Review of 'The Christmas kid and other Brooklyn stories' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I've heard of Pete Hamill, but this is the first time I've read any of his works. This is a collection of short stories about life in New York City. I'm puzzled by the blurb on the back of the book: "They read like messages from a vanished age, brimming with nostalgia..." I didn't find the stories nostalgic, except for possibly the title story, "The Christmas Kid." These aren't feel good Christmas tales. In "The Christmas Kid," the narrator tells his mother that the new boy, Lev, has a number tattooed on his wrist.
"A number on his wrist?" my mother said one night. "Oh, my God." She was silent for a while, then glanced out the window at the skyline glittering across the harbor. "Well, make sure you take care of that boy. Don't let anything happen to him. Ever."
The local boys adopt Lev, teach him the ways …
I've heard of Pete Hamill, but this is the first time I've read any of his works. This is a collection of short stories about life in New York City. I'm puzzled by the blurb on the back of the book: "They read like messages from a vanished age, brimming with nostalgia..." I didn't find the stories nostalgic, except for possibly the title story, "The Christmas Kid." These aren't feel good Christmas tales. In "The Christmas Kid," the narrator tells his mother that the new boy, Lev, has a number tattooed on his wrist.
"A number on his wrist?" my mother said one night. "Oh, my God." She was silent for a while, then glanced out the window at the skyline glittering across the harbor. "Well, make sure you take care of that boy. Don't let anything happen to him. Ever."
The local boys adopt Lev, teach him the ways of baseball, and protect him. When a nosy, interfering witch of a neighbor (Nora the Nose) causes a problem, the boys come to Lev's aid. The story is moving, but never saccharine.
The same can be said for many of the other stories in the book. "The Love of His Life" is a tale of romantic obsession. "Just the Facts, Ma'am" is a humorous story about Facts McCarthy, a walking encyclopedia of largely useless trivia (unless you're playing Trivial Pursuit), who changes when he meets the right girl. It's not as sappy as it sounds.
One thing you can always count on with Pete Hamill is that there won't be any heavy-handed sentimentality. The characters in the stories are people, not caricatures or two-dimensional puppets. Most of the stories are bleak and the endings are often sad. I had a hard time reading this book, and had to take breaks from it because it actually made me cry a few times. I dare anyone to read "Good-by" without shedding a tear.
This is a powerful collection of short stories and worth a read. I will definitely be reading more of Pete Hamill's books.