Peter Rock has lived in many places in the United States, but Philadelphia has obviously left a lasting impression on him. His latest book, The Ambidextrist, is set on the banks of the Schuylkill River and explores the gritty underworld of homelessness and desperation in the City of Brotherly Love.
Last night, roughly 30 Penn students, faculty and community members gathered at the Penn Bookstore to hear Rock discuss his latest novel. The author read three chapters of his work and fielded questions from the audience. His reading displayed rich imagery and sarcastic wit, while capturing the psychological dimension of his characters.
While the reading was part of Rock's national book tour, it was also a homecoming of sorts. The author lived in Philadelphia for four years, teaching creative writing at Penn while his wife attended medical school. He spoke of his love for the city.
"Philadelphia has no attitude, and people stay here for their whole lives," Rock said. "I wanted an urban, non-nomadic setting" for the novel.
Despite the noise of the bookstore's intercom system and the moan of the cash register in the nearby music department, the crowd paid close attention to Rock's reading.
"Pete was extremely humorous, and his use of imagery really captured the city's character," said Al Tama, a 1999 College graduate.
Rock's story focuses on Scott, a former Kenny Rogers roadie who sleeps under the overpasses of Route 76 and survives by participating in medical experiments at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
While wandering aimlessly through the landscape of the River's east bank, Scott befriends Ray, an older, guarded homeless man. He also meets a gang of wayward teens who pass their time by creating "tests" for each other, which start with harmless dares and end in cruel humiliation.
Rock discussed his research and inspiration for his latest novel at length. An avid runner, he noted the powerful presence of the homeless community during his frequent runs through Fairmont Park.
"I saw people living under bridges, so I talked to them and rode around with police" to investigate their culture, he said.
A hands-on researcher, Rock also acted as a test subject at HUP for many of the medical trials in which his character participates in The Ambidextrist. He also studied the Schuylkill's history and future development plans for his freelance work for Philadelphia magazine.
Audience members was impressed by Rock's reading.
"As a student, I did some of the [medical] experiments he talked about, and I could relate," former student Tracylea Byford said. "His characters were quirky, but he made us sympathize with them."
