Byron

Byron asked Jeff Hobbs:

Jeff, I hope you received my question. I'm very interested in your answer regarding the nigger/brother analysis shared by Rob to you at Yale and how it speaks to young African Americans today. Thanks. Byron ?

Jeff Hobbs Dear Byron -- I am so sorry for the incredible delay in responding. I am a luddite and didn't realize over all these months that these questions don't appear on my phone which is what I have been using to check goodreads. My deep apologies. As to your question, I really can't speak for Rob and his hypothetical judgments on others. I do think he understood, in a way that particularly most other college classmates did not, that these words, even the highly charged words, don't have much to do with the individual. If he saw kids on a bus, I'd guess that he'd want to know their individual stories. I think he understood that we all don't experience each moment the same way. And that understanding is incredibly important, particularly for white people. Sorry if that's a frustrating answer to your question. Best, Jeff

More Answered Questions

Rachael

Rachael asked Jeff Hobbs:

Hi Jeff, thank you for this beautiful book about your friend Robert Peace - his story was as sad as it was gripping and you told it with grace. I felt a certain hopelessness throughout it though ... It is incredibly hard to escape your past, your beginnings, no matter ones intelligence and determination. Take care, Rachael ?

Vicki

Vicki asked Jeff Hobbs:

I have a few questions but they won’t fit here so will ask each separately. My first is about Skeet Douglas. I tried to find info but only found his post conviction ruling. Do you believe he was guilty. Things were way too sketchy to me. The survivor’s story and waiting, etc. As we all know, most cops are good but being set up happens and it seems things were too convenient for someone that seemed very intelligent?

Ami

Ami asked Jeff Hobbs:

Something that dances around the edges of your book is the challenge of finding a secure job, as hard for the Yale graduates as for Robert's friends from Newark. Do you think coming of age this era--recession, lack of jobs--contributed an additional heavy burden for Robert? Or does the story feel timeless?

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