Runner Mack is the compelling story of young Henry Adams' road to self-discovery through his encounter and friendship with Runner Mack, a self-styled black militant. Rich with metaphor and symbolism, the novel portrays the "grand old game' of baseball as the symbol of America–for whites, a sanctuary where the American dream is a reality, for blacks, a nightmarish world filled with pain, chaos, and frustration. "In Runner Mack, Barry Beckham plays handball with the heart, a savagely controlled game…Beckham is already a most valuable player,"says John Leonard, The New York Times