Irving Shulman book summaries

“The street was their kingdom, their battleground, their only home.”

Describing the gang's territorial claim and sense of belonging.

“He had never seen anything so beautiful, so utterly perfect, as Maria.”

Tony's immediate and profound reaction upon seeing Maria for the first time.

“Hate was a fire, burning in their guts, consuming everything in its path.”

Narrative description of the intense animosity between the Jets and Sharks.

“The rumble was inevitable, a storm gathering force, ready to break.”

Foreshadowing the climactic gang fight and its unavoidable nature.