Black Hand Side: Stories (PB) (2019)

In his second major story collection, Ran Walker takes on issues of race, cultural appropriation, politics, family, relationships, and the value of Black lives.

In the title story, two young men go to participate in a handshake competition but find themselves up against an obstacle they did not anticipate. In "The Impersonator" a comedian finds a job that ultimately contributes to the legacy of another person. In "The Box" a college student home for vacation investigates whether his elderly Caucasian neighbor is holding the soul of a lynched Black man in a box. In "My Best Friend is Black" a recent college grad accepts a job as a friend to the 1 percenters. In the thirteen stories in this collection, Walker uses satire, humor, and horror to weave a tapestry of timely themes that are sure to resonate with readers.