1) "A follow up to the Fire Escape stories (Volumes 1 & 2). An entertaining and fast paced interpretation of the Vietnam and Civil Rights era that defined American culture and politics during the 1960s. The author does a great job of describing the turbulence of that era through the lives of several adolescents striving to understand the world around them. The characters are believable and likable in a way that adds humor and charm to the serious nature of the cultural background of the story. I found the book to be pure entertainment."

2) "This is one of THOSE books- one that you can't put down, but still do not want it to end. I have read several Vietnam era novels, yet none had the effect that The Fire Escape Belongs in Brooklyn did. Through the eyes of the main character, Mike, I was able to re-live the time period that impacted the lives of most people of his generation, including me. Mike is a very compassionate, empathetic, college student who learns to follow his convictions. The relationship he had with his cousin Sally-Boy in the short stories, Fire Escape Stories, Volumes I & II, takes a back seat, but Sally-Boy IS there, in Mike's mind and heart. The author's descriptive narrative is, to put it simply, beautiful. There are so many excellent novels out there today, but The Fire Escape Belongs in Brooklyn is one book that I will re-read!"

3) "In Chuck Cascio's extraordinary novel, "The Fire Escape Belongs in Brooklyn," there's no exit from Mike Burns. The Vietnam War is pursuing him from one side, his conservative father looms on the other. And, pursuing him most urgently, are the haunting questions surrounding the disappearance of his "twin" cousin, Sally Boy.

"Mike's chosen a college that allows him easy access to Brooklyn where, between exploring alluring campus parties and fulminating anti-war protests, he searches for his cousin. He's only slightly distracted when he meets a troubled young woman who rocks his world, and a surprising professor who forces him to examine his morality. Pressures threatening to overtake him, Mike finds himself at a frightening crossroads. He makes a decision that puts his life on a pulse-quickening, dangerous path.

"Not only is the story completely compelling, but Cascio's writing shines with intelligence. It's provocative without being coy, poetic without being indulgent, and it never states the obvious. This is prose at its finest, rendering a fresh, original plot set against the rich backdrop of a conflicted nation at war with itself. The author never tells us how or what to feel; instead he shows us evolving, vivid characters trying to navigate through the chaos. These heart-and-gut-wrenching people will move you to laughter and, more frequently, to tears. You'll never forget them."

4) "Confused by the chaos and divisions of American life? This engrossing, amusing and dramatic book brings to life the tumultuous year 1968 while managing to echo contemporary issues nearly 50 years later. The fun of teenage life comes face to face with social division, political discord, family tension, and a breakdown of trust in government and authority in general. And throughout it all, we keep wanting to know: What happened to Sally-Boy?"