"Brother, If you can't feel it, I can't explain it." Heidi! That was so beautiful! I absolutely LOVED this book! Thank you so much for sharing, because otherwise I would never have stumbled across it or picked it up. I'm grateful! :)To all my other Goodreads friends, this is a MUST READ book. (And for those in YA-MA, it is a GREAT pick for the season challenge, hint hint!) It's 1940 and Joey is a 12 years old Jewish boy living in Brooklyn after his parents divorce. Joey's had a rough start in the new area. He's being bullied pretty badly, made some bad decisions, and has come to the conclusion that there is only one way out of this mess. He has to get up and coming rookie for the New York Giants, Charlie Banks, to hit a home run and dedicating it to him, Babe Ruth style. All he's gotta do is convince him. This leads to one of the most special and endearing friendships I've ever read in a book. "It is Joseph's opinion that he open his Bar Mitzvah speech 'with a few laughs to loosen them up'- more specifically, that worn-out routine chronicling Moses' descent from the mountain with the Ten Commandments, concluding with the epigram 'Adultery's still in.' Given the manner in which the two of them recited the punch line in unison, I gather that Mr. Banks and your son are a well-suited match. So, however, are Laurel and Hardy." - Rabbi Morris LiebermanI have to warn you, this book is written entirely through letters, report cards, therapist notes, newspaper articles, and baseball stats. I was a little nervous going into it, thinking that it would make it difficult to get a feel for these characters and build a reader/character relationship. Yeah, not a problem at all. I loved each and every one of them just as deeply as one possibly could. Joey was so clever and fearless, even though he was only 12 years old (14 at the end) I truly admired his gumption. I laughed outloud at the boys antics. Poor Charlie never stood a chance, thank goodness. He could be a 'tough guy' all he wanted, but inside he was a big softy. (Don't even get me started on Craig, Aunt Carrie, Hazel and Stuke. They are all so well written and 3 dimensional.)And the book was FUNNY. Laugh out loud funny, I'll have you know. There were wisecracks and one liners throughout the whole thing. Here's just a taste of one that had me laughing outloud!This is Charlie quizzing Joey on the Torah before his Bar Mitzvah: 3. How old was Noah when God gave him the job?76.600.Says who? And how come God thought an old fart like that could build a boat? He'd be lucky if he could still pee.If you don't read this you're missing out, seriously. Sure it's about baseball, and if you're not into sports you may not understand the baseball stats. I sure as hell didn't, haha. It doesn't matter because love is what this story is really about. It's about love and everlasting friendships. I absolutely loved it. I can guaran-damn-tee that I will be buying this book for my bookshelf and I'll be reading it again and again. I can't wait to read others from this author. Beautiful and Brilliant. "Dear Aunt Carrie and Mrs. M, Hazel did some nosing around and found out that there are 19 million kids in the U.S. of A. Only 10 of them are going to the W. House today. You can do the math yourself on account of I would not get near long division with a 10 ft. pole. But if you tell people that he is one in a million, you would be pretty close to the mark. Charlie
I loved the first book I read by Steve Kluger, Almost Like Being in Love, and yet Last Days of Summer still managed to surprise me. I don't think I expected to be caught up in the story or the characters in the same way. I was wrong.Kluger takes us to Brooklyn, New York in 1940 to tell us Joey Margolis' story. He is a 12 year old Jewish boy who having recently moved from Manhattan with his mother and aunt becomes the neighborhood bullies' punching bag. Lacking a father figure in his life, Joey is desperately looking for someone to take that place. He chooses a reluctant Charlie Banks, the new 3rd Baseman for the New York Giants baseball team.Joey is a smart-mouthed, needy, brilliant little boy who goes to great lengths to get what he wants. His imagination, determination and persistence become legendary throughout the story. Charlie is a baseball player through and through. An uneducated young man who doesn't necessarily make the best first impression, Charlie doesn't seem to be the best choice for hero worship. However, once Joey chooses Charlie he doesn't stand a chance, no matter his reluctance to accept that role. Kluger again uses his favored epistolary style to reveal Joey and Charlie's improbable story of friendship. Through letters, telegrams, report cards, tickets and other means of communication, this beautiful story of friendship and love unfolds as the characters are revealed. Last Days of Summer accurately details some incredible New York baseball history (Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees, New York Giants) and other teams as well, but baseball doesn't overwhelm the book. Also, through Charlie and Joey we glimpse the history of the times between 1940 and 1942 and slowly experience how things change and develop throughout the country. Kluger covers the slow escalation of World War II in Europe, Roosevelt's New Deal, Pearl Harbor, the Japanese-American's Relocation Centers in California, and finally our troops in the South Pacific. Although again, as with baseball, history does not overshadow the main story.Atmosphere is important when setting a book during these times. Kluger achieves this by the usage of language and attitude, as well as by incorporating wonderful details such as: music, Broadway shows, famous personages, and using the names of businesses that were around in 1940's New York.I laughed quite a bit while reading Joey and Charlie's sharp and witty exchanges and their improbable adventures, although I admit that the content itself pulled some emotional strings at the most unexpected of times -- Joey's Bar Mitzvah was one of the funniest and most emotional events and one of my favorite. There were wonderful secondary characters in this book that made this story work, even though Joey and Charlie were always the main focus. I personally fell in love with Joey's Aunt Carrie and the Rabbi (Rabby).The end of this book was very emotional for me and quite beautiful in its own way. If you want to know why I was surprised, well... it's because this book is not really about baseball and being a baseball fan that's what I expected. Instead, Last Days of Summer is a beautiful story about a boy who needs, and a man who by answering that need fulfills his own.Last Days of Summer is a book I couldn't put down once I read the first few pages. That makes two keepers by Mr. Kluger for me.
Do You like book Last Days Of Summer (2005)?
Oh man.I laughed, a lot. Then at the end I cried. Seriously. A lot of books SAY that they’ll make you laugh and cry, but the books that have made me laugh out loud I could count on one hand… and I can only think of one other book that made me cry. The Catalpa Tree by Denyse Devlin (incredible book, by the way).It's an epistolary novel, written through letters, telegrams, transcripts of sessions with his therapist, newspaper articles, etc. A story of a Jewish kid in Brooklyn during WWII - Joey Margolis. He gets sent to Juvy for peeing the in reservoir and is a pathological liar. The kid finds a hero in a rookie baseball player and tracks down his home address and his girlfriends address in order to make friends with him. He is in correspondence with the White House and ends up playing sax with Louis Armstrong.There is all kinds of quirky aspects of the story that endears me to it further, yet are completely ridiculous, I like that sort of thing. But mostly, it’s just sweet as fucking pie and it made me cry.LOVED it.
—Tory
Quickie Review: Last Days Of Summer by Steve Kluger....Once again, Steve has put together a brilliant....let me repeat that--brilliant--story. The clever construction of the narrative--letters, announcements, newspaper clippings, etc--conveys a humorous, but also emotionally wrenching tale. It combines hilarious Jewish humor, baseball, and one of the most heart-breaking storylines I've ever read. In fact, I had a problem with the ending. I realize that the HEA-rule only applies to romance novels, but I'm not sure this ending was necessary, or even optimal, for this story. In spite of that, this book was another shining example of Steve's talent, and you're meshugana if you don't read it. Grade: A-
—Penny Watson
I wondered if The Last Days of Summer would hold up to a second reading. As I wipe away the tears I realize it has. For me this is book is an old friend I will revisit every few years. The Last Days of Summer is written in epistolary style and could be a quick read on the surface but it's one to savor. Joey Margolis is a 12 year old growing up in Brooklyn in the 40's. He's trying to figure out how to navigate the recent changes in his life and has an incredible imagination only surpassed by his unfailing dedication to reaching his goals. He focuses his attention and imagination on the 3rd Baseman for the NY Giants - Charlie Banks and from there the antics ensue.This book isn't for everyone I'm sure, but it hit all of my sweet spots! New York, World War II, Coming of Age, friendship, loyalty and love.If you're looking for a great Summer read, this is it. To quote Joey's irascible Aunt Carrie - if you don't read this book "let it be on your head".
—Coleen
