LIVE TO SEE THE DAY Coming of Age in American Poverty

Christopher Costa calmly and articulately narrates the daily struggles in the coming-of-age stories of three Puerto Rican boys--Ryan, Giancarlos, and Emmanuel--who live in Kensington, Philadelphia, a poverty-stricken neighborhood dominated by the drug trade. Each boy has different challenges that create barriers to his goal of earning a high school diploma. The author details their experiences of the daily hustle, which often includes two steps forward and three steps back as the listener holds their breath. Along with their personal stories, Costa reports from a systemic perspective the realities of trying to escape the hurdles of intergenerational poverty: domestic violence; incarceration; addiction; and sexual, physical, and mental abuse. L.J.C.A. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2024]