"Philbet Lawson is born in 1960s rural Georgia with two inescapable strikes against him: he's gay and physically misshapen, both of which inform his every thought, unless he's thinking about cars, his obsession. His world is populated by an ineffectual father; a devoted though fearful mother; a rowdy but popular older brother; his best friend, a Black boy who also understands the sting of being an outsider; boorish uncles who belittle Philbet for sport; a Grandaddy who is an oasis of wisdom and unconditional love; and Knox, the older boy Philbet idolizes to distraction. Over time, Philbet finds refuge in unexpected places and in unexpected ways"--