by Thom Jones
First published 2000
Ad Magic punches his way through another fight, but the real battles happen outside the ring. The former Marine turned boxer carries scars that run deeper than any opponent can inflict. Between training sessions and late-night walks through Seattle, he wrestles with memories that refuse to stay buried. His trainer pushes him toward another shot at glory while his body screams for mercy. The women in his life see through his tough exterior to the damaged man beneath. Each story in this collection follows Ad Magic and other characters as they navigate the brutal realities of working-class America. Jones writes about people who fight not for fame or fortune, but for survival and dignity. These characters face addiction, violence, and loss with a mixture of dark humor and stubborn resilience. The stories reveal how ordinary people cope when life delivers blow after devastating blow.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, action
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: damaged-hero, found-family, redemption
Setting: Seattle
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
Hardcover · Little Brown and Company
Content warnings: addiction, violence