It chronicles his experiences growing up on the cold,. Age twelve to fifteen (1978), had been eagerly awaited. The Basketball Diaries The Classic About Growing Up Hip On New Yorks Mean Streets Carroll Jim 9780140100181 Books - Amazonca He's bright, he's hip, he's talented and he has a. The basketball diaries book review . Leonardo dicaprio playes a basketballplayer, a schoolkid (jim carrol) who walks this path. Fall 1963 it was the warmest oct. The basketball diaries (1978) is the memoir of jim carroll, who was both a famous poet and punk rocker.carroll describes growing up in new york city and the challenges he faces trying to stay out of trouble. In the midst of the cold war, war in vietnam, race riots in new york city, and a turning point in american culture between leave it to beaver and woodstock, jim carroll began writing his basketball diaries at the age of 12. The film focuses on jim and his friends who are on a basketball team in a catholic high scho...