The author was born at home, on Carmine Street, New York City, N.Y., May 29,1938 to Concetta and Carlo Serra. He is the sixth son of seven and one sister. As a child the family moved to Spring Valley, N. Y., in Rockland County, where he attended a four room country school, Brick Church. He later graduated Spring Valley High. A graduate of Rockland Community College, class of 1961, AA; Fairleigh Dickinson University, class of 1968, BA; Montclair State University MA, Sociology, 1976. An educator by profession and an operative mason by trade. His teaching career included classes as an adjunct instructor of Sociology at SUNY Rockland, Professor of Sociology at SUNY Orange, and Secondary Education, Ramapo Central, Suffern, N.Y. He is a retired member of The International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, Local 5 NY.