Review of The Education of Joey G
by Gus Kearney
There's a new kid in the literary neighborhood by the name of Joey Garden. First-time
novelist Gus Kearney has nailed Joey's narrative voice as he passes through the ages of six,
eleven, fourteen and seventeen...echoes of Holden Caulfield. Joey G's use of language and
out-of-the-mainstream thinking as he travels the byways and highways of Lansdowne,
Pennsylvania (an important real place in Joey's journey to adulthood) in the late 50's and
early 60's are laugh-out-loud funny or profound depending on the moment.
Coming of age novels usually deal with the search for identity and Mr. Kearney's book is
no exception. In fact, Joey's search for identity romps and roams through boyhood
adventures in the woods, neighborhood gang fights, adolescent sexual confusion, high
school basketball team psychology, the young intellectual's struggle with the teenage herd
mentality and social class conflicts. Kearney mixes compassion, humor, family secrets,
hypocrisy and friendship into a feel-good fast-paced story.
If you lived "back in the day" or want to share the feelings of those that did, this book's
portrait of a youth's struggles with self-doubt to learn who he is and where he belongs is
the real thing. Kearney's novel captures the bittersweet moments of coming of age along
with politics' and sport's moments of agony and defeat.
5 stars
Bill Snyder
The book can be bought here...http://www.amazon.com/The-Education-Joey-Gus-
Kearney/dp/0578165244
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