Super Short Summary

The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace by Jeff Hobbs follows the life of Rob Peace, a young black man who rises from an impoverished upbringing in Newark, NJ, driven by his mother's sacrifices, to graduate from Yale University with honors. Despite his academic achievements in biochemistry and molecular biophysics, he continues selling marijuana to support those he loves, leading to his unsolved murder at age thirty. The book explores themes such as the impact of social class and the potential squandered by lack of opportunity. Topics include drug use, violence, and systemic inequities.