Third and Indiana by Steve Lopez - A book about Philly "Badlands" (Philadelphia: home, high school)

[Vicman]

Has anyone read Third and Indiana by Steve Lopez?

It is about a section of Philly called "The Badlands"

The story includes a woman named Ofelia Santoro and her son, Gabriel. Gabriel ran away from home to be a drug dealer, while Ofelia is frantically searching for her son. Meanwhile, Eddie Passarelli, a South Philadelphia Italian-American, is living in a slumlord lot owned by his mom when he finds that he owes a mob boss some money after the mob boss's car, used by Eddie, goes up in flames. Eddie and Gabriel seek to get each other out of their pathetic situations.

[brickyard boy]

great book

[toobusytoday]

I remember when this book came out about 10+ years ago because I used to read the author, Steve Lopez's well written columns in the Philadelphia Inquirer. It looks like it's available on Amazon, used, for a great price.

[LookinatMass]

Students at Edison High School have read this book and loved it!

[brickyard boy]

the rights to the book were actually bought by Oprah, and supposedly it was in line to be made into a movie.
No idea why that never worked out...wish it had though

[lititzman2003]

Lopez and Pete Dexter are great authors and journalists.

[duksterss]

My Son is from the Badlands even before it was called that. When my family lived on B & Cambria. He stayed on the streets and upstate. The stories he tells me sounds like a true soldiers stories from in country

[IZthe411]

That's a rough area. My area was no walk in the part (33rd+Diamond) in North Philly, but it was better than that area.

[Blumberg-H.O.B]

I think this this is a good book.I'm from Blumberg Projects in North Philly(23&Oxford)so i can relate to most of the things in the book.

[check908]

I grew up on third and indy! I read the book and I can reall relate to it!!!