The Constant Outsider, Memoirs of a South Boston Mechanic

Book excerpt: The Constant Outsider chronicles the radical choices made by the author as part of an intense struggle to fit in and be accepted within the challenging and often violent environments of Dorchester, South Boston and beyond.This memoir is a true and exciting account of what it was like for the son of an Italian immigrant to grow up, live, and work in the predominantly Irish sections of Boston, Massachusetts during some of the most volatile and violent decades in their histories. For those who were not exposed first hand to the extreme criminal activity and violence which was Southie during the Whitey Bulger years, the events the author experienced and the people he encountered should prove riveting. Having to co-exist with killers, drug dealers and other assorted criminals, as well as the many fine and honest people that were part of the community, sometimes caused the author to walk a fine line between participating in or rejecting the lawlessness that surrounded him.