Hammond (Paperback)

#2 Amazon International Bestseller Recommended by Kirkus ReviewsA group of troubled but charismatic boys in a tough Buffalo, NY neighborhood play basketball at a local park and dream of winning a state high school championship. Driven by raw talent and killer instinct, they dominate the court, but everywhere else, they feel like losers.HAMMOND is told through the eyes of James Lombardi, a precocious but mentally ill boy who believes winning a championship will ease his "Evil Thoughts" and save his family, long haunted by generations of substance abuse, uncontrollable rage, and suicide.A dark but humorous coming-of-age novel, HAMMOND offers a poetic and disturbing look inside the complex mind of an adolescent boy as he slowly learns that having the heart of a champion can sometimes be more burden than blessing.*Warning: Contains heavy profanity, child abuse, graphic sex, drug and alcohol abuse, violence, and disturbing psychological content. This is a character-led literary novel, not a plot-led commercial novel.CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR HAMMOND: "Earnest, hardscrabble story of restless youth, mental illness, and the saving grace of sports-inspired camaraderie . . . Compelling."-Kirkus Reviews, Recommended Review Selection"...a revealing standout in the literature which grabs the reader's attention... reminiscent of the classic I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, with its powerful, introspective view."-Diane Donovan, California Bookwatch"This is the book that marks Jonathan LaPoma as my favorite underrated author . . . Hammond is truly a masterpiece of the coming-of-age genre."-Audrey L., Warped Shelves"Succeeds on many levels... Fans of Jim Carroll's The Basketball Diaries will find many similar themes in this book."-Mark Heisey, The US Review of Books"As raw and unfiltered as any coming-of-age book I have ever read . . . lingers in the mind long after finishing it."-Edwin Howard, NetGalleyTHE ALACRÁN SERIES UNIVERSE: Hammond is the explosive first installment in a loosely linked standalone novel series. Each novel features themes of alienation and transformation and can be read completely independently of the others. Explore the full universe: - Book 1: Hammond - Book 2: The Summer of Crud - Book 3: Understanding the Alacrán - Book 4: Developing Minds: An American Ghost Story - Book 5: The Soul City SalvationPermanently Preserved in National & Elite Research Libraries: The Library of Congress, University College London (UCL), and Zentralbibliothek Zürich (Switzerland).

Author:

Jonathan Lapoma

Publisher:

Almendro Arts

Publication Date:

Dec 18, 2018

Number of pages:

324 pages

Language:

English

Binding:

Paperback

ISBN-10:

0998840351

ISBN-13:

9780998840352