Blackouts (by Justin Torres)

This is a Tournament of Books entry that also qualifies for the RHC, which is a delightful little two-fer.  It won the National Book Award in 2023, and I can understand why.  I think this NPR review can give you a better sense of the book than I can.

I've been turning it over in my head a couple of days and I think I appreciated this book more intellectually than emotionally.  But its a hell of an intellectual achievement. The blackouts and historical ephemera themselves are fascinating, as are the endnotes about them from the point of view of the narrator. That lifted the whole work for me.  

I wasn't as compelled by the two main characters and wished there had been something more, a stronger emotional core, I guess? But this is the kind of book that's perfect for plenty of ToB discussion, and I'm already looking forward to it.