You see, a great man is an inconvenience as a father, in part because every boy wants to be a man (until it happens), his own man, and that is hard enough to do without everybody calling you the son of somebody.”
-- Casey Gerald (chapter 1 paragraph 2)

Importance: This quote delineates one of the major internal conflicts of the author’s early childhood: his sense of inadequacy in comparison to his father, a former football legend.

Most cities have railroad tracks to separate poor colored people from other citizens. In Dallas, there’s a whole goddamn river between us.
-- Casey Gerald (chapter 2 paragraph 1)

Importance: This quote indicates the socioeconomic circumstances in which the author grew up and also indicts the geographical racism of most American cities.

My best bet is that heroin must be pretty incredible, must lead to enough ecstasy to make a man’s veins and future seem a small price to pay.
-- Casey Gerald (chapter 3 paragraph 1)

Importance: This quote represents the author’s...