Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn on mid-twentieth century urban steroids, meet Danny Manzi who will win your heart and challenge your perceptions of life, love and hate. A boy with a philosopher's heart, a sage's sensibilities and an intellect to match, Danny's outlook on the world is forged in a sterile relationship with his mother, a healthy fear of his father, cautious interaction with his older brothers and care for his younger sisters. Seduced and abused by an alcoholic widow, Danny grows up very quickly. But when teenage novitiate, Sister Claire enters his life the question becomes who is predator and who is prey. At times funny and sad, The Eight-Block Rule is a bittersweet coming-of-age tale unlike any other. First in a trilogy, some critics have labeled the story "unnerving" and "disturbing", but by any measure it will leave you drained of emotion and glad that you were.
About the Author: Born into a family of six, the youngest son of Michael and Ellen Fusco, Peter Joseph Fusco, Sr. kicked against the goads throughout his life. Educated in Catholic grammar and high schools, he held the record in both for suspensions. Rebellious to the point of disdaining virtually all authority, he stood in direct contrast to his contemporaries leading to a reputation of being a contrarian on social and political matters. He fought against the protests of the Vietnam War labeling the protesters "hypocrites who were really rallying for sex and drugs not against the war." As the youngest candidate for the New York State Senate in decades, he was booed off the stage during his 1976 campaign for opposing abortion though he was a Democrat at the time. A rather reclusive eccentric, Peter Fusco has been a teacher, broadcast and print journalist, radio talk-show host, political adviser, investment banker, waste industry consultant, restaurateur and entrepreneur, all fields requiring extensive social engagement. He explains the dichotomy as "Necessary to feed my writing addiction." His growing body of work reveals a broad range of interests. From novels to how-to guides and even a cookbook, the eclectic mix resonates as the spirit of a man never quite satisfied to be in one place at any one time intellectually and spiritually. Other Works By Peter J. Fusco: Quelle, Frankie Tomatoes Goes To Confession, A Father's Guide To Raising Conservative Gentlemen (And Saving America At The Same Time), Running: How To Design And Execute A Winning Political Campaign, My Father's Book Of Southern Italian Peasant Food.