Townie: A Memoir

This book was given to me as a gift by someone who thought I shared a lot of the same traits as the author. I think her main focus was on the contradiction of a thinking man dousing himself in the physicality of boxing and weight lifting, something both the author and I spent time with. What I experienced reading this book was the realization that I wasn't the only thoughtful, insightful man who'd been almost enjoyably violent in his youth and spent years trying to work all of that out in his own head. We grew up in different parts of the country and under different circumstances, but the story is so familiar I often felt I was reading my own story. I couldn't stop reading this book, no matter how uncomfortable it made me with my own past. There is nothing so raw or real as a man baring his soul and all the ugly little parts of it he secretly hoped others would never know about. Riveting from start to finish. Thanks for telling your story.

Mildly painful to get through. A better editor may have helped. The book could easily be 200 pages shorter.

One of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. You can hear the author's calm voice in your head recounting his childhood. He took a rough life and upbringing and made it all sound romantic and beautiful.

I love this book for a lot of reasons. First of all I live in Haverhill so I know about every place he had mentioned about. I grew up in Riverside, right over next to the stadium. And second, I think it sounded rough growing up the way he did and I'm so impressed how Andre turned his life around. I honestly cried at the end. To me this story just goes to show that family is so important!!!

Excellent read. A man's life revealed as compelling as this is rare. I am glad he came to the realization about the negativity that violence creates. All small cities in middle America have youths that are lost because of broken families. It seems certain that Andre will do a better job insulating his children while helping them understand that diversity in our society does not have to lead to disfunction.

A well written account of a man who felt pushed to physical violence by his surroundings and upbringing. The author offers insight into the justifications he gave himself to commit vigilante acts of violence against wrongdoers while ultimately coming to the realization that he owns ultimate responsibility for his own actions. Dubis battles perceived evils, earns hollow victories and finally discovers true gratification following in his fathers footsteps.

This is a great book, a remarkable story written by an outstanding writer. I never write reviews but took the time because this book is so good..