American Gospel
American Gospel
A low-income Baltimore neighborhood is targeted for a controversial urban renewal project—an amusement park in the theme of Baltimore itself—that forces its residents to reckon with racism, displacement, and their futures. Peter Cryer is a queer teenager who fantasizes about leaving Baltimore and the instability of his home life while also seeking a place to belong. Ruth Anne, his prickly mother, is terrorized by her estranged husband and the indecision of what to do after the wrecking ball comes through her neighborhood. Thomas, a cleric and History teacher at Peter's school, questions his vocation in the face of the neighborhood's destruction. These three voices braid together a portrait of a neighborhood in flux, the role of community and violence in our time, and the struggles of a very real and oft misunderstood city.
"Miah Jeffra’s American Gospel is a cautionary tale, an unflinching portrayal of greed overcoming common sense. The story is an old one, but Jeffra’s excellent writing and impeccable choices show off its evergreen relevance. I can’t think of a better book to begin your summer reading season."—Out in Print
"Jeffra’s American Gospel addresses issues of critical race theory, faith, gender and sexuality, extinction versus gentrification versus progress, in a manner so complex yet so well-defined that it could be taught in classrooms."—Blue Mesa Review
"American Gospel is infused with the possibility of repair for both people and places, a secular hymn to coming undone but never giving up."—The Common
"Buoyed by Jeffra’s gritty and lyrical prose, American Gospel looks America in the eyes and finds it wanting, the American Dream available only to the wealthy and corrupt, short-shifting ordinary folks who just want their slice of apple pie."—Lambda Literary Review