Weepers by Nick Chiarkas

Gritty, captivating and throat grabbing might describe this book.  Chiarkas shows the time period, in which I grew up, as a place as far removed from a small steel town upbringing as imaginable.  The two bridges area of NYC might as well have been on another planet.   The story is a tale of family ties, organized crime and self defense gangs. 

Angelo is the main protagonist in this story.   His story is a coming of age in an environment that was distinctly hostile.   A volatile yet loved father and truly mean streets develop Angelo's character.

The strength of family ties and their willingness to do anything to protect the family members is possibly the most memorable aspect of the book.   The development of a group of boys who band together for positive reasons belies the typical descriptions of street gangs. 

The sociological aspects of the intense population pressure creating aberrant behavior smacks of my course work for my Masters.  The strength of the crime boss in that time slot was even seen in the little town in which I grew up.  Connections, favors and muscle created a social structure that provided a modicum of stability in places where population density practically prohibited official stability.

There is much to think about in this book but in addition is a captivating and entertaining story.

I highly recommend.

Site:   http://nickchiarkas.com/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.