The Author (Dan-El Padilla Peralta)

As he portrays himself throughout the book, Dan-el Padilla Peralta was born in the Dominican Republic and came to America as an undocumented immigrant with his family when he was a few years old. The family settled in New York City and lived a relatively stable life for a while, but was forced into more challenging circumstances when the author’s father returned home. This left the author, his mother, and his younger brother struggling to survive on minimal income, at one point finding themselves having no other option but to live in a homeless shelter.

It was while attending school during his time in the shelter that the author discovered his love for reading, and more specifically for the literature of Ancient Greece, Rome, and other Classical periods. This love of reading combined with a desire to improve the lives of his...