Right by My Side
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Book Overview
Move over, Holden Caulfield, and meet Marshall Field Finney, in the 30th anniversary edition of Right by My Side, by a celebrated chronicler of Black middle class life in the American Midwest A Penguin Classic With wit and realism, David Haynes presents a different kind of Holden Caulfield in fifteen-year-old Marshall Field Finney, an ordinary, sullen teenager who discovers storytelling as a way to ease his adolescent anger and family tensions. Living with his parents in "Washington Park, '' a housing development outside St. Louis, Missouri in the 1980s, his high-strung mother walks out on him and his father, a flawed yet strong man who manages the local landfill. Marshall's two best friends, one Black and one white, are his only allies, as they navigate school and family life together. Through these relationships, Haynes poses Marshall's universal questions about his place in his community and what's next in his life. Ultimately, Marshall's story proves that people take care of each other, families take care of others, and a boy finds his own resilience to become a young man. "[Haynes] belongs to the old realist tradition that believes that everyday life, if truly rendered, is more than exciting enough."--Los Angeles Times Book Review
"Haynes offers engaging characters who tackle fundamental issues such as love, family and benevolence," Publishers Weekly
"Haynes offers engaging characters who tackle fundamental issues such as love, family and benevolence," Publishers Weekly
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0143137557
ISBN13:9780143137559
Release Date:January 2023
Publisher:Penguin Group
Length:208 Pages
Weight:0.45 lbs.
Dimensions:0.6" x 5.1" x 7.5"
Related Subjects
13 - 17 Years Classics Contemporary Fiction Literature & Fiction Teen & Young AdultCustomer Reviews
4 ratings
Terrific
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
This is one of the best books i have read. It was so funny. Marshall was one of the funniest characthers i've had the pleasure of reading about. I love Mr Haynes writing style. If anybody want a good laugh this is the book for them.
Something Different can by good for you.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
RIGHT BY MY SIDE was a good diversion from the hectic day. It reached into the center of the title character as he bared his soul and became honest with him view about his mother, father, and himself as a young man growing up within his troubled family. Even I couldn't have guessed the ending, and that made the trip worth the effort. Good job, David!
This book is entertaining and easy to read.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
David Haynes is a delightfully witty writer
This book is entertaining and easy to read.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
David Haynes is a delightfully witty writer. Also check out his other work, including "Somebody Else's Mamma" and "Live at Five".
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