"PEPO: Tales of growing up, addiction and prison" is a memoir based on more than 100 letters that John Papacosta wrote to his sister Donna. To preserve his sanity while incarcerated, John wrote stories of growing up in Astoria, Queens, discovering girls, going off to college in upstate New York and Miami, working in the hospitality industry, and much more. His many misadventures, both hilarious and harrowing, showcase his sense of humor, his lifelong friendships and his storytelling abilities. His tales also demonstrate the inhumanity of the penal system, and how it breeds recidivism. If not for a “bank withdrawal gone awry,” John may never have shared his stories.