Amazon Reviews
A bright and funny look back at suburban life a half-century ago
This memoir takes the reader back to a simpler, perhaps happier time 50+ years ago in upscale leafy suburbs of La Grange and Western Springs, Ill., just southwest of Chicago. From this safe perch, a loose-knit group of boys periodically make their way into the faster lanes of downtown Chicago, somehow managing to avoid serious trouble as they take advantage of freedom available in those less dangerous times. The title refers to the group’s periodic jaunts into the pre-Interstate Windy City to visit Scurvy Miller and his lady friends at the Follies Burlesque. For older readers, the tales become a vivid recollection of a long-gone era, and for younger readers, it’s a tale of mild rebellion that is difficult or impossible to re-enact today. The author later became a successful salesman for Big Pharma, and a bonus in the book are his insightful compilation of tips about the art of selling, and the hazards of swimming in corporate America. This is a fast, humorous read about testing boundaries, recovering from mistakes, easing gently into responsible adulthood, and learning life’s lessons along the way. – Buck Smith
Best read since “Stand By Me” was written for the big screen!
I enjoyed reading the intriguing exploits of this group of close friends. It brought back found memories of my own experiences during my last two years of high school at LTHS in La Grange, IL. Our group was called the “West Side”and consisted of close friends from La Grange Park and Brookfield, IL. Typically we would meet at our school lockers each morning and decide if we would take off on some adventure or endure the boredom of another uneventful school day. What was really impressive about this novel was the closeness of this tight group of friends and how they managed to stay in touch with each other (other than class Reunions) and met annually at places like the gambling casinos in Las Vegas. This book is a must read for anyone growing up in the late 50’s or early 60’s. Kudos to the author who deftly chronicled the unique personalities and adventures of his group of loyal friends. This book should be an inspiration to all of us to make an effort to stay in touch with close friends. – Don Eagle
Such as the best beach in the world and the airport concourse for …
A highly interesting story of friendships formed early as teenagers in the late 1950s and maintained over the years. I won’t be giving away too much to say that the writing of the book was inspired by the death of one of the eight friends. You can read about their adventures and how life was back then in suburban Chicago, and how they re-grouped and celebrated later in life. The book is interspersed with bits of popular music lyrics and tips and living life, such as the best beach in the world and the airport concourse for watching the best-looking women coming into the US (hint: it’s in Miami). Overall an enjoyable read. – Scott
If you enjoy reading about the exploits of enterprising high school lads …
If you enjoy reading about the exploits of enterprising high school lads who thumbed their noses at suburbia you’ll wonder why you missed all the fun. What might your own high school experience been like had you dared to dance to the suburban drummers as they did.
Reading this book gives you the opportunity to learn about what you missed. But don’t despair that you should have been along for the ride unless you understand that these guys went through a lot of tough times along their journey. But they don’t whine about their challenges and that makes the book an honest documentary and great fun. – Leo