Copyright 2020 by David Benjamin. Published by Last Kid Books, Madison WI.
The usual disclaimer: The author is one of my oldest and best friends.
I am having a hard time reviewing this book, partly because I have read it before and I tend to rush a second reading. Also – and I hate to admit this because I think it is a character flaw – I dislike books that have long chapters. For example, I had a hard time getting through Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged because some of its chapters were interminable. Should the length of chapters be a factor in my opinion of a book, rather than the quality of the prose or the depth of the thoughts? No, it should not. But it is. As I said, a character flaw.
So I didn’t like the lengths of the chapters in this book – 5 chapters covering 320 pages, or 64 pages per chapter. That said, I think this is otherwise a terrific book, full of insights, charm and humor. The book is largely autobiographical and, as such, I know some of the characters in the book – though not those in Tomah as that period in his life predated our meeting. But I knew his family and I think he portrays his siblings and his mother vividly.
I think the book would be of particular interest to anyone who attended parochial school. Much of the insight is into Catholic life. But beyond the Catholic subtext you will find secular insight into growing up in the 1950s, with many pop references that you will be surprised to discover that you had forgotten – if you grew up in the 50s.
A very good book.
7 out of 10. It would have been 8 if the chapters had been shorter.