Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger

Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger

Completion Date: April 15, 2012
Reason for Reading: Amy loves him.

"Last Days of Summer" is the story of Joey Margolis, neighborhood punching bag, growing up goofy and mostly fatherless in Brooklyn in the early 1940s. A boy looking for a hero, Joey decides to latch on to Charlie Banks, the all-star third baseman for the New York Giants. But Joey's chosen champion doesn't exactly welcome the extreme attention of a persistent young fan with an overactive imagination. Then again, this strange, needy kid might be exactly what Banks needs.

Amy from Thrifty Reader is one of my oldest blogging friends, so we have come to know each other pretty well. She put Steve Kluger on my radar a few years ago and I finally read My Most Excellent Year by him last year. I loved it! Unfortunately it was the only book the library had by him, so he sort of fell off my radar again. About once a week, though, I glance at what Kobo has for free or under 4.99 and this book showed up the other day. Let me explain my reading experience with it. I started it the night of the 14th and read it almost entirely in one sitting, but it was getting late and I was getting sleepy. Then, at 6 the next morning Casey (the cat) decided that since she was awake she would play. Since I was awake anyway I decided to read the last few pages of the book. (This suited Casey as she was immediately in my face with a toy in her mouth.)

As with My Most Excellent Year, I didn't think it was going to be my sort of book. Yes, it is epistolary and set just before and during World War II, but it has a young boy as the main character, which can annoy me, and I wasn't sure how thrilled I would be about the constant baseball references. But, as you can probably guess judging by how quickly I flew through this book there is something special about the way that Kluger writes. I just found myself caught up in the story, the characters, and even the baseball. I think Kluger perfectly captures that time period from lots of different viewpoints. There is Joey Margolis, a young Jewish boy, who is the main character. His father has basically abandoned him and the neighbourhood is treating him cruelly. He tells people that Charlie Banks, the baseball player, is his best friend and then goes about making it a reality in a very creative way. This book shows their interaction and eventual connection, but it also includes Joey's family, Charlie's girl, and his fellow team players.

This book will make you laugh and bring tears to your eyes.You will find yourself flipping through the pages wanting to know what adventures they get into next. Believe me when I tell you, even if you read the descriptions to Kluger's three novels and think they are not for you, you should still rush out and see if the library has one. There is just something captivating about his books. You will not be disappointed!

If you are curious, here is my review of My Most Excellent Year.

My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger

My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger

Completion Date: March 11, 2011

Reason for Reading: Fun!

Best friends and unofficial brothers since they were six, ninth-graders T.C. and Augie have got the world figured out. But that all changes when both friends fall in love for the first time. Enter Alé. She's pretty, sassy, and on her way to Harvard. T.C. falls hard, but Alé is playing hard to get. Meanwhile, Augie realizes that he's got a crush on a boy. It's not so clear to him, but to his family and friends, it's totally obvious! Told in alternating perspectives, this is the hilarious and touching story of their most excellent year, where these three friends discover love, themselves, and how a little magic and Mary Poppins can go a long way.

If you are one of those few people, like me, that was slow to get around to reading this book... You have to read it now! I was having some issues reading in March, but I picked this book up on a whim and what an absolutely fun book! I was a little worried about the combination of ideas upon beginning, but Kluger entirely pulls it off. As the description above says, it does have its touching moments, but it still manages to have them and be fun at the same time. I have heard that all Kluger's books are really good, but this is the only one my library has.

This is the story of three students in their eleventh year of school who are assigned to write about their 'Most Excellent Year'. Then, in a diary-like style we hear the story of three students and their 9th year of school told in alternating perspectives. T.C. and Augie are such close friends that they call themselves brothers. This has been going on since they were rather young. Their parents and everyone at school accepts this, so it plays out very well. T.C. is in love with Ale, the other person that tells one of the three stories, but she is not interested back. Then, there is Augie who has found himself attracted to a boy. Everyone else just assumes that this is the natural course for him to take, but it takes him a while to come to it himself.

A lot happens in their year. You really feel like you know them by the end. Their personalities are presented very well, as the story is told in almost a scrapbook style at times. This means that it includes the diary entries, but it also includes tokens from key events, chat conversations, emails, etc. It also includes a little boy that is deaf and living in a foster home. T.C. is won over by him and the next thing you know, he has another brother that he looks out for. It is this little boy that brings Mary Poppins into the book. He thinks that she is real and these three friends go to amazing lengths to assure that the magic is not broken. After I read it, I immediately wanted to watch the movie because I was a little kid last time I saw it. The magic isn't quite there like it is for him, but it still a childhood favourite.

What more can I say other than you really should give this book a read. You will not be disappointed!

This book counts for the TwentyEleven Reading Challenge.