“A fantastic read! This fictional story gives insight into what some young student-athletes dealt with on a regular basis growing up on the South Side of Chicago.”
Description
Imagine the mid 1980's, last day of school, summer break. A teen rushes to meet his mother, who is being released from the hospital after cancer surgery. When the teen arrives, he finds out his mother is dead, but his ex-gangbanging dad, who's been in jail the last eight years is at the hospital ready to take the teen home.
Mendel is a coming-of-age story about a high school senior who must learn how to forgive as he navigates life without his mother. Things come to a head when the teen accidentally finds his mom's diary. In the journal, he discovers his mother's dreams of becoming a collegiate track star were derailed due to getting pregnant with him. To honor his mother, he joins Mendel's track team, but before he could cash in on any scholarship offers, his father's thuggish past catches up with them when a gun-toting nemesis comes seeking revenge. The teen must decide between saving his own life or sacrificing it all to save his estranged father.
Reviews
“‘Love is sacrificial.' The central theme of this book resonates with me most. I saw firsthand the sacrifices made for me being raised by a single mother. This story depicts perfectly how one's high school experience can shape one's future.”
“Mendel is a gritty urban story with heart.”
