samgridley

In this extraordinary book of stories, Mark Lyons looks at outsiders in our society--hobos, migrants, the bedridden, the abused, the chronically alone--with deep humanity but without the least bit of sentimentality. What he does especially well is capture their individual voices. You will never forget the people you meet in this book.

Although the publicity for this book stresses its setting in Atlantic City, once the quintessential beach town, the novel is really about the trials of growing up in modern America -- and the fact that we never really finish growing up. We see the protagonist as both a kid and an adult, and he's always trying to figure things out. The book has humor, tragedy, sex, occasional drugs, some rabbinical wisdom, and a style that keeps you turning the pages. Highly recommended for any season.