In December 2018, I was lucky enough to feature author Larry Ehrhorn on Books, Life and Everything. You can read the Meet the Author post here. Today, I am back again to talk a little more about his debut novel, Four Months in Brighton Park.
Set in a working class neighborhood on Chicago's southwest
side in 1965, "Four Months in Brighton Park" focuses on Kelly
Elliott, the kid with two first names. Kelly is a cross between Holden
Caulfield and Walter Mitty, rarely facing reality until one day when he is
forced to confront the consequences of his actions, when he impulsively makes
an obscene gesture at Joe Swedarsky, the school jock and bully. That initial
conflict starts a cascade of humorous and affecting dominoes that change his
life. Being raised by his single, hard-working mother, Kelly stumbles through
misadventures -- dealing with his mother's tyrannical pilot boyfriend, peer
pressure, male curiosities, teachers, and friendships. Besides Ma, his guides
through this journey include Little Joey, the legless owner of a local deli;
best friend Jerry Hogan, Mary Harker, a troubled, mature woman; and Linda
Martinsen, the quiet girl who found something likable in Kelly. The four month
journey taken by Kelly provides insight, change, humor and empathy, elements of
which all people are familiar.
My Thoughts
This novel gave me a real lift. There is humour to be found in the adolescent struggles of Kelly Elliott, as he endures the embarrassments and longings of teenage years in the 1960's. Kelly is easy to identify with and written in the first person, you get to see the world though his eyes. You get to see how it feels to be 'a child intruder in an adult world'. This is a coming of age story as Kelly learns to deal with some difficult situations and begins to stand up for himself.
Kelly has had a difficult home life with his single mother and her various men-friends. An acne -prone adolescent, he initially stands out as a victim but we get to see how he matures, partly through the people he meets during a crucial four months in his teens. Most telling is his reaction to Linda, the young girl he initially idolises. Well observed, with humour and pathos, this is an unusual and enjoyable read.
In short: A young boy comes of age in the 60's.
About the Author
Larry Ehrhorn was born in Chicago and raised in the city and
its
suburbs. After his own graduation
(not nearly as traumatic as Kelly's), he attended Northern Illinois University,
working summers and vacation holidays at various factories. After college
graduation (a whole other story), Ehrhorn began a 33-year career as a high
school English teacher (not Mr. Bates from the novel) in various schools ranging
from a Chicago large suburban school to several small rural schools in
Wisconsin. It was this during this somewhat lengthy career when he realized
that times and places change, but students do not. Much of Four Months in Brighton Park reflects
not only the author but the more than 3,000 students he taught.
Thanks to Larry Ehrhorn for a copy of his book.
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