''Man Gone Down'' (2006) is the

debut novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to p ...

of U.S. author Michael Thomas. It won the 2009

International Dublin Literary Award The International Dublin Literary Award ( ga, Duais Liteartha Idirnáisiúnta Bhaile Átha Chliath), established as the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award in 1996, is presented each year for a novel written or translated into English. ...

, with Thomas receiving a prize of €100,000 (£85,000, US$140,000). ''Man Gone Down'' is also recommended by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

''.

Plot introduction

The novel is about an African-American man estranged from his white wife and their children, and who must come up with a sum of money within four days to have them returned. The plot focuses on an attempt to achieve the American Dream. Thomas describes ''Man Gone Down'' as having a "gallows humour".

References

2006 American novels African-American novels Novels set in Boston Novels set in New York City 2006 debut novels {{2000s-novel-stub