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Slipping
Growing up in a Chicago ghetto, seventeen-year-old Donald “Don-Don” Haskill has nothing but time on his hands–time he rarely spends in school, choosing instead to smoke weed and hang out with friends. As a child, he witnessed his father’s suicide, and today Don-Don’s relationship with his mother, a worn-down cop trying to keep the family together is tenuous at best. Then Don-Don meets a girl with a taste for crack–and his delinquent life turns violently criminal.
Consumed with chasing his next hit, alienating even his best friends, Don-Don works the streets like a pro. In pursuit of the demon, no deal is too shady. But when a huge drug transaction goes terribly awry, a bloody chain of events is set off, as Don-Don becomes a moving target, not just for the Chicago police force but for the ghetto’s most hardened thugs. . . .
Consumed with chasing his next hit, alienating even his best friends, Don-Don works the streets like a pro. In pursuit of the demon, no deal is too shady. But when a huge drug transaction goes terribly awry, a bloody chain of events is set off, as Don-Don becomes a moving target, not just for the Chicago police force but for the ghetto’s most hardened thugs. . . .
288 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2005
5 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Y. Blak Moore
7 books7 followersY. Blak Moore is a poet, social worker, and former gang member who grew up in the Chicago housing projects.
He has three children and lives in Chicago.
He has three children and lives in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 23, 2012
This is my third book by Y. Blak Moore and to my knowledge those three books are his only books available to date. I gave Triple Take 5 stars and read that first, I gave The Apostles 3 stars and while I didn't love it like I loved the first, I remember being very into it. This, is going the same way. Moore can write. There's no denying it. It's obvious he's a smart man in some ways. But then his ignorance shines through.
(This isn't written "just" for the story either so if anyone wants to comment and say that it is, miss me.)
Pg. 3 - (the very first page, very first paragraph even, of the prologue) - "Nightfall may bring peace to the inhabitants of suburbia, but the darkness that covers the inner city serves to cloak its vampires, the living dead that feed on one another for sustenance."
I take issue with this. Using Moore's own examples of how people die in the ghetto: people meet "trigger-happy robbers" in the suburbs too Mr. Moore. People overdose and die in the suburbs also Mr. Moore. People are killed at the hands of a "spurned lover" in the suburbs Mr. Moore.
Now, I'm not up on the statistics as it is but I do think the author should have looked into this if his little mind wouldn't let him use that God-given common sense thing we all have tucked inside somewhere. I'm willing to bet that the statistical numbers aren't all that far off for any of those examples. But then that doesn't matter does it? The damage is done.
Pg. 11 - "The thought of their two kids allowed her to draw from the reserve strength that all Black mothers seem to have to continue on with her life"
I take even BIGGER issue with this. How DARE he even write that sentence. Am I supposed to believe more white mothers kill themselves? And what if they do? What does that mean exactly? That black mothers are "stronger"? FUCK YOU Mr. Moore. I'M a WHITE MOTHER and there is NO ONE on this earth stronger than ME. Especially not you and your pathetic little racist words.
I'm not going to let this affect my rating or review of this book but I can say this: Mr. Moore has lost a reader. And, he lost a paying reader because after reading three books that I liked or loved, from an author who can write like Moore, I'd have paid for his next book in a second. I wouldn't give him a squirt of piss now.
So, I'm still reading but I had to get that off of my mind. In ending, for now,you know how the whole world is wanting to do AWAY with racism? That won't work while there are individuals still keeping it alive. Think about it. And that goes for blacks, whites and everyone else inhabiting this world.
(This isn't written "just" for the story either so if anyone wants to comment and say that it is, miss me.)
Pg. 3 - (the very first page, very first paragraph even, of the prologue) - "Nightfall may bring peace to the inhabitants of suburbia, but the darkness that covers the inner city serves to cloak its vampires, the living dead that feed on one another for sustenance."
I take issue with this. Using Moore's own examples of how people die in the ghetto: people meet "trigger-happy robbers" in the suburbs too Mr. Moore. People overdose and die in the suburbs also Mr. Moore. People are killed at the hands of a "spurned lover" in the suburbs Mr. Moore.
Now, I'm not up on the statistics as it is but I do think the author should have looked into this if his little mind wouldn't let him use that God-given common sense thing we all have tucked inside somewhere. I'm willing to bet that the statistical numbers aren't all that far off for any of those examples. But then that doesn't matter does it? The damage is done.
Pg. 11 - "The thought of their two kids allowed her to draw from the reserve strength that all Black mothers seem to have to continue on with her life"
I take even BIGGER issue with this. How DARE he even write that sentence. Am I supposed to believe more white mothers kill themselves? And what if they do? What does that mean exactly? That black mothers are "stronger"? FUCK YOU Mr. Moore. I'M a WHITE MOTHER and there is NO ONE on this earth stronger than ME. Especially not you and your pathetic little racist words.
I'm not going to let this affect my rating or review of this book but I can say this: Mr. Moore has lost a reader. And, he lost a paying reader because after reading three books that I liked or loved, from an author who can write like Moore, I'd have paid for his next book in a second. I wouldn't give him a squirt of piss now.
So, I'm still reading but I had to get that off of my mind. In ending, for now,you know how the whole world is wanting to do AWAY with racism? That won't work while there are individuals still keeping it alive. Think about it. And that goes for blacks, whites and everyone else inhabiting this world.
December 11, 2011
This was an amazing book. So often, we read "hood" books about the drug game. It's always about how some lost soul became the biggest king pin or some gorgeous girl hooked up with a king pin. This book was much different. This showed how a young man began using hard drugs and his downward spiral and bad luck that followed because of it.
December 4, 2014
kind of trying to stay out of trouble
August 20, 2025
Really great book 1st time reading it was in highschool and I'm still reading it till this day
December 14, 2009
Y. Black Moore is a poet, social worker, and former gang member who grew up in the Chicago housing projects. He has three children and lives in Chicago. This is his first novel.
The author Y Black Moore, of Slipping tells an interesting story of a young 17 year old boy from the south side of Chicago. I really got into this story while reading. I like how the author made me feel as if I was there. I could really relate to this story because I live in Chicago and see stuff happen almost everyday.
Don-Don is the main character. His life is quite interesting. He ‘lives’ with his mother and sister. His life and experiences is what makes the title.
Instead of going to school Don-Don chooses to smoke weed with his friends. He doesn’t listen to his mother (a cop). He refuses to obey any of her rules, because she’s rarely home. But he listens more to his sister.
Life with his sister is somewhat better than his relationship with his mother. Rhonda a 19 year old takes care of Don-Don life her on son. She hates most of his friends and lets him know. She wants him to go to school but he refuses.
Don-Don and his friends are really good at one thing and that’s playing basketball. They would go to Harper Court every once and a while. They would sometimes get offered money to play against drug dealers and would win. That’s how they made their money.
Then one day he meets a girl. He thought she looked so good. But come to find out that she likes crack. That didn’t make Don-Don life any better.
The author Y Black Moore, of Slipping tells an interesting story of a young 17 year old boy from the south side of Chicago. I really got into this story while reading. I like how the author made me feel as if I was there. I could really relate to this story because I live in Chicago and see stuff happen almost everyday.
Don-Don is the main character. His life is quite interesting. He ‘lives’ with his mother and sister. His life and experiences is what makes the title.
Instead of going to school Don-Don chooses to smoke weed with his friends. He doesn’t listen to his mother (a cop). He refuses to obey any of her rules, because she’s rarely home. But he listens more to his sister.
Life with his sister is somewhat better than his relationship with his mother. Rhonda a 19 year old takes care of Don-Don life her on son. She hates most of his friends and lets him know. She wants him to go to school but he refuses.
Don-Don and his friends are really good at one thing and that’s playing basketball. They would go to Harper Court every once and a while. They would sometimes get offered money to play against drug dealers and would win. That’s how they made their money.
Then one day he meets a girl. He thought she looked so good. But come to find out that she likes crack. That didn’t make Don-Don life any better.
January 1, 2009
Quickest Downfall
At 17 Donald "Don-Don" Haskill was like most teen boys, he smoked weed, drank beer, avoided school and partied for weeks on end. Don-Don's hustle was to dictate how exactly his team was going to come up with some cash by either shooting ball or dice to keep there pockets laced.
It's just like a man to let his little man lead him into unmarked territory. Don-Don was in for a quick lay and got played, hooked, and snatched by Juanita; a crack addicted sister who had this young boy SLIPPING. It didn't take long for Don-Don to forsake his family, friends, and ego to take a puff of the demon.
The game is cold but fair. With crack and Juanita by his side Don-Don is up for the hustle to maintain his habit and his woman. As Don-Don comes up with some serious merchandise his plan gets twisted as he's being sought in the notorious streets of Chicago by thugs and the police.
Blak, is a talented writer who even turns a "Clucker" into someone that you can relate to. No joke you're reading and wondering exactly how many lives Don-Don has? Real gritty action packed tale that will keep you flipping dying to see what's going to happen next.
Reviewed by: Crystal
At 17 Donald "Don-Don" Haskill was like most teen boys, he smoked weed, drank beer, avoided school and partied for weeks on end. Don-Don's hustle was to dictate how exactly his team was going to come up with some cash by either shooting ball or dice to keep there pockets laced.
It's just like a man to let his little man lead him into unmarked territory. Don-Don was in for a quick lay and got played, hooked, and snatched by Juanita; a crack addicted sister who had this young boy SLIPPING. It didn't take long for Don-Don to forsake his family, friends, and ego to take a puff of the demon.
The game is cold but fair. With crack and Juanita by his side Don-Don is up for the hustle to maintain his habit and his woman. As Don-Don comes up with some serious merchandise his plan gets twisted as he's being sought in the notorious streets of Chicago by thugs and the police.
Blak, is a talented writer who even turns a "Clucker" into someone that you can relate to. No joke you're reading and wondering exactly how many lives Don-Don has? Real gritty action packed tale that will keep you flipping dying to see what's going to happen next.
Reviewed by: Crystal
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December 4, 2008I love this book. This teaches people how hard life can be for any person. Never say never.
March 2, 2013
this book was official. shorty was out there wilding, fucking with them premos. anybody thinking about using crack should read this book and see what happens to crack heads!
December 19, 2015
This Book I can definitely relate to...it was very sad.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews