Street Fighting Man [Paperback]

Dennis Jones (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 27, 2002

Street Fighting Man chronicles the experiences of a group of young Brooklyn toughs who, coming of age in the emerging Sixties counterculture, turn to playing rock and roll music to escape the streets. The protagonist is Kevin O'Brien whose street fighting consumes an inordinate amount of time. He's not as adept as others with his fists and so he takes to carrying deadly weapons. Following a brush with the law, Kevin immerses himself in the drums in an attempt to “straighten himself out.” The transition is less than seamless, however, and trouble continues to stalk him into the Sixties renaissance.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 620 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris, Corp. (December 27, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401052975
• ISBN-13: 978-1401052973
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.2 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,124,128 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rock and Roll Rorschach, January 28, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Street Fighting Man (Paperback)

Early on in Dennis Jones's Street Fighting Man, turf battles are being fought on the streets of the Gravesend section of Brooklyn, and we find Kevin O'Brien having mastered the ropes. But O'Brien wants something more. He fights to control his growing anger through a mastery of the drums, so that he may somehow escape the fate of his father, who fights a hopeless battle against alcoholism, and his brother, who is being seduced by the emerging drug scene. O'Brien is drafted into the Army, and finds that, despite the growing national turmoil over Vietnam and racism, turf warfare remains the order of the day. Here is where Jones really delivers. His depiction of abuse and disembodied hatred are riveting. The California drug scene in particular comes alive, a vivid forum for O'Brien to lose, then slowly regain, his foothold in reality. Jones makes an artful transition from the local scene in Brooklyn to a widening vision of corruption and chaos, and makes his tale personal and compelling.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mesmerizing, May 7, 2007

By 

Jamie Yates "Kip Yates" (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Street Fighting Man (Hardcover)

Dennis Jones has captured a wild spirit with Street Fighting Man. From the very first punch that occurs within seconds of opening the book to very last punch, Dennis Jones KO's the reader with a well told story of coming of age in 1960's Brooklyn.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Looking Back, December 9, 2006

By 

John Costello "johnbops1" (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Street Fighting Man (Hardcover)

I read the book awhile back and I just started it again. It takes me back to that magic and awkward time where I learned that some dreams come true, but that growing up in Brooklyn back then, could be an emotional roller coaster. The book certainly captures the essence of the time period and portays the struggles that I know the author experienced. It is a well written, somewhat painful story that I really enjoyed and highly recommend, but of course I would. Johnny James