This book is the story of a thoughtful Jewish- American child growing up in Troy New York in the early fifties of the twentieth century. His picture of this now distant world is given in one hundred -twenty short chapters -each an independent story or sketch. He tells the story of his family, his hard-working businessman father, his responsible and caring housewife mother, his adventurous brother, his kind sister. He meets and relates to a rich cast of colorful characters, not only in his First Street neighborhood and community, but in School 10 and Sharei Tefilah Shul, at the baseball park, Hawkins Stadium in Richman's gambling joint on River Street and on the Junk truck with his father and brother. Above all he gives in the freshness and innocence of a young child's colloquial voice his experience as he encounters life 's daily challenges and mysteries.