A Sicilian-American teen, first recovering from the shock of moving from Brooklyn to New Jersey, struggles to find his identity in his recently racially integrated high school in Roselle, NJ, setting him off on a lifelong search for meaning, and where he fits in to all of it.

Memoir,Comedy,Horror,Action

After the late 60s race riots in Brooklyn, his Sicilian family moves the brood to Roselle, NJ, which, although only about 20 miles away might just as well be another civilization. Then a new shock occurs a few years later as he attends the newly racially integrated high school.

Fed up with his family and the limited spectrum of Roselle in general, he plans to run away to Miami with Esperanza. However, the sadistic dealer Hector intercepts them, beating Joey up. As his father drives the bloody Joey to the hospital - their relationship begins healing.

Roselle, New Jersey

Yes

Quest

Coming of Age,Philosophical Questions,Meaningful Message

Language/Profanity,Extreme Violence

Name: Joey Montaperto

Age: Around 13 when the book opens - turning 16 at the end

Gender: Male

Role: Protagonist

Key Traits: Adventurous,Aggressive,Engaging,Empathetic,Funny,Insecure,Naive,Underdog,Outspoken,Clumsy

Name: Na-Na Johnson

Age: 18

Gender: Male

Role: Tempter

Key Traits: Badass,Aggressive,Crazy,Criminal,Complex,Masculine,Lone Wolf,Blunt,Leader,Villainous,Uneducated

Name: Esperanza

Age: 20

Gender: Female

Role: tempter

Key Traits: Badass,Charming,Desperate,Engaging,Manipulative,Seductive,Sexy,Crazy,Heartthrob

Name: Skinny

Age: 14-15

Gender: Male

Role: sidekick

Key Traits: Adventurous,Charming,Gracious,Underdog,Skillful,Funny,Faithful,Engaging

1969. Brooklyn smolders in the volatile aftermath of the recent race riots. The family of young Joey Montaperto flees their beloved Italian neighborhood for a New Jersey suburb so painfully white that it makes the TV show, My Three Sons, seem exotic. Ironically, when the high school there is then later forcefully integrated, the sensitive Joey is confronted with an even more brutal racial conflict. Unexpectedly rescued from a hallway ambush by a murderous yet artistic loner, though, he is subsequently introduced to a fascinating new world of black culture. Joey finds his soul, and ‘soul’, in the writings of Malcolm X, a doomed first love with a sizzling, but heroin plagued, Puerto Rican hairdresser, and, ultimately, a spiritual journey into the study of Islam. This causes a major conflict within his Italian Catholic family, and the Mafia restaurant where he is employed as a dishwasher. in the writings of Malcolm X, a doomed first love with a sizzling, but heroin plagued, Puerto Rican hairdresser, and, ultimately, a spiritual journey into the study of Islam. This causes a major conflict within his Italian Catholic family, and the Mafia restaurant where he is employed as a dishwasher. I believe it is still relevant today and is written like a movie.

Joe Montaperto, a native of Brooklyn and Roselle, NJ, studied acting and improv in New York, graduating to stage and screen work before embarking on the comedy circuit in the edgy, crack-riddled New York City of the 1980’s, with the likes of Jon Stewart, John Leguizamo, and Dave Attell. He later took his training to his one-man show, Four Degrees of Disconnection, performing in and around theaters in the city between 1999 – 200. Finally flaming out, he headed to the Ecuadorian Amazon jungle for some serious soul searching. An avid traveler and spiritual seeker, Joe also prides himself on having lived in some of the worst places in the world, and still thoroughly enjoys making prank phone calls. Nobody Gets Out Of Catering Alive - is the last book in the trilogy, followed by - Lovely Chaos – the sequel to his first memoir - The Edge of Whiteness.

Age: 35-54,55+

Target Gender: Male Leaning

Information not completed

Status: Yes: self-published

Publisher: Amazon

Year Published: 2013

Yes

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