Only the Strong: An American Novel

Only the Strong by Jabari Asim is a heartfelt, polyphonic ode to 1970s black America.

This captivating novel returns readers to Gateway City, a fictional Midwestern city first explored in Asim's acclaimed short story collection, Taste of Honey.

Against a backdrop of rapid social and political change, Only the Strong portrays the challenges and rewards of love in a quintessential American community where heartbreak and violence are seldom far away.

With prose that's sharp, humorous, and poetic, Asim skillfully renders a compelling portrait of urban life in the wake of the last major civil-rights bill.

The characters have front-row seats to massive change in America, and their stories are sure to captivate readers.

Don't miss out on this thoroughly entertaining and stylish novel that deserves favorable comparison to the works of Chester Himes and Walter Mosley.