“Askaripour closes the deal on the first page of this mesmerizing novel, executing a high wire act full of verve and dark, comic energy.”

— Colson Whitehead, author of The Nickel Boys

“A hilarious, gleaming satire as radiant as its author. Askaripour has announced himself as a major talent of the school of Ralph Ellison, Paul Beatty, Fran Ross, and Ishmael Reed. Full of quick pacing, frenetic energy, absurd—yet spot on—twists and turns, and some of the funniest similes I’ve ever read, this novel is both balm and bomb.”

— Nafissa Thompson-Spires, author of Heads of the Colored People

“I fell in love with this book and Buck from the first page. Mateo has not only authentically captured the feeling of being seen as ‘other,’ but he’s also managed to delicately show the way in which so many people protect themselves by creating an alter ego out of self-preservation. Buck’s journey is filled with heartache, laughter, fear, success, and karma.”

— Jay Ellis, actor, director, producer

“BLACK BUCK is a madcap look at compromises black people make while trying to get ahead. When are you code- switching, and when is the code switching you? Mateo Askaripour didn’t write a novel, he crafted a business book forged in the abyss as it stares back. It’s a world that looks an awful lot like the hell we’re in.”

— Rion Amilcar Scott, author of The World Doesn’t Require You

“BLACK BUCK is funny, sharp and carried by a voice that is entirely its own. This debut is ambitious and Askaripour’s daring pays off beautifully.”

— Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, author of Friday Black

"When Darren, our protagonist, is offered the opportunity of a lifetime, this unforgettable story sets off at light speed. Combining such humor, intelligence, heartbreak, and narrative skill in one book takes immense talent. Mateo Askaripour has accomplished this task with room to spare. BLACK BUCK is an important treatise on Black ambition; Mateo Askaripour is an important writer, a voice we need. We should all look forward to what he produces next."

— Gabriel Bump, author of Everywhere You Don't Belong