- Paperback: 188 pages
- Publisher: All & None Press (NY); First edition (2 Jan 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0615135145
- ISBN-13: 978-0615135144
- Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 15.2 x 1 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,650,822 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
3:AM Magazine
Kalafatis' powerful debut strongly evokes the stark grittiness of the 1980s New York drug culture. The narrative alternates between the present day, as he prepares for the funeral of his younger brother (having died from a suspected overdose) and another life, ten years prior, of gun crime and street violence. The message that rings throughout with immovable force is Kalafatis' belief that it is the rich, with their elitist hierarchical systems, who are to blame for his brother's death.
The book works extremely well as a literary novel, rather than just functioning on the level of real-life drama. There are a number of artistic flourishes in Kalafatis' narrative; especially well-drawn are the various dream sequences, located in a surreal and symbol-driven otherworld. For the rest of the novel, Kalafatis is committed to his strong portrayal of New York, and in particular the subcultures embedded within the city.
By far the most striking feature of A Rebel Life, however, is the energy which fizzes and snaps at every turn. Kalafatis's language is violent and forceful, expressing an intense and visceral anger. The voice lying underneath this anger, however, is tender and filled with softened emotion, particularly discernible when evoking memories of his brother. There is absolutely no doubt that this is an authentic narrative voice, rough and rasping but also poetic and sophisticated.
Incendiary Magazine
I can imagine the author cocking a snook at my literary poncey-ness if I mention Cyril Tourner's Revenger's Tragedy, but A Rebel Life and the aforementioned play definitely share their respective narrator's feelings of self-loathing and desperate determination to solve the world's problems with a single crushing blow. It also, with its caustic journaling of a bum's life, reminds me very much of Bukowski (but I bet lots have made that connection).
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9 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
A Rebel Life
21 May 2007
Format:Paperback
Simply put, this book is incredible.
Peter Kalafatis has a great talent as a writer, and this is a gripping story that, once begun, can't be put down. The narrative is beautifully embellished with symbolism and is skillfully philosophical, while also maintaining a raw, guttural honesty. The story is powerful and deeply moving.
The narrator's voice speaks from the soul of a troubled and conflicted working-class society to offer hope of a future with better options; the speaker takes a stand on the issues our society has been shy to confront, and helps us come to terms with these issues while also offering a solution.
"Live as a true individual and change the world..."
While the story itself is absolutely unique, it describes a life we've all lived in one way or another, and expresses frustrations all of us as have had; the author shows a talent for articulating thoughts we have harbored but not yet become fully aware of, or worried we were alone in having. Perhaps this is why it brings such a sense of relief to hear them.
Peter Kalafatis unleashes in his book a rush of understanding into our society's deeply-felt frustration; when you read the book you will likely feel understood, as if you have found a friend, not only in the author but in a whole society of likewise frustrated people.
Kalafatis takes the confused mass that is our society's problems and creates from it a clear, straightforward, and poetic response.
I could scarcely imagine a book more worth reading.
Peter Kalafatis has a great talent as a writer, and this is a gripping story that, once begun, can't be put down. The narrative is beautifully embellished with symbolism and is skillfully philosophical, while also maintaining a raw, guttural honesty. The story is powerful and deeply moving.
The narrator's voice speaks from the soul of a troubled and conflicted working-class society to offer hope of a future with better options; the speaker takes a stand on the issues our society has been shy to confront, and helps us come to terms with these issues while also offering a solution.
"Live as a true individual and change the world..."
While the story itself is absolutely unique, it describes a life we've all lived in one way or another, and expresses frustrations all of us as have had; the author shows a talent for articulating thoughts we have harbored but not yet become fully aware of, or worried we were alone in having. Perhaps this is why it brings such a sense of relief to hear them.
Peter Kalafatis unleashes in his book a rush of understanding into our society's deeply-felt frustration; when you read the book you will likely feel understood, as if you have found a friend, not only in the author but in a whole society of likewise frustrated people.
Kalafatis takes the confused mass that is our society's problems and creates from it a clear, straightforward, and poetic response.
I could scarcely imagine a book more worth reading.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Two thumbs up and five stars, this was a book worth reading!!
9 Jun 2007
Format:Paperback
Once I picked this book up, I couldn't put it down! The book grips you from page one, and has a perfect flow that carries you smoothly to the end of the book before you know it, and leaves you wanting to read more. I hope that Peter Kalafatis doesn't end his career as a writer here, because he has talent! Definitely one of the hottest new writers to appear on the literary scene.
No dramatizing, hype or glamorization of the punk scene in the 80's. Peter paints a very realistic picture, and serves as a warning for kids who are about to jump into the abyss of an anarchist type lifestyle. It's not pretty, but it gives you a glimpse into a lifestyle that most will only see on television or in the movies. If you didn't give poverty and it's far reaching ramifications a thought before, after this book you will
have tons of things to ponder.
This is definitely a book I highly recommend to everyone from all walks of life. If you're growing up poor, this is a book you'll relate to, and if you're not, this is a book you should read to understand what others go through.
A Rebel Life would make the perfect book for High School English. It's a book that kids would be more interested in than the tired boring classics like The Old Man and the Sea, and it's a book that serves as a cautionary statement for kids who are about to embark on a life of drugs. If teachers introduced children to books like this early on, I think more of them would become readers AND make some of the troubled ones see that the seemingly innocuous decisions they make today could forever impact them. With drugs abuse on the rise, real life stories such as this one serve as a warning about what can happen to your life after drugs come into it.
No dramatizing, hype or glamorization of the punk scene in the 80's. Peter paints a very realistic picture, and serves as a warning for kids who are about to jump into the abyss of an anarchist type lifestyle. It's not pretty, but it gives you a glimpse into a lifestyle that most will only see on television or in the movies. If you didn't give poverty and it's far reaching ramifications a thought before, after this book you will
have tons of things to ponder.
This is definitely a book I highly recommend to everyone from all walks of life. If you're growing up poor, this is a book you'll relate to, and if you're not, this is a book you should read to understand what others go through.
A Rebel Life would make the perfect book for High School English. It's a book that kids would be more interested in than the tired boring classics like The Old Man and the Sea, and it's a book that serves as a cautionary statement for kids who are about to embark on a life of drugs. If teachers introduced children to books like this early on, I think more of them would become readers AND make some of the troubled ones see that the seemingly innocuous decisions they make today could forever impact them. With drugs abuse on the rise, real life stories such as this one serve as a warning about what can happen to your life after drugs come into it.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Outstanding book
7 Jun 2007
Format:Paperback
The author does an outstanding job of allowing the reader to feel as if he is part of the struggle that the main character goes through. As i got deeper into "A rebel life" it became harder and harder to even put this book down. This book stands alone in its pursuit at educating its readers on the great points made by the author, between the struggles felt by the poor and the basic structures of our society. This was an absolutly wonderful book and i recomend it to everyone.
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