The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League

Jeff Hobbs

Sep 2014 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

*Now a major motion picture—Rob Peace—starring Jay Will, Mary J. Blige, and Chiwetel Ejiofor*

*Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, Entertainment Weekly, and more* The New York Times bestselling account of a young African-American man who escaped Newark, NJ, to attend Yale, but still faced the dangers of the streets when he returned is, “nuanced and shattering” (People) and “mesmeric” (The New York Times Book Review).

When author Jeff Hobbs arrived at Yale University, he became fast friends with the man who would be his college roommate for four years, Robert Peace. Robert’s life was rough from the beginning in the crime-ridden streets of Newark in the 1980s, with his father in jail and his mother earning less than $15,000 a year. But Robert was a brilliant student, and it was supposed to get easier when he was accepted to Yale, where he studied molecular biochemistry and biophysics. But it didn’t get easier. Robert carried with him the difficult dual nature of his existence, trying to fit in at Yale, and at home on breaks.

A compelling and honest portrait of Robert’s relationships—with his struggling mother, with his incarcerated father, with his teachers and friends—The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace encompasses the most enduring conflicts in America: race, class, drugs, community, imprisonment, education, family, friendship, and love. It’s about the collision of two fiercely insular worlds—the ivy-covered campus of Yale University and the slums of Newark, New Jersey, and the difficulty of going from one to the other and then back again. It’s about trying to live a decent life in America. But most all this “fresh, compelling” (The Washington Post) story is about the tragic life of one singular brilliant young man. His end, a violent one, is heartbreaking and powerful and “a haunting American tragedy for our times” (Entertainment Weekly).

Ratings and reviews

This book's title drew me in. I didn't read anything about it before I started reading, and am glad I didn't. That meant I got the full effect of every change in the story. Right from the start you can see why his brilliance and his parents' love leads him to Yale and along the way the author does an amazing job of highlighting the many decisions and moments that could bring his life to its early end. The suspense is intense while the personalities are drawn lovingly and empathetically. This young man thought he was doing everything in the best, strongest, and manliest way possible. Maybe he was. I pray this book will help someone else on the edge, or help someone in their life figure out what to say to rescue them. One of the best books I've ever read.

Robert Peace's life began with challenges over which he had no control. His mother, Jackie, wanted more for her son and with the loving support she and Rob's father provided he graduated from Yale with distinction. This book, unflinchingly written by his college roommate, is the account of his bright but short journey here. Ultimately, what makes his story so readable and heartrending is Rob's life and the way he chose to live it. Clearly, one of the best books I've read in the past year.

This young man had unlimited potential, but ultimately could not see past where he came from, despite the best efforts of family and friends....truly heartbreaking. He was unable to get out of his own way.

About the author

Jeff Hobbs is the author of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, which won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and was made into the 2024 film Rob Peace. He is also the author of Show Them You’re Good and The Tourists. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.