The Projects

The Projects: Life and Times in Marble Hill brings to life the detailed story of author Tony Licchi Jr.'s youth in this Bronx neighborhood during the fifties and sixties. Sharing events both large and small, it's a story filled with long-lasting friendships and relationships. This memoir narrates stories about the people, places, and events in the Marble Hill projects from the age of seven until he married and left home. Licchi describes the pushcart man outside of school selling jellied apples on a stick and shaved ice in a cup; the seltzer man delivering seltzer bottles with chocolate syrup; and the games the children played such as Johnny on the pony, hide-and-seek, and ring-a-leeveo. Setting his experiences against the backdrop of the times while referencing current and historical events, and music and popular culture, The Projects: Life and Times in Marble Hill represents a unique period in Licchi's life. It encompasses both happy and sad experiences and brings forth nostalgic memories of a first date, the first kiss, dances, and fun times in the good old days.