Rack 'Em

By Shyrone Cyph Smith

They left South Carolina with empty pockets, big dreams, and a promise that one day they would build a better life.

In the late 1950s, lifelong friends Gussy and Michael arrive in Jersey City determined to escape the hardships they left behind. While Michael pursues an honest future through education and hard work, Gussy discovers an extraordinary gift around a pool table. What begins as a way to earn a few dollars soon transforms him into "Rack 'Em," a name whispered with admiration in smoke-filled pool halls across the city.

As his reputation grows, so do the stakes. Torn between a respectable career, the love of Betty Gene, and the dangerous world that made him a legend, Gussy must decide whether success is measured by the money he wins-or the family he stands to lose.

Spanning the changing streets of the 1950s and 1960s, Rack 'Em is a sweeping historical novel about friendship, loyalty, first love, sacrifice, and the price of chasing the American Dream. Some legends are remembered for how they played the game. Others are remembered for what it cost them to survive it.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0HDKN49DK
• ISBN13: 9798190127706
• Release Date: August 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 188 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"