Joe Balbo was born in 1961 and, from an early age, was seen by family and friends as a reserved, introspective boy who was not given to confidences. Despite his silence, he was a keen observer of the world around him, forming judgments from an early age that only time and maturity would improve. He began reading when he was around five years old, reading Sunday mass pamphlets, which marked the beginning of a passion for the written word.