A beautifully crafted novel loosely based on a true story of the 1980’s politically charged NYC punk rock music scene and the main characters struggle to succeed in life.
Acknowledgment clip from A Rebel Life Audiobook
Authors Note Clip from A Rebel Life Audiobook
We are currently working on the Greek translation, hopefully to be released by the end of 2012. If you want to get involved in the translation project, contact me on Facebook
BOOK REVIEWS:
3:AM Magazine (UK) - "Energy which fizzes and snaps at every turn. Kalafatis’s language is violent and forceful, expressing an intense and visceral anger. The voice lying underneath this anger, however, is tender and filled with softened emotion, particularly discernible when evoking memories of his brother. There is absolutely no doubt that this is an authentic narrative voice, rough and rasping but also poetic and sophisticated."
The Punk Vault (Illinois, USA) - "The book is equal parts heart wrenching and thought provoking and occasionally disturbing. it wasn’t a very long read, made only shorter by the fact that it is so gripping, it was really hard to put down. If I could find any fault with this book, it would only be that I wish there was more stories told from the past as I was completely fascinated by the ones that were shared in this book. I give this my highest possible recommendation and I’m even pestering my girlfriend to read it and hopefully make her book club do the same"
Good Times Magazine (NY, USA) - "If you thought you know everything about the punk generation.... think again. From 1955 to 1998 the angst of James Dean's Rebel Without A Cause evolved to the intelligence of Eric Bogosian's SubUrbia & James Merendino's SLC Punk! But even the latter two movies only scratched the surface of the nihilistic rejection of traditional values. From the point of view of an author who watched tradition collapse firsthand, A Rebel Life contains observations of how the American dream isn't as it appears, and how the less affluent are swallowed whole by the system."
MBH Magazine(New Jersey) - "To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement as the book I received had absolutely NOTHING to do with what my original perception was. No...this was something different...something more fierce, yet still loaded with deep heartfelt emotion and even a bit of educational value. What I received was a book with meaning , substance, and a message which we all should heed and take to heart."
Herlaka Rose (Texas, USA) - "He does makes some good points, the one that most comes to mind was “how could anybody willingly choose this lifestyle” while referring to his brother’s addictions. His story tries to open eyes to a flawed system and believes strongly that there should not be rich, instead just one class, ending poverty in that way. He suggests a different type of rebellion, not one of tirades against the system or lashing out by vandalism and delinquency, but rather invading the system, and overcoming it. A smart rebellion, the book is tinted with sociopolitical analysis that might seem extreme to some, but it is an interesting read to anybody with an open mind, and it will ring more than one bell with many people."
y sin embargo magazine (Spain) (great magazine, download PDF here) - "Peter is convinced that people do not have full control over their actions, that society predetermines its possibilities, and their perceptions. Thus, they are not totally responsible for them. His brother died of an overdose, but according to Peter, was murdered. Whether one agrees or not, the book raises a number of ideas that deserve consideration. How society predetermines certain choices? What is the alternative for an individual who does not aspire to be rich, or live the traditional life, but neither wants to stay in your current situation?A must read for anyone concerned with these questions"
Incendiary Magazine (Netherlands) - "You never feel as if he’s dramatizing matter. I can imagine the author cocking a snook at my literary poncey-ness if I mention Cyril Tourner’s Revenger’s Tragedy, but A Rebel Life and the aforementioned play definitely share their respective narrator’s feelings of self-loathing and desperate determination to solve the world’s problems with a single crushing blow. It also, with its caustic journaling of a bum’s life, reminds me very much of Bukowski (but I bet lots have made that connection). Interesting stuff, honest and powerful."
Free Society (Canada) - In terms of the literary style of 'A Rebel Life', there are a number of interesting characteristics. The first is the confessional style of the writing, making the reader open to the narrator's inner thoughts. This, combined with narrative structure really supports the presentation as "words of a man's psychotic break". The narrative structure, starting three days prior to the funeral, documents Peter's reaction to his brother's death, using flashbacks chronologically to tell his story that brought him to his current perspective.
S.O.H. (Sweden) - "Unlike say Aimee Cooper's Coloring Outside The Linesthis doesn't cover bands, gigs or even the local punk scene, but only the drug, drink and violence side of punk rock. That makes it rare. One thing I really like about the philosophical message in this is that it never gets sentimental. There's not a trace of revolutionary romanticism here, which has gotta be a first for a book with an attached reading list of Fidel Castro, Karl Marx, Che Guevara and Malcolm X among others."
eMPTY Magazine (translated) - "A Rebel Life" is a true story about life and the continuous battle against the system. It is a manifesto against the massive division of the working classes by the well-known criterias such as race, religion, etc. "My Brother's justice", the final chapter of the book (a letter from Peter to his child), a conclusion which the author wants to share with all of us: "The rich killed your uncle: their system goes on every day and nobody has brought them to justice. Your uncle was killed early in life and they made it look like it was his own fault. He died of an over dose in a life full of suffering, a life he did not choose. Nobody consciously chooses such a life. Archie paid the final price for not conforming. Thee are the rules: you either fit in or you die"
NEO Magazine (PA, USA) - You can cry and get mad reading this book. I didn't agree with everything in these pages, but the author was able to put me in his place, and at least make me understand why he came to these conclusions.
Razorback (Texas, USA) - "The passion and description that Peter puts into his writing is outstanding."
Book Pleasures (Canada) - "An important contribution to understanding the causes and consequences of youth rebellion and violence."
Voices Magazine (Colorado, USA) (A Rebel Life has been featured inside Voices Magazine, click to read an excerpt) - "Kalafatis is one of those writers who we stumble upon and thank God for all the trauma that he's been through, otherwise we might not have such fascinating stories to interpret. His path wasn't easy but he brings you there by defining the past and laying it out there for all to eat. A timeless book with an easy flow."
Mutiny Magazine (Sweden) - "One of those books you won't put down once you've picked it up."
Ear Damage (Alabama, USA) - "I really do think the author is on to something."
NB Magazine (Philippines) (translated to English as best as possible) - "You will learn a lot about the authors story. Actually this book is very interesting and has an intelligent way of thinking from the author, of his deep thoughts and ideologies and ideas for his actions of what he believes in. The letter that Peter wrote on the last part of the book for his son is actually inspirational."
ASICE (Dutch) - "While reading about his thoughts and his background you get a good look into Peter’s character. I don’t know if the book is completely autobiographical, but if so I think it’s very brave of him to open up psychologically. And the ending is brilliant, when he finally gets his revenge in an unexpecting way."
MAGAZINE INTERVIEWS: