#1 Amazon Best Seller | FAPA President's Awards Silver Medal Winner Trying to escape the oppression leading him to drinking, drugs, and despair, 22-year-old William James rejects a teaching position offer at a prestigious Buffalo high school and moves to Mexico to find freedom in its beaches, mountains, and culture. But soon, this freedom becomes oppressive as well as William finds himself unable to avoid the pull of the wild party scene in the small town of Lila where he lives. He continues a downward spiral until he meets a complex and compassionate Mexican woman whose love inspires him to face the question he's been avoiding: Is this trip a desperate search for life or a slow death? A dark but humorous coming-of-age novel, Understanding the Alacrán explores many of the questions that haunt young people searching for love and their place in this world, and offers a poetic look at the raw beauty and healing power of Mexico. CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR UNDERSTANDING THE ALACRÁN: "The descriptions of Mexican locales are as vibrant, colorful, and illuminating as the novel's unique characters. The author can write about serious things with humor, and Will's tale shows an understanding of Mexico that goes beyond the ordinary."-Kirkus Reviews "I loved Understanding the Alacran. Loved. It. . . beautifully written, funny, moving and all-round wonderful coming of age story. . . My very highest recommendation."-Chris Fischer, Readers' Favorite "An appealing, engrossing story that moves beyond the traditional coming of age approach. . . its undercurrent of social understanding and issues mixed with psychological examination makes it an especially relevant, timely read."-Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review "Unique and accessible . . . brilliant story that explores the evil of drugs, a man's struggle for freedom, and redemption through love . . . the finish is awesome."-Divine Zape, Readers' Favorite "I enjoyed the protagonist's journey, the passage from despair to hope, and above all, the search for inner freedom. Readers will also love the compelling characters and the way the author captures Mexican culture. . . a wonderful coming-of-age story."-Arya Fomonyuy, Readers' Favorite "The writing is engaging, with the right flow and a dose of dark humor to make it an enjoyable read that I would recommend."-Kbooklover THE ALACRÁN SERIES UNIVERSE: Understanding the Alacrán is the third book in a loosely linked standalone novel series. Each novel features themes of alienation and transformation and can be read completely independently of the others. Explore the full universe: ¿ Book 1: Hammond¿ Book 2: The Summer of Crud¿ Book 3: Understanding the Alacrán¿ Book 4: Developing Minds: An American Ghost Story¿ Book 5: The Soul City Salvation Permanently Preserved in National & Elite Research Libraries: The Library of Congress, University College London (UCL), and Zentralbibliothek Zürich (Switzerland).