Flipping Boxcars

Babe is a charismatic and widely loved man, a gambler with a gift for gab that often gets him our of tricky situations. He's also a dreamer, something he shares with his patient and loving wife, Rosie. Babe and Rosie both yearn for financial stability, and after struggling and saving for years, the land they now own is their insurance for future generations and the culmination of their dream. On that land, the family will no longer be confined to a tiny alley house off Main Street; they'll have a dream home and a business, Black owned and all Babe's, to serve their community.

But when Babe and a few comrades enlist in a scheme that improbably falls apart, he endangers the little security his family has. On the verge of losing everything, Babe does what he does best—he risks it all for one last big score, and this time the plan involves railroad boxcars. With the threat of the Chicago mob getting wise to his make-or-break scheme and his relationship with Rosie hanging in the balance, what will become of this family man?

Flipping Boxcars is not only a raucous ride, but a valentine to the close-knit Black families and tightly woven communities that struggled to get by during the Depressions and World War II. This dazzling, fast-paced debut novel pays homage to Cedric's beloved grandfather and a past generation, is anchored by rich, multidimensional characters, and oozes with irresistible charm. Cedric The Entertainer pulls readers in and doesn't let them go.