City Boy

***DEDICATION: ''This story is dedicated to my mother.'' / By the author of ''The Winds of War.''***

***An "enormously entertaining" portrait of "a Bronx Tom Sawyer" (San Francisco Chronicle),*** City Boy is a sharp and moving novel of boyhood from Pulitzer Prize winner Herman Wouk.

A hilarious and often touching tale of an urban kid's adventures and misadventures on the street, in school, in the countryside, always in pursuit of Lucille, a heartless redhead personifying all the girls who torment and fascinate pubescent lads of eleven.***--Goodreads & LibraryThing***

John (Feb 18, 2013) really liked it: Years ago I loved The Winds of War, War and Remembrance, and Inside, Outside. Then I was disappointed by The Hope and The Glory and quit reading Wouk's books. Recently my son put me onto City Boy and, seeing it had been written early in Wouk's writing career, I thought to give it a try. I'm really glad I did. Wouk has a way of describing the life events of children that really rings true with wit and humor.

Here is an example involving the book's hero, Herbie, and his on again, off again girl friend, Lucille. They are together inside the top of the Statue of Liberty and Davey, a handsome neighborhood friend of Lucille's, has just strode by and conversed briefly with Lucille, to the discomfiture of Herbie:

"'O.K.,' he said bitterly. 'Why dontcha go home with him? He lives right on your block. Cliff [Herbie's cousin who is nearby] an' me'll have more fun without a girl taggin' along, anyway.'

"'Herbie, why are you so crazy? I hardly ever spoke to Davey. I don't even know which is his house. Are you going to spoil all our fun again?'

"The previous occasions implied by the word 'again' were not specified. But Herbie was placed in the class of a surly brute with the simple word, and was silenced. These are devices that a little girl is incapable of learning or inventing. She knows them as a wasp knows how to build a nest."

Insights such as those conveyed by the last 2 sentences of this sample are sprinkled liberally throughout the book. They are a delight to read and ponder. If you like the little snippet I've quoted, you will love this book. Get it. Read it. You won't regret it.