Synopses & Reviews
andlt;B andgt;Strength and resilience fuel an urban teenand#8217;s fight for survival in this acclaimed novel from Bil Wright that and#8220;delivers a knock-out punchand#8221; (andlt;I andgt;Venus Magazineandlt;/Iandgt;).andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Fourteen-year-old Louis Bowman lives in a boxing ringand#8212;a housing project circa 1968and#8212;and is fighting and#8220;just to get to the end of the round.and#8221; Sharing the ring is his mother, Jeanette Stamps, a ferociously stubborn woman battling for her own dreams to be realized; his stepfather, Ben Stamps, the would-be savior, who becomes the sparring partner to them both; and the enigmatic Ray Anthony Robinson, the neighborhood and#8220;hoodlumand#8221; in purple polyester pants, who sets young Louisand#8217;s heart spinning with the first stirrings of sexual longing.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Bil Wright deftly evokes an unrelenting world with quirky humor and a clear-eyed perspective in this and#8220;deeply felt coming-of-age noveland#8221; that and#8220;reads like the best of memoirsand#8221; (andlt;I andgt;School Library Journalandlt;/Iandgt;).
Review
"Heartbreaking and heartwarming. I was touched in so many ways by this absolutely dazzling and elegant debut. You won't be able to put it down. "
Review
"The patient, subtle rendering of one boy's developing emotional life leads us right into the mystery of how love grows in us all."
Review
and#8220;With striking immediacy, keen insight, and grace of language, Wright captures the anguish of adolescence and the complex bond between mothers and sons...riveting.and#8221;
Review
"Understated humor marks Bil Wright's first novel, andlt;iandgt;Sunday You Learn How to Box...andlt;/iandgt; the absence of sentimentality is refreshing."
Review
and#8220;A realistic, poignant story. It grabs you from the beginning, digs at your heartstrings, and doesn't let go.and#8221;
Review
andlt;iandgt;"Sunday You Learn How to Boxandlt;/iandgt; has all the rhythm, drama, and dance of a good fight but in this case the battle matters more because the soul of a boy is at stake. In elegant and agile prose, Wright matches brutality with passion and heartbreak with hope. And a man in purple polyester pants walks off with the prize. This book is a knockout."
Review
"A mother's uphill battle to forge a better life for her family, her young son's struggle to survive in a world where the lines of "manhood" and "masculinity" are harshly drawn -- Bil Wright's wrenching novel about growing up gay is sometimes crushing, sometimes exhilarating, but always full of grace. In this elegant and honest book, Wright engages difficult themes of love exhausted and renewed, dreams derailed and put back on track again, and the stubborn will to create one's destiny instead of falling prey to it. I was powerfully moved by andlt;iandgt;Sunday You Learn How to Box.andlt;/iandgt; Its images singe. Its characters gleam."
Review
andlt;iandgt;"Sunday You Learn How to Boxandlt;/iandgt; is smart and sexy. Bil Wright's gorgeous first novel overflows with wit and lyricism, the wonders of desire, and the brutality of racism. Louis shows us the power of salvation when the savior and saved are one -- I couldn't put it down!"
Review
“A realistic, poignant story. It grabs you from the beginning, digs at your heartstrings, and doesn't let go.” < -="" i="" -=""> - The Philadelphia Tribune - < -="" -="">
Review
"Understated humor marks Bil Wright's first novel, Sunday You Learn How to Box... the absence of sentimentality is refreshing." < -="" i="" -=""> - The New York Times - < -="" -="">
Review
“With striking immediacy, keen insight, and grace of language, Wright captures the anguish of adolescence and the complex bond between mothers and sons...riveting.” < -="" i="" -=""> - New York World - < -="" -="">
Review
and#8220;Louis is a winning character, an adolescent coping gracefully with his bitter lot, whose emotional strength and resilience ensure his survival into adulthood.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;A poignant coming-of-age story. Wright has written an unsentimental portrait of a vulnerable young black man.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;This deeply felt coming-of-age novel reads like the best of memoirs. and#8230;. Wright has a pitch-perfect ear for dialogue and a genuine gift for capturing the intricacies and indeterminacies of family and community life. Both ensure that Louis Bowman will live with teen readers long after they close the book.and#8221;
Review
andlt;divandgt;"Heartbreaking and heartwarming. I was touched in so many ways by this absolutely dazzling and elegant debut. You won't be able to put it down. "andlt;/divandgt;
Review
"The patient, subtle rendering of one boy's developing emotional life leads us right into the mystery of how love grows in us all." Judy Lightfoot, < i=""> Seattle Times <>
Review
"Sunday You Learn How to Box has all the rhythm, drama, and dance of a good fight but in this case the battle matters more because the soul of a boy is at stake. In elegant and agile prose, Wright matches brutality with passion and heartbreak with hope. And a man in purple polyester pants walks off with the prize. This book is a knockout." Karin Cook, author of < i=""> What Girls Learn <>
Review
"A mother's uphill battle to forge a better life for her family, her young son's struggle to survive in a world where the lines of "manhood" and "masculinity" are harshly drawn -- Bil Wright's wrenching novel about growing up gay is sometimes crushing, sometimes exhilarating, but always full of grace. In this elegant and honest book, Wright engages difficult themes of love exhausted and renewed, dreams derailed and put back on track again, and the stubborn will to create one's destiny instead of falling prey to it. I was powerfully moved by Sunday You Learn How to Box. Its images singe. Its characters gleam." Gerry Gomez Pearlberg, author of < i=""> Marianne Fauthfull's Cigarette <> and editor of < i=""> Queer Dog: Homo/Pub/Poetry <>
Synopsis
Strength and resilience fuel an urban teen's fight for survival in this acclaimed novel from Bil Wright that "delivers a knock-out punch" (Venus Magazine).
Fourteen-year-old Louis Bowman lives in a boxing ring--a housing project circa 1968--and is fighting "just to get to the end of the round." Sharing the ring is his mother, Jeanette Stamps, a ferociously stubborn woman battling for her own dreams to be realized; his stepfather, Ben Stamps, the would-be savior, who becomes the sparring partner to them both; and the enigmatic Ray Anthony Robinson, the neighborhood "hoodlum" in purple polyester pants, who sets young Louis's heart spinning with the first stirrings of sexual longing.
Bil Wright deftly evokes an unrelenting world with quirky humor and a clear-eyed perspective in this "deeply felt coming-of-age novel" that "reads like the best of memoirs" (School Library Journal).
Synopsis
Strength and resilience fuel an urban teen’s fight for survival in this acclaimed novel from Bil Wright that “delivers a knock-out punch” (Venus Magazine).Fourteen-year-old Louis Bowman lives in a boxing ring—a housing project circa 1968—and is fighting “just to get to the end of the round.” Sharing the ring is his mother, Jeanette Stamps, a ferociously stubborn woman battling for her own dreams to be realized; his stepfather, Ben Stamps, the would-be savior, who becomes the sparring partner to them both; and the enigmatic Ray Anthony Robinson, the neighborhood “hoodlum” in purple polyester pants, who sets young Louis’s heart spinning with the first stirrings of sexual longing.
Bil Wright deftly evokes an unrelenting world with quirky humor and a clear-eyed perspective in this “deeply felt coming-of-age novel” that “reads like the best of memoirs” (School Library Journal).