Leave Wiser Than You Came

Through stories exploring love affairs, father-son relationships, homophobia, racism, and identity, Leave Wiser Than You Came asks readers to consider why and how the educational system serves as a boon to some Black men but a barrier to others. A six-year-old boy struggles with an obsessive urge to write. A battle of wills ensues between an overweight professor and a male student who may be exploiting the professor's daughter. A Black couple is stalked by an unknown predator. A writing center professional is ensnared in campus and cultural debates surrounding gender. Two high school cheerleaders from opposing teams tentatively discover first love. Jarrett Neal has a gift for crafting uniquely nuanced situations and raising uncomfortable truths-for his characters and for his readers. Both deeply personal and universally insightful, these stories herald the arrival of an exciting new voice in contemporary Black fiction.