Stanley Gordon West

Writing was beautiful and enjoyable to read, but the story just drug on too long (over 500 pages). DNF, though I read about 250 pages that I enjoyed, but then became repetitious and monotonous.

A story about helping someone who needs it bad with limited means, by the at this point criminally-underrated writer Stanley Gordon West, this book was a workout. With all the stuff going on in my personal life while reading it, I feel like I was running all the icy streets and doing all the time. Impressively funny, fun, intense, scary, sad and real, highly recommended. This is the kind of stuff kids should be made to read to graduate high school.

High school boy tries to keep his family together, in 1949 St. Paul, after his mother dies and his father starts drinking.

Actually, I didn't read the whole book. I only got 1/4 way through and couldn't take it. It was dull and slow moving. I wanted to like it, as it was a local story taking place in St. Paul in the 40's but I decided not to waste my time on books that don't catch my interest.