How Screenwriting Saved Novelist Richard Price

The Wanderers is a novel by Richard Price, published in 1974. The story is set in the Bronx, New York City, from mid-1962 to mid-1963 and follows the lives of an Italian-American youth gang known as the Wanderers. The novel is structured as a series of loosely connected vignettes, each focusing on different members of the gang as they navigate gang rivalries, racial tensions, and personal struggles. The characters, including Richie Gennaro, Joey Capra, Buddy Borsalino, Eugene Caputo, and Perry LaGuardia, face various challenges as they transition from adolescence to adulthood, dealing with issues such as violence, family problems, and the search for identity and belonging.

In this collection, Billy Collins writes about the joys and mysteries of daily life. The poems delve into the ordinary, highlighting the beauty and irony that can be found in everyday experiences. As a former Poet Laureate of the United States and New York Times bestselling author, Collins brings his signature style and depth to these new works.

Set in the fictional city of Dempsey, New Jersey, 'Clockers' follows the intertwining storylines of Ronald 'Strike' Dunham, a low-level cocaine dealer, and Rocco Klein, a homicide detective nearing the end of his career. The novel delves into the harsh world of drug dealing and law enforcement, highlighting the complex relationships and moral ambiguities of both sides. It explores themes of identity crisis, loyalty, and the cyclical nature of violence and power. The book is praised for its operational detail, authentic characters, and cleareyed compassion in portraying a bleak and despairing urban environment.

Freedomland is a 1998 mystery novel by Richard Price. The story begins with Brenda Martin, a white woman, entering an emergency room with injuries, claiming she was carjacked by a black man and that her four-year-old son, Cody, was in the back seat. Detective Lorenzo Council, a local son of the housing projects, is assigned to the case. As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that Brenda may know more about her son's disappearance than she admits. The novel delves into the complexities of racial tensions, media pressure, and the moral ambiguities faced by the characters. The title 'Freedomland' refers to an abandoned theme park where key events of the novel take place, symbolizing the restricted freedoms of the characters. The novel explores themes of race, perception, and how people dehumanize each other, set against the backdrop of the fictional cities of Dempsey and Gannon.

Set in Harlem in 2008, 'Lazarus Man' follows the aftermath of a five-story tenement collapse that kills several people. The story centers around Anthony Carter, a 42-year-old unemployed biracial schoolteacher and recovering cocaine addict, who is miraculously pulled from the rubble 36 hours after the collapse. Carter's survival sets off a media frenzy and transforms him into an unlikely motivational speaker. The novel weaves together the lives of several characters, including police detective Mary Roe, young freelance photographer Felix Pearl, and others, as they navigate the community's response to the tragedy and Carter's newfound role as a symbol of hope.

The book tells the story of a young pup named Amaya who is rescued by an aging wolf from a terrifying encounter with his pack. The unlikely pair embarks on a journey to follow the moon in an attempt to reunite Amaya with her parents. Along the way, they face various obstacles such as eerie woods and forgotten cities, and learn profound lessons about love, sacrifice, and the importance of embracing change. The story is a moving reflection on love, loss, grief, and growth, accompanied by stunning artwork from James Norbury.