Broken Places

Martin’s intense and profound novel is about battles that are waged with society, authority, the self, and others. Three young African-American men are assigned to share a dorm room as college freshmen at Pittsburgh City University, but their differences are daunting. Shawn Collins, oversexed and egotistic, is a rising basketball star showered with elaborate recruiting gifts (including a BMW). Robert Robinson, at school on an academic scholarship, is gay, but he’s repressed by guilt and his religious faith, and he’s always braced for harassment. Jamal Lewis also won an academic scholarship; he maturely and wisely tries to serve as a bridge between his two roommates, befriending Robert and tutoring Shawn. Their lives are changed by the semester they spend together, with Shawn’s coach and ex-girlfriend manipulating him, Robert’s longings causing him fear and confusion, and Jamal’s ethics pushing him toward a dangerous, climactic confrontation. The truths here are poignant, and the realities of racism, homophobia, and the exploitation of young athletes are scrutinized by an insightful author who leaves readers with the hopeful message that “You become strongest in your broken places.” [em](BookLife) [/em]