Sports and sports fandom are a window into the self in Justin Carter's second collection. Like its namesake football move, Laterals is a book where the idea of forward movement is possible, but always comes at a price. From dwelling on the fracturing of a familial past to the struggles-and joys-of parenthood, Carter uses sports as a way of understanding the world around him and of interrogating the self. From playing pickup basketball at dawn to sneaking onto the floor at a monster truck rally, Laterals is a collection where beauty and reflection can be found anywhere.
