The Slip Audiobook By Lucas Schaefer cover art

The Slip

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The Slip

By: Lucas Schaefer
Narrated by: Shaun Taylor-Corbett, Renata Friedman
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NATIONAL BESTSELLER | WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZE | NBCC JOHN LEONARD PRIZE FINALIST

One of The New York Times Book Review's 100 Notable Books of 2025

One of The Washington Post's 10 Best Books of 2025

For readers of Jonathan Franzen and Nathan Hill comes a haymaker of an American novel about a missing teenage boy, cases of fluid and mistaken identity, and the transformative power of boxing.

Austin, Texas: It’s the summer of 1998, and there’s a new face on the scene at Terry Tucker’s Boxing Gym. Sixteen-year-old Nathaniel Rothstein has never felt comfortable in his own skin, but under the tutelage of a swaggering, Haitian-born ex-fighter named David Dalice, he begins to come into his own. Even the boy’s slightly stoned uncle, Bob Alexander, who is supposed to be watching him for the summer, notices the change. Nathaniel is happier, more confident—tanner, even. Then one night he vanishes, leaving little trace behind.

Across the city, Charles Rex, now going simply by “X,” has been undergoing a teenage transformation of his own, trolling the phone sex hotline that his mother works, seeking an outlet for everything that feels wrong about his body, looking for intimacy and acceptance in a culture that denies him both. As a surprising and unlikely romance blooms, X feels, for a moment, like he might have found the safety he’s been searching for. But it's never that simple.

More than a decade later, Nathaniel’s uncle Bob receives a shocking tip, propelling him to open his own investigation into his nephew’s disappearance. The resulting search involves gymgoers past and present, including a down-on-his-luck twin and his opportunistic brother; a rookie cop determined to prove herself; and Alexis Cepeda, a promising lightweight, who crossed the US-Mexico border when he was only fourteen, carrying with him a license bearing the wrong name and face.

Bobbing and weaving across the ever-shifting canvas of a changing country, The Slip is an audacious, daring look at sex and race in America that builds to an unforgettable collision in the center of the ring. Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Sports Combat Sports
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Critic reviews

"Narrators Shaun Taylor–Corbett and Renata Friedman bring to life this epic novel spanning the period from 1998 to 2014, when teen Nathanial Rothstein goes missing in Austin, Texas. They voice a wide cast of misfits whose lives intersect during the pivotal summer of 1998. At 16, Rothstein is miserable, yet through a phone-sex hotline, workouts at a boxing gym, and access to medication at a nursing home, his worldview expands in unexpected ways, particularly around race and gender. Taylor–Corbett and Friedman deliver a range of accents that lend authenticity to the extensive list of characters they portray. Their vocal talents capture humor, sadness, and tension with nuance and sincerity. Overall, their performances help sustain listener engagement throughout this sweeping story."
Complex Characters • Interweaving Storylines • Masterful Storytelling • Clever Plot • Imaginative Story

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The Slip is a truly outstanding novel. Schaefer is an author to pay attention to.

Outstanding

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Worth the listen. Little bit of Power of One meets Lonesome Dove. Def worth the read!

Layered and complex characters

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An incredible story told through multiple perspectives of well crafted characters. As the story comes into focus, you won’t be able to put this book down. The author (Lucas Schaefer) does a masterful job of storytelling from both past and future events through a rich and vivid prose. I’d highly recommend reading!

Compelling Story of Remarkable Characters

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a wonderfully imaginative story that is both whimsical and gritty at the same time. Brilliantly written. Excellently narrated. and in the end a great tale about the deeper meanings of identity. Self. And our place in the world. I say thank you to the author for a wonderful tale and to audible for a wonderful experience.

amazing story. Even more amazing Narration

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Loved how the story moved along and wove so many colorful tales and theocracy backgrounds together. Exceptionally vivid, so well written!

Excellent portrayal of boxing gym life in Texas, Haiti

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