1. How authentic is Mowry's depiction of the life of inner-city gang members?

Where does he go wrong? What does he get right?

2. What are the techniques Mowry uses to develop characters in Way Past Cool?

Which characters are most fully developed? Which are the most vividly depicted?

3. What are death rates for teenagers in poor neighborhoods in inner cities?

How do they compare with the death rates of teenagers who do not live in poor neighborhoods? What are major causes of death for young adults such as Way Past Cool depicts?

4. What is the history of youth gangs in America?

5. How do police handle street gangs? Do they function like the police in Way Past Cool?

6. The narrative of Way Past Cool often implies that most of the problems the Friends deal with are caused by poverty. Where does the...