Dances With the Diirt (Dances With the Dirt Book 1)

Dancing with the Dirt is a coming-of-age story about talent, love, class, and the quiet forces that shape who we become.Framed as an intimate interview, the novel traces the life of Jervin Class, a gifted shortstop from New York’s Lower East Side whose journey begins with stickball in alleyways and leads him into elite schools, competitive baseball, and worlds that were never designed to welcome him. What unfolds is not a tale of overnight success, but of patience, mentorship, discipline, and the subtle education that happens far beyond the field.Through vivid scenes of neighborhood life, first love, loss, and ambition, Jervin learns that baseball is not just a game but a language, one taught by unlikely teachers: a devoted coach, a Dominican craftsman of footwork and rhythm, loyal friends, and a young woman from a world of privilege who challenges both his dreams and his sense of belonging. As Jervin navigates class divides, racial tension, grief, and desire, he discovers that greatness is less about spotlight moments and more about consistency, restraint, and knowing when to stand your ground.Rich with detail and emotional honesty, Dancing with the Dirt captures the music of New York streets in the 1970s, the intimacy of mentorship, and the cost of crossing invisible lines between worlds. It is a story about becoming, about learning how to move with purpose, and about finding grace in the spaces between triumph and loss.At its heart, this novel asks a simple but enduring question:How do you stay true to where you come from while stepping into who you are meant to be?Dance With the Dirt: Under the Lights is the follow up for Dances with the Dirt. Jervin's journey doesn't end here. Read more