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The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace

A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League

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The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace

By: Jeff Hobbs
Narrated by: George Newbern
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About this listen

 *Now a major motion picture—Rob Peace—starring Jay Will, Mary J. Blige, and Chiwetel Ejiofor*

*Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, Entertainment Weekly, and more* The New York Times bestselling account of a young African-American man who escaped Newark, NJ, to attend Yale, but still faced the dangers of the streets when he returned is, “nuanced and shattering” (People) and “mesmeric” (The New York Times Book Review).

When author Jeff Hobbs arrived at Yale University, he became fast friends with the man who would be his college roommate for four years, Robert Peace. Robert’s life was rough from the beginning in the crime-ridden streets of Newark in the 1980s, with his father in jail and his mother earning less than $15,000 a year. But Robert was a brilliant student, and it was supposed to get easier when he was accepted to Yale, where he studied molecular biochemistry and biophysics. But it didn’t get easier. Robert carried with him the difficult dual nature of his existence, trying to fit in at Yale, and at home on breaks.

A compelling and honest portrait of Robert’s relationships—with his struggling mother, with his incarcerated father, with his teachers and friends—The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace encompasses the most enduring conflicts in America: race, class, drugs, community, imprisonment, education, family, friendship, and love. It’s about the collision of two fiercely insular worlds—the ivy-covered campus of Yale University and the slums of Newark, New Jersey, and the difficulty of going from one to the other and then back again. It’s about trying to live a decent life in America. But most all this “fresh, compelling” (The Washington Post) story is about the tragic life of one singular brilliant young man. His end, a violent one, is heartbreaking and powerful and “a haunting American tragedy for our times” (Entertainment Weekly). African American Studies Americas Cultural & Regional Education Higher & Continuing Education Social Classes & Economic Disparity Social Sciences Sociology Specific Demographics United States Heartfelt Biography
All stars
Most relevant
I would recommend this book. It was well written and structure. It was obvious a lot of detailed and empathetic research went into the many individual detailed accounts. The story was intriguing but I felt the author's bias caused a failure to adequately highlight the fact that a lot of Rob's problems were self-inflicted. I did appreciate the well depicted contrast of the two worlds Rob found himself in as well as the constant tragedy Rob faced everyday switching between the two worlds, never able to fully commit to either his past with family, friends and familiarity or his new world of potential. Overall a solid book I enjoyed listening to, thank you.

Solid book

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