Essays on Down These Mean Streets

In 1967, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Piri Thomas brought to life the experience of growing up Hispanic in Spanish Harlem in his debut novel, Down These Mean Streets. The book follows the story of Thomas, who struggles to find his place in the world as he is torn between the influences of his Puerto Rican family and the gangs of his neighborhood. As he gets older, Thomas becomes involved in drugs and crime, and he is eventually sent to prison. While in prison, Thomas finds himself and begins to write, eventually becoming a successful author. Down These Mean Streets is a powerful and timeless story of one man’s journey to find his identity in a world that is often hostile to him.