Helpful Score: 7
A story of growing up in the Irish ghetto of South Boston. A fascinating but disturbing picture of mostly fatherless families in a culture of crime and drugs where everybody thinks they live in the best place in the world.
Helpful Score: 7
Incredible. It was less like he was recounting his family's history and more like he was looking under the rocks of his past. The family history is somehow both tragic and triumphant. Despite all of the perils in place, they manage to love each other desperately. They still can laugh and hug and hope. Well worth the read. I highly recommend it.
Helpful Score: 5
This is was a pretty inspiring story, but kind if typical. Young kid that grows up in a rough neighborhood and still manages to make good as an adult. Not that I am taking away from what he has accomplished, it is nothing short of amazing after what he has been through in life.
My parents in law both grew up in Southie at the same time as the author, I asked them about some of the things in the book and although they remember some of the things (busing riots and Whitey's presence) they felt as though some of the stories were a bit exaggerated, although they admit they did not grow up in the projects as the author did.
All in all a pretty good read, I have always grown up knowing there is a lot of history right in my own backyard, but didn't realize so much of it was this recent.
My parents in law both grew up in Southie at the same time as the author, I asked them about some of the things in the book and although they remember some of the things (busing riots and Whitey's presence) they felt as though some of the stories were a bit exaggerated, although they admit they did not grow up in the projects as the author did.
All in all a pretty good read, I have always grown up knowing there is a lot of history right in my own backyard, but didn't realize so much of it was this recent.
Helpful Score: 5
A wonderful memior about the dark side of a neighborhood many Boston Irish love.
Helpful Score: 5
Absolutely devastating account of growing up in one of the worst projects in America.
