Not Exactly Rocket Scientists

Not Exactly Rocket Scientists

A cranky opinion (Book Review)

For

CRANKY OPINION SATURDAY

The following review is the opinion of a cranky old man who reads two to three books a year.  Opposing opinions are welcome, but unless you have read the book, are meaningless.  As always, please, no name calling, and that means you, you big stupid head!

I just finished reading a funny and entertaining book that closely resembles life as I knew it in central New Jersey in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s.  Perhaps I found such similarities in this book and my own experiences at the age 8-18 because it takes place in a central New Jersey Town and the characters were all born the same year as I was.

It is the story, or group of stories of the antics of three boys growing up in New Jersey in the late 50’s and early 60’s.  They often refer to themselves as idiots, their antics as crazy, and their stories as legendary.  Truth be told, they were just boys and their stories not very different from those of most boys.

Yes, they were idiots.  They were boys.  Yes, their antics were crazy.  They were boys.  Yes, there stories were legendary, the stories of most boys are legendary in their own circle.

The charm of these stories is they bring back similar memories to the reader.  Some of the stories can only have taken place back in those specific magical years, but all bear similarities to stories that anyone who has ever been a boy can identify with.  (And yes, I ended that sentence with a preposition, something that we were taught in those magical days to never do.  It’s ok folks, just as it is ok to swim right after eating and to sit close to the TV, all false lessons from those good old days.)

There are no unusual stories in this book, only nostalgic tales most boys of any age will identify with.  (See, I did it again.) Except for maybe, waterskiing over the back of an alligator, or landing an outboard boat on the top of a dock scattering a crowd of gawkers, or knocking the clock off the wall of a bowling alley with an 8-pound ball; most are growing-up stories any boy will find familiar. Stories of the first date, learning to dance, sports and street games, church, scouting, camp and school, baseball cards, fake farting, shooting the shit, getting in trouble, and being bailed out of trouble.

These are also stories of the adults, parents, teachers, and other assorted role models who put up with the antics of boys and helped turn them into men.

This book of stories is a must read for anyone who has ever been or known a boy; a crazy, idiotic, energetic, man-to-be with-any-luck boy.

The book can be purchased through Amazon or ordered in a Kindle form.  Do it!

Tell them Cranky sent you.

The preceding was the opinion of a cranky old man and not necessarily that of management…Mrs. Cranky.  (But I’m pretty sure she agrees.)