Carried By Six [Paperback]

Allen Ballard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2009

Returning home from his janitor’s job early one morning, Obie Bullock—leader of a Philadelphia anti-violence group—stumbles upon a crime scene: someone has just slit the throat of a police officer. Armed with the officer’s recovered revolver, Obie, an Iraq war vet, corners and kills the masked assassin, who turns out to be the youngest brother of a powerful, but imprisoned drug dealer. Demands for revenge follow, sparking the fast-paced action while simultaneously examining the lives of a working-class family struggling to survive in the projects of Philadelphia. Character-based, authentic, and gripping, this novel exposes the difficulties and danger of working to rid a neighborhood of drugs and violence so that future generations can grow up safe and secure.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A memorable novel that is a fast, paced page turning story of a black community determined to rid itself of the drug-driven plague of crime and violence. . . . It entertains, ennobles, and inspires.”  —Darlene Clark Hine, co-author, The African-American Odyssey

“Ballard keeps it real and writes with power and authority.”  —John Herritage, Staff Inspector (Ret.), New York State Police

About the Author

Allen Ballard is a professor of history and Africana studies at SUNY-Albany. He is the author of One More Day’s Journey and Where I'm Bound, which was a Washington Post Notable Book of the Year and winner of the First Novelist prize from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. He lives in Clifton Park, New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 294 pages
• Publisher: Seaforth Press (October 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935534181
• ISBN-13: 978-1935534181
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,327 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Carried By Six, February 5, 2010

By 

Eperanza (Albany, NY) - See all my reviews

I love this book!! Allen Ballard is currently my professor and I am really honored to read his work. This book really gives you a glimpse of the struggles living in poverty in the projects. I will highly recommend this book.