Garbage Town
About this ebook
Raj Patel grew up in the shadow of Fresh Kills, the largest landfill the world has ever seen. At sixteen, he’s watched the Staten Island crime family tighten its grip on his town’s lucrative trash business, but he’s kept his distance from their dirty trade—until now.
When Raj and his friends make a chilling discovery deep within the dump, they embark on a search for answers. But they aren’t the only ones looking for the truth, and their pursuers will stop at nothing to guard their secrets. Faced with an impossible choice—protect themselves or expose what they’ve found—Raj and his friends quickly realize there’s no one left to trust. And the deeper they dig, the higher the stakes. Soon, they’re in way over their heads, and the only way out might be through.
In Garbage Town, Ravi Gupta weaves a heart-pounding mystery with the raw intimacy of a coming-of-age tale. Follow Raj and his friends in this late ’90s adventure as they learn that some secrets can’t be unearthed without a price. This might just be the moment that strips them of their innocence—if they can survive.
About the author
Ravi Gupta is a serial social entrepreneur dedicated to reforming civic institutions. He is the cofounder and CEO of The Branch, a media company committed to combating online polarization. At The Branch, Ravi hosts several shows, including The Lost Debate and Majority 54—two podcasts focused on bridging the political divide—and Killing Justice, a collaboration with Crooked Media investigating an alleged political murder in India.
In addition, Ravi serves as the CEO and founder of Squadra Health, a company focused on longevity and wellness. Before these ventures, he cofounded Arena, where he led efforts that helped elect dozens of candidates and launched one of the largest campaign-staffer training academies in political history. Earlier in his career, Ravi founded and served as CEO of RePublic Schools, a network of charter schools in the South, and established Reimagine Prep, Mississippi’s first charter school. He also played key roles in Obama’s first campaign and first term, serving as an assistant to Chief Strategist David Axelrod and Ambassador Susan Rice.
A native of Staten Island, Ravi graduated from Yale Law School and Binghamton University. He’s won numerous awards, including the Truman Scholarship, the Webby Award, and Binghamton’s University Medal, along with recognition in Forbes’s “30 Under 30” and Crain’s “NYC 40 Under 40.”
