Mathias' childhood was poised on the edge of cataclysm. Of course, the portents of this coming storm were little noticed by Mathias and his pals; they were far too busy stealing watermelons (by floating them downriver), exploring abandoned privys (with dire consequences) and tramping the countryside of their 20-mile-wide bit of the planet. With a fluid and often hilarious narrative Mathias lets us live as a child of the 1930's. His writing has that "ring of truth" which amplifies the humor and poignancy of the tales he tells. He never forgot how ten-year-olds view the world. A delightful, engrossing, touching memoir giving much needed context to the lives of those who gave the supreme sacrifice. Highly recommended.

In the tradition of Angela's Ashes, this wonderfully evocative book is a joyful journey back into an ordinary man's past which reveals that no one's past is really ordinary. Mathias' description of his boyhood in a small Kentucky town is a vivid microcosm of pre-World War II America. The author's affectionate parents are still wedded to their Victorian upbringing, while Frank and his young friends are treading a rocky path between the idealism of the nineteenth century and the exciting unknowns of a new era. His portraits of local characters such as incorruptible high school principal Everett Earl "Fanny" Pfanstiel, and his own father, "Lucky" Mathias (addicted to championship prizefights on the new Crosley radio) are both touching and hilarious! A deeply satisfying glimpse into our collective past by a gifted history professor...