Chidi Nweke Nweke itibaren Simor, Odisha 752061, India itibaren Simor, Odisha 752061, India

I was surprised by how much I liked his second memoir considering I had heard that it paled in comparison to his first--and one of my favorite--memoirs, All Soul's. It has been a while since I read All Soul's, and I intend to read it now again, but in my memory it described rather than explained the ethnocentric mindset of South Boston. Easter Rising focuses on explaining that self-deprecating mentality, using the story of MacDonald's own growth--through art, culture, and, most importantly, punk music--to contrast the beliefs and attitudes of most of his friends and family in Old Colony Housing Projects with those living outside the neighborhood. I spent some time in South Boston in the late 90s early 2000s, and there was much contention regarding All Soul's, which had I believe had just recently been published. Among more than a few of Southie's residents--both the 'project rats' and the City Point kids--I sensed anger and bitterness towards the author for his critique of Southie culture and his blasting of the neighborhood's precious father figure, Whitey. "He's a FUCKING LIAR" I was told about MacDonald on more than one occasion. But I think, perhaps, that they were so angry and bitter with MacDonald because deep down they knew he was right. I have since moved away from the Boston area and reside in Western Mass. I enjoy the diversity of people, ideas, and culture--things that were blatantly void in my South Shore town. When I walk down my street now, it's not a given that I'll see a white kid with an Abercrombie and Fitch sweathshirt, Boston Redsox hat, and gleaming white Nikes. I don't regularly hear: "You're fuckin WEIHD! Losah!!" or feel the arrogance and 'art-better-than-thou' mentality seeping out of every passersby pores. Instead, I see people open to things different from themselves and respectful of (or at the very least aware of) people living vastly different than themselves.