• *This study guide is based on the large print edition of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace.

The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, a work of nonfiction by Jeff Hobbs, chronicles the upbringing and early adulthood of a young black man who grew up poor in a city, and eventually attends Yale University.

Brought up by a single mother, and with a father in prison, Rob did not have it easy growing up. Still, he had his charisma, his wit, and the motivation to take care of the people around him. This made him omnipresent in the neighborhood, friends with good people and on good terms with bad people so he didn't become a target.

His mother, Jackie, sacrificed quite a bit, investing most of her time in order to buy Rob a private school education. Her one goal was to protect her only child from the fate that she saw so many promising young black men succumb to: hanging out at home, doing drugs, and fathering children.

Rob excelled at school, and became a leader among his classmates. This lead to a private benefactor paying his tuition to Yale University. He majored in molecular biophysics and biochemistry.

All of these steps forward made his death even that much more tragic. Unable to escape the world where he grew up, Rob continually returned to dealing marijuana. The drug was a solace to him when he used it, calming his nerves and letting him focus on what's important. It was also a means to an end, when he used his earnings to provide for himself and others.

Using his knowledge of molecular biology, Rob engineered a strain of marijuana that became in high demand. Along the way, he crossed the wrong people and was shot dead in retribution. His murder is not solved by the end of the book. The author does his own investigating, wanting to learn something else. Hobbs interviews the people closest to Rob to try to learn how his intelligent, caring friend wound up having such a violent end.