This was a unique read for me. It's been described as epic, and it is very much an epic tale of youth in black Harlem. The earliest years of the author in this autobiography I found quite reminiscent of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Twain intended humor; I wasn't sure whether or not the author did, but the candid, direct commentary on life was very refreshing, despite some unsavory situations. The author continues his journey well into early adulthood, showing amazing insight and candor into general life changes as a youth, life as a black person in Big City America, and most especially as his own individual self making choices about if, when, and how to fit in with a group or strike out on his own. Even though this was set mostly around the 1950s and has some dated phrases, it's stunning how much it applies to present day intercity life. It makes the reader want to rethink very presumption that he or she may have made about black youth in our urban communities.