I am reading this in an effort to get a grip on books which are being banned across the country. I think I have an idea of why this one makes the list, but no spoilers here. The book is written in a direct, engaging, self-deprecating first person. It brings home the reality of life on the economic margins of modern America. The narrator is witty and compelling, and you can't but help for root for him as he navigates the twists and turns that life gives him. The collection of characters he assembles as his family and friends seems true to life. Don't ban this one; read it.