Probing racial tensions, illusions of success, and self-discovery, Recognition features an eclectic cast of Black American and Afro-Latine characters. With lyrical language and sharp observations, these stories closely examine and incisively skewer American culture, building a complex and resonant network of connections, longings, and missed opportunities.
A St. Louis woman tries to reconcile a fragmented identity by hunting down her brother’s murderer. A young wrestler in Arizona faces his fiercest competitor yet. A project manager at a marketing firm meets a male recruit who looks just like her. A sensitive young woman in Florida is locked in a psychiatric ward isolation room. A Puerto Rican woman risks everything to come to the United States.
Jennifer Maritza McCauley writes across genres and genders with a poetic style that jumps off the page and characters who feel as though they could walk into the room as you read. This powerful collection of stories, with heartache and joy both hidden and exposed, is filled with nuance and rewards.