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By Way of Canarsie: A Memoir
While growing up in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn, New York during the 1970's and 80's, Robert and his siblings had to endure their father's violent temper. Robert's brother Warren found solace in music, first joining Frank Zappa's band, then co-founding the group Missing Persons, and eventually becoming the lead guitarist for Duran Duran.
Following an encounter with a violent sociopath and witnessing a mob murder, Robert became a heavy drug user by the age of sixteen. By his twenties, with his cocaine use spiraling out of control, he got involved with associates of the Lucchese Crime Family and found himself the target of a corrupt police detective.
Desperately seeking to escape the neighborhood, Robert volunteered to serve in Operation Desert Storm, where he witnessed death and destruction on an unimaginable scale. Suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress, his drug woes continued as he experienced one life-changing event after another. Following a felony arrest and facing eight years in prison, Robert was forced to confront his demons.
Following an encounter with a violent sociopath and witnessing a mob murder, Robert became a heavy drug user by the age of sixteen. By his twenties, with his cocaine use spiraling out of control, he got involved with associates of the Lucchese Crime Family and found himself the target of a corrupt police detective.
Desperately seeking to escape the neighborhood, Robert volunteered to serve in Operation Desert Storm, where he witnessed death and destruction on an unimaginable scale. Suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress, his drug woes continued as he experienced one life-changing event after another. Following a felony arrest and facing eight years in prison, Robert was forced to confront his demons.
- GenresNonfiction
274 pages, Paperback
Published June 20, 2019
18 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 8, 2020
Highly recommend it! Loved the detailed stories about Rob's life journey. I grew up in Canarsie & always saw kids hanging out. Now I know what some of them were up to. This is a story of 2nd chances and turning your life around. It's never too late. Glad you took the high road Rob and decided to do good things with your life.
July 8, 2019
Great read. Anyone who grew up in Brooklyn in the 70's & 80's will truly enjoy this book. This book is pre-hipster Brooklyn. A must summer read!
February 2, 2022
I loved this book, it was very entertaining. He lived a crazy life!
June 23, 2023
Having spent a lot of time in Canarsie, this was a very interesting read. But besides that, it is an awesome story of perseverance and redemption with drugs, family issues and the military.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews