Gary's forays of sexuality and writing and baseball are recounted for a summer of growth and change. ( )

I don’t like Garrison Keillor’s politics very much. But I love the monologues, possibly because they remind me of me. This is no exception; small town, nuclear family, coming of age, Eisenhower is president, confused about sexuality and religion and loyalty and honesty and convinced nobody else is (the protagonist, Gary; not Eisenhower. At least not as far as I know).


Gary is 14. He makes flatulence and mucus jokes, lusts after girls, has a copy of High School Orgies hidden under the sink, and, since he’s a member of the Sanctified Brethren, wonders if God is going to smite him for all this. When I was 14 I made the same jokes and had the same lusts, although I had a Playboy and it was in the closet, and I was a Missouri Synod Lutheran and therefore possibly slightly less smiteworthy. Alas, you can’t go home again and do it over. ( )

Nostalgia

Last of his stories I read, and to be honest I don't remember it. To be fair, I was still drinking then. ( )

Having never read any of his books, I'm not sure why I bought this one (other than 40% off at Barnes and Noble). I'm glad I did! Gary, a 14 year old boy of Lake Wobegon writes about his life and describes his family hilariously! It has the same feel as "Portney's Complaint" with quite a few "laugh out loud" moments. ( )