A Trojan Called Viking

In this candid memoir, Cornel Boyd discusses his life and his love of football. Boyd also explores the challenges of growing up in the seventies with his family and friends, at a time when racism was rampant in many parts of the country, excluding Washington, DC, where he spent part of his time. Football was a positive and significant facet of Boyd's life from an early age. He went from playing football on playgrounds to playing very well in high school; his life centered on the sport, which was so important to his football-loving school and town. Boyd touches upon the more painful aspects of his early life as well; he endured sexual abuse while young, the devastation this caused in his life took a great deal of time to overcome. In school, he wondered whether anyone else was experiencing the shame and humiliation that was part of his everyday life. Spending time in Washington, DC, brought a welcome relief from the abuse, as did playing football and hanging out with his friends. Affecting and inspiring, A Trojan Called Viking provides an honest look at a life full of challenges and successes set against a backdrop of football and friendship.