain why some people have so much and others have so little when there’s a master plan.”

“‘...sometimes, when you run away from somethin’, you miss an opportunity to grow.’”

“‘Rule number one,’ I shouted, making them all straighten up. ‘Only friends are allowed in, and they must be people of color. We’re not against white people, but we are simply ignoring them. They’ve had a mile head start and we’re only a few feet off the starting line.’”

“Because we know that when you lift others up, regardless of their skin color, your arms get stronger.”

If you're looking for a 21st century "Rake's Progress", a gonzo Tom Wolfe satire without the racism, "Black Buck" is your cuppa joe. The tongue-in-cheek title alludes to a slavery-era term for a rebellious black man, but also to the concept of investing in one's own community (the "black dollar") to counteract racism's disadvantages. As our (anti?)hero Darren "Buck" Vender undergoes several dizzying reversals of fortune, we are left wondering whether he is best understood as huckster or hero. Cleverly written in the voice of a memoir/self-help book, the narrative ultimately frames Buck as an icon of racial uplift, but this may be the final con job of a master salesman who got his start peddling unlicensed therapy to corporate wellness programs.

At least that is my interpretation of the book's otherwise less satisfying second half, which elides the question of whether the sales jobs he secures for his black proteges are actually beneficial to society. When "Black Buck" is gleefully satirizing workplace microaggressions and cultish Internet start-up culture, it truly shines. The later turn towards a rather cartoonish adventure novel is not as politically incisive but still kept me turning pages with anticipation.

--Jendi Reiter, editor of WinningWriters.com

I was very excited to read “Black Buck” because I thought the premise was intriguing. It sounded like how it feels to be a black person in corporate America. I thought that I had a good handle on what was coming and what I was about to read, but boy was I wrong. This book reads like a thriller and had me on the edge of my seat.

Something that we don’t often see anymore is the fall from grace. We see the happily ever afters or the rise to power, even the hiccup in the story that almost brings the protagonist to their knees. In this book, there is a point where I really despised Buck and his choices. I couldn’t understand him and I didn’t know how he could be redeemable. And it was at this point that I realized that I didn’t know what I got myself into. Buck goes from hero to villain to martyr in the matter of a few pages and it was absolutely amazing.

Mateo Askaripour manages to incorporate racism in corporate America with the book not really being about racism. Darren is such a complex character and I think he is so human that it makes it hard to continue to cheer for him when he is just making all of the worst mistakes. And then the ending, I don’t think I breathed through those last few chapters. It was gut-wrenching reading the last favor he made for Jason knowing that this was the one that would make him just another statistic despite his best efforts.

I loved all of the sales advice. I thought it was such a nice touch and it never felt out of place. It was such an enjoyable book to read and it had a nice flow. The connections between all of the characters felt so authentic that you couldn’t help but fall in love with them, with the exception of Clyde. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who likes a fast-paced thriller novel that acknowledges racism in corporate America. What a fantastic debut novel!

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book and I will be posting my review on my website and Instagram upon publication.

I got about 15% through this, but then I just lost interest. It seemed a bit over the top, although I liked the general outline of the plot.

“An opportunity means change. And opportunity means actions. But most of all, an opportunity means the chance of failure. And it’s the potential for failure, more than failure itself, that stops so many people from beginning anything.”

I started out really enjoying this book because I liked the main character, Darren, who gets the nickname Buck at a start-up company where he is the only black person. But then Buck becomes a person I disliked immensely, one of those sleazy salespeople that is a stereotype. Thus, a large portion of this book was hard to read because he treated people so terribly.

I also didn’t love the ending. While there is definitely humor in this novel, it’s not an easy read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book, which RELEASES JANUARY 5TH, 2021.

This is a story of a young black Starbucks manager living a modest and happy life but wanting something more. But something more can come with consequences and many life lessons.

I really enjoyed this book. Truly, I felt like I was watching a movie rather than reading a book. The descriptions are so vivid. The characters are filled with personality. It’s an emotional roller coaster filled with twists and turns. I wouldn’t even begin to know how to characterize it. It’s a story of racism and class discrimination, of the benefits of hard work, the downfalls of greed and pride. It’s a romance. It’s a story of family and relationships. It’s a sales self-help book even! The list goes on. I felt every emotion there is over the course of this book.

Bravo, Mateo Askaripour. I look forward to reading more from you. And thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for giving me the opportunity to read this gem.

This was Advance Uncorrected Proof (ecopy) was offered from the publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt through NetGalley and it’s a departure from my usual fare. I’m so not a salesman and I don’t normally read general fiction, but the description sounded intriguing.

The author says in his Author’s Note

" If you’re not black but have this book in your hands, I want you to think of yourself as an honorary black person. Go on, do it. Don’t go don blackface and an afro, but picture yourself as black. And if you want, you can even give yourself a fancy black name, like Jamal, Imani, or Asia."

And he wants to make me a salesman. That won’t happen but the book was a page turner. Askaripour writes well and conversationally; and is light on the vernacular making this more accessible. It’s allegory; you know this story if you’ve seen Wall Street, or read other rags to riches stories, although with a few twists. Bottom to heights, falls, heights and more falls. You’ll simultaneously be cheering Darren/Buck on and also be wanting to slap some sense into him.

Askaripour peppers his story with a lot of asides to the reader, like “Reader: Highlight that whole paragraph, it’ll save you years of pain.” and

"Reader: Salespeople are often separated into two camps: those who love to win and those who hate to lose. Before joining Sumwun, I was one of the latter. But once you taste what it feels like to win, to really win something meaningful - like your spot on the dream team - you will do everything to protect that feeling. Be careful of winning, it’s one of the most dangerous things you can ever do."

One line cracked me up. Darren/Buck is at a spa and massage was first up. “Getting the hell beaten out of me by an older Korean woman was not relaxing.” I lived in Korea for seven years. Korean massages are not relaxing!

Darren Vender leads what he considers a pretty good life. He lives with his mother, enjoys time with his girlfriend, and works at Starbucks. It isn't what his mother envisioned for her son, the Valedictorian of Bronx Science, and she is always encouraging him to go to college and 'be someone'. But Darren is comfortable and not ready for a change, until the day he decides to sell Rhett Daniels a different drink. Rhett is the founder of the hottest tech startup in town, Sumwun, and he not only tries the beverage Darren suggests, but he also offers him a job.
When he accepts Rhett's offer, he has no idea how this opportunity will change his life. Darren (nicknamed Buck), is the only black man at Sumwun and he soon decides that he will overcome every obstacle in his way and sell his way to the top. Within a few months, the kind and compassionate Darren is gone, and the ruthless, selfish, and successful Buck is in control. What follows is a story about racism, gentrification, white privilege, Gordon Geeko type people who believe greed is good, and more problems than he ever could have imagined.
Buck manages to find himself again and use his talent to help other people in need. I did not expect that ending, but considering everything that happened in Black Buck, I probably should have seen it coming. Everything happened so fast, that at times, it just didn't seem realistic. That being said, it was a fast read and it was what happened in the story that made it so hard to put down. I am sure that a lot of time was condensed, or perhaps this is actually how fast things can change in today's crazy start-up culture. A not to be missed read that kept me thinking about the author's message for days and a book I can't wait to share with others when it publishes next year. This is an author to watch.

The story centres on Darren Vender, also known as Buck. He's a black guy who works in a coffee shop until he manages to impress a startup CEO and create the opportunity that he has been waiting for to show his potential. What follows is a rollercoaster ride where he works his way through a predominantly white corporate environment, loses himself, forgets where he came from, and alienates the people who matter most.

I say rollercoaster because the story does chuck you around a fair bit. I wasn't convinced by every twist and turn in the plot, particularly the speed at which the protagonist achieves his success and develops his business acumen. He almost seems to have an implausible ability to hyptonise clients. Also, at one point a character is locked up for a murder that they didn't commit and then we never hear anything more about it. So yeah, fast-moving.

The story deals with racism, affirmative action and the question of what responsibility we have to pass on what we know and create opportunities for one another. As the novel draws to its conclusion, one feels rather beaten over the head with these ideas, but definitely worth a read.

"Most superheroes don't know they're superheroes until they get caught up in a moment, just like you. Something either overcomes them, showing them a glimpse of their hidden powers, or they're pushed so far past their limitations that they have no choice by to succumb to whatever makes them special."

"Life, like sales, comes with an endless amount of opportunities to do the wrong thing to win."

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What if Tyler Durden had been black instead of spreading mayhem he had been trying to teach selling skills to ambitious POC?  That's Black Buck.  

The titular character, Darren AKA Buck goes from rags to riches by making two key sales in his career. One morning, he upsells a yuppy white a**hole an alternative caffeine vehicle at his Starbucks job and suddenly he's thrust into a new career and ultimately new life. Initially, he is throttled by the impudence of a team of white sales robots who underestimate and belittle him because he is black. But over time, he begins to drink the sales Kool-Aid... and believe me, if you've ever worked in a high pressure sales organization, Askaripour nails the character of the over-driven sales douche to a T.  He also accurately satirizes start-up culture with little nuance and it's amazing. Buck's second major sale comes at a vital time for the company and it thrusts him into the stratosphere of money and fame. After many accusations of becoming an Uncle Tom, he finds himself reluctantly shepherding other smart, ambitious POC on how to get what they want out of life trying to prove that being successful has nothing to do with race.

Along the journey you will grit your teeth with anger over the injustice both upon Buck and perpetrated by him. You will laugh and roll your eyes at the absurdity of the situations he finds himself in and those he puts others in. You will flush in shame as Buck forgets who he is, where he's come from and who got him there; but you just might swell with pride at Buck's evolution by the end... or will you?

I applaud Mateo Askaripour for his story-telling. He is a talented writer. Although Black Buck was not my cup of tea, Askaripour told an entertaining story that was a fairly quick read. There was a lot to unpack; almost too much with all the twists and turns that take our protagonist on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Its satirical edge kept me turning the pages and I appreciated the political relevance during these times. This was not a book I would have typically chosen, but I appreciated the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone to read something different. If dark humor and satire are your thing, you'll enjoy Black Buck. Thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the advance copy.

Thank you so much to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for sending me an advanced copy and allowing me to review on NetGalley as well.

Think the black version of Wolf of Wall Street. That is how this one has been presented and it was amazing. I felt like it was a quick read, but I also felt like I kept turning pages and pages. Definitely no complaints here.

“Buck” moves from a Starbucks manager to the only black salesman at Sumwun. His dreams of earning more money, making a name for himself, and getting his mom out of work at the bleach factory are what drives the next decisions that he makes.

This was full of twists and turns and ups and downs every few pages. I loved how about halfway through there was the first huge dilemma. Then another catastrophe. Then an atomic bomb. There were so many different climaxes and problems but it all worked so well for this story. It was very fast paced and it kept me on my toes. I had to read every word because I didn’t want to miss any of the action.

I love how this book also sheds light on the racial issues that we are facing today. There were times that my jaw dropped as I thought “did that really just happen?” This was real and raw and in many ways just like Wolf of Wall Street. However all Buck wants is the minorities to get their shot that society does not allow. I can’t say that I was a fan of Buck though for about 80% of the story. Not the writing, but just things that he did as a character in the story.

10 out of 10 by far. If you like quick paced, drama filled, office staff foolery then you will love this one.

We watch as Daren go from a barista to a sales virtuoso, rubbing elbows with big money men. Although the writing was decent and the premise held up, It was definitely not my cup of coffee. I had a hard to finishing this novel.

In”BlackBuck” by Mateo Askaripour we watch the evolution of Darren “Buck” Vender from Starbucks Barista to a sales guru who not only closes a deal with a major Venture Capitalists but attracts a cult following for his sales acumen.

In the opening we are introduced to Darren’s life in New York’s Bed Sty. Little has changed in his life since high school This life is safe and familiar. He lives with his Mom, has the same girlfriend since middle school and the people he surrounds himself with are those he has grown up with in the neighborhood. The novel mentions “The potential for failure more than failure itself that stops so many people from being anything.“ This perhaps explains why he chose not to do more with his life though valedictorian of his high school class, A chance meeting with a customer at Starbucks who recognizes his potential sets Buck’s life of a new trajectory.

Bucks journey into the world of sales was exciting to follow. The line between novel and ‘How to Guide‘ for success in the business world were blurred. I enjoyed this mix. I felt Buck’s journey, though fictional, was rooted in the real experience of people of color navigating corporate environments.

Both major and minor characters in the novel were well developed and three dimensional. Rhett, Bucks mentor, is an example of a character who I found it hard to categorize as simply good or bad. Though his reasons for helping Buck were self serving, I felt he had a genuine kinship with Buck and wanted him to succeed. Even Clyde’s role as the villain in the novel could not be reduced to that of someone who was simply evil as we learned more about him through the progression of the novel.

From the opening, I felt the book was fast paced and easy to follow. There were funny moments and difficult moments that where race and class in the workplace collide. This novel is a perfect vehicle to open a discussion of race and class.

The people, places and things are well described in the novel. I didn’t feel it was excessive or caused the story to drag. The vivid description helped to transport me as the reader into the story.

Seeing Buck’s transition to someone in pursuit of his own self interest to someone reaching out to uplift others was inspiring. Buck’s speech at the conference summarized it perfectly, we are all wounded children looking for support and encouragement toward a dream.

Though the ending wasn’t what I expected, I loved this book. It tackles the difficult topic of navigating the corporate world for people of color with humor and grace. The timing of this novel is perfect as the world awakens to the injustice and micro aggressions encountered by people of color in both personal and professional spaces.
I recommend this book to anyone, regardless of color as it is the perfect intersection on entertainment and teachable moments.

I seriously loved this book! I may be a random white chick, but I loved and identified with this story. There hasn’t been a better time to have a story like this. The racial reckoning is happening and the story is perfect for right now. The story was so well written and I loved the characters. I actually sobbed when Ma died! I’m so excited to see more from this author!

WOW! I think the book was well written and very captivating. Darren graduated as valedictorian of his high school. He's 22 years old and lives with his mother in New York working as a Starbuck Barista. He is given the opportunity to work as a Salesman in a new upcoming Company. His journey touches on Racism, Cooperate Greed and White Privilege. It really opened up my eyes to see what a person of color might face or experience at work. With that said I thought it was very amusing. I will definitely recommend. Well Done!!
I was given an ARC for my honest review..


Thank You NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Mateo Askaripour: Black Buck

Darren is a young black man living in Bed-Stuy with his mom and surrogate grandfather, working at Starbucks after having graduated valedictorian of his high-school, and dating the girl (of color) he's known since middle school. But then Rhett Daniels, hotshot co-founder of the mysterious company on some upper floor of the building, walks into Starbucks and Darren does *not* give him the usual.

Next thing you know, Darren is learning sales at this crazy startup where everyone is all white, and while Darren's career takes off, his life goes down the toilet, only to rise again in the second half of the book, in a new direction.

I most enjoyed the first half of the story, with Darren's adventures at "Sumwun," despite most of the white characters being rather flat and verging on caricature (Clyde and Frodo and the Duchess). The second half of the book added another boatload of characters, these ones all over the various fashionable spectrum, as if the author were trying to complete a very long checklist of inclusivity.

Sometimes you just wanted to knock Darren over the head for his bad choices, and sometimes you just wanted to yell, "Jane, get me off this crazy thing!" for the roller-coaster plot, but all in all it was a worthwhile, sometimes funny read that captured a new perspective.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

“Black Buck” is a rags to riches story about Darren, an African-American man in his early twenties who lives in a brownstone in Bed-Stuy with his mother and Mr. Rawlings, an elderly tenant who lives on the garden level of the brownstone. I enjoyed the first 25% of this book, which dealt with Darren’s life living with his mother, whom he adored, working as a supervisor at a Starbuck’s in Manhattan, and spending time with his girlfriend, mother and Mr. Rawlings at the Bed-Stuy brownstone. The Darren depicted in the early part of the book was compassionate to family, friends and co-workers and comfortable with his life.

However, when Darren meets Rhett, a Starbuck’s customer, who offers him a job at a startup company called “Sumwun”, the writing and characterizations seemed to deteriorate. I assume this portion of the book was intended to be what is described in the blurb as “satirical,” but I failed to appreciate this nature of the book. Instead, the characters were one-dimensional caricatures of privileged white racists.
Moreover, after working with the company for three months, Darren’s personality undergoes a complete 180 and he becomes a totally different person: self-absorbed, disrespectful, angry and arrogant, alienating all his former friends, including his girlfriend.

Although it’s possible Darren might have redeemed himself by the end of the book, I gave up at the 60% point because I no longer enjoyed the writing or the main character. Perhaps someone who understands the culture of startup companies might have better appreciated the satirical aspects of the story, unfortunately I did not. As a result, the story and the writing fell flat.