Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger

Title: Last Days of Summer
Author: Steve Kluger
Publisher: Harper Collins
Length: 368 pages
Buy: Amazon

Blurb:

In and of itself, the epistolary novel is nothing new; indeed, Ring Lardner wrote You Know Me Al, his classic diamond saga, as a series of letters home from fictional White Sox hurler Jack Keefe more than 80 years ago. With Last Days of Summer, Kluger has virtually reinvented the genre in his picaresque coming-of-age fable of future sportswriter Joey Margolis and his improbable relationship with Giants rookie sensation, Charlie Banks.

The place is Brooklyn, the time is the early ’40s, and young baseball fanatic Joey needs a hero badly in his life. How that hero becomes Charlie–and ultimately Joey himself–forms the dimensions of the novel’s field, but it’s the way the game is played that’s so remarkable. The story’s told not through conventional narrative but by way of Joey’s abstract scrapbook: letters, postcards, news clippings, box scores, report cards, matchbook covers, dispatches from FDR, telegrams, even an invitation to Joey’s own Bar Mitzvah and the gift list from the affair.

Delightful throughout, Summer develops a deeper traction when Charlie goes off to war, then turns poignant in its seemingly preordained aftermath. It is a triumph of style, to be sure, but a triumph of style without loss of substance. –Jeff Silverman –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review:

While the Last Days of Summer is not technically a GLBT title because the characters are straight, I figure I can skate this one into the mix due to how fabulous the story is and the author is gay. That’s close enough for Lambda Literary so I’m using their rules on this one. Nonetheless, this is one of the few books that I’d save in a fire, literally risking my life for this genius. The story made me laugh so much my stomach hurt then had me crying several times in the second half. The tone is hilariously funny, witty, charming, and heartbreakingly bittersweet with the predictable ending. I simply urge everyone to read this book, it’s that good.

As the blurb review has explained, the story is about young twelve-year-old Joey Margolis in the early 1940’s as he struggles to find a hero. He’s a short Jewish kid in Brooklyn that’s getting regularly beat up by a group of bullies. Joey’s predilection for lies, threats, crime, and research compliments his stubborn nature as he embarks on a letter writing campaign to famed third baseman Charlie Banks. Joey’s hoping that if Charlie thinks Joey is dying, he’ll pretend to be Joey’s friend long enough to get the bullies to back off. What starts as a hilarious series of sharp exchanges soon becomes more meaningful as Charlie becomes a father figure to the desperately yearning Joey. Their friendship changes both their lives and can’t help but leave the reader moved as well.

The novel is told epistolary style, like other Kluger offerings. Joey’s highly intelligent mind leads him on letter writing campaigns, cross country expeditions, and keeping intelligent adults fearful of what a twelve year old boy can do next. From writing weekly to FDR with his concerns about everything from war to conspirator neighbors, Joey never fails to charm, bully, delight, and entertain. His antics and intelligence are far above that of his age and if there is anything slightly off with the book, you have to suspend disbelief and go with it. You just have to accept that Joey predicted Pearl Harbor when FDR said he wasn’t worried about it and numerous other off the wall predictions that simply are meant to entertain and amuse. I had no problems though as the story sucked me in immediately and I happily went along wherever the book wanted to go.

One of the best exchanges in my opinion is near the middle of the book. Here Joey has been charged with a writing essay about what would his father do if he was president. Since Joey’s father hasn’t given him the time of day since he left years ago, Joey decides to focus on his friend Charlie instead. Not only does the essay show the depth of their growing relationship but highlights both characters in ways that touch them deeply while still maintaining a sense of the ever present humor and ridiculous. However when I read the following exchange, it so perfectly exemplifies the entire story. Here Joey’s principle is responding to the teacher’s concern about the essay and just epitomizes Joey’s precocious nature.

To:          Janet Hicks

From:    Herbert Demarest, Principal

Re:         Margolis Essay

Janet,

Bear in mind the following:

1. When pushed to the wall, our allies consist of the Board of Education and, in a pinch, Supervisor Meylan.
2. The boy’s personal arsenal includes the National League, the entire Democratic Party, and God only knows who else.

In other words, dear, he’s got us by the balls.

Send it to Washington. Let them handle it. If we’re lucky, maybe they’ll draft him.

HD

The characters are not just empty laugh makers though and they have pasts, futures, hopes, and dreams that play into the story as well. Charlie starts as a grumpy ball player, a curmudgeon at the age of twenty-two but soon shows his real personality through interaction with Joey. This is absorbing and engaging with the later, more deeply felt emotions being all the more compelling. When Joey finally discovers Charlie’s past and writes to Charlie’s long time girlfriend about what he found, their interaction had me near tears. This shift from laughter to tears is one of the best aspects of the book. From Joey’s best friend Craig, aka The Green Hornet, to his aunt Carrie who manages to always go to the bathroom when Charlie is at bat, the cast never fails to maintain a pitch perfect balance. The famous, infamous, and common place all converges to deliver an unforgettable tale.

The varying style of letters, top secret notes, telegrams, postcards, gossip articles, game scores, and other scrapbook memorabilia help keep the pace incredibly quick. In fact I devoured this 353 page book in just under three hours. I almost even re-read it immediately, it’s that good. The main characters of Joey and Charlie are very similar and the voices of the various secondary cast all maintain the same tone of voice so some may find this sameness a bit too bland or unremarkable. I clearly didn’t have that problem and Kluger’s excellent writing infuses such charm, wit, intelligence, and addictive delight that I can forgive any problems within.

It’s rare that I come across a book that defies rating; there should be more stars for offerings like this. So do yourself a favor and pick this up today. You won’t be disappointed.