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Tom made his literary debut with this short story collection, earning critical praise and comparisons to Salinger, Carver, and Roth by taking readers to New Jersey in the 1970s as a boy named Buddy struggles with the timeless mysteries of sex, death, parents-and of course, bad haircuts.
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“More powerful than any coming-of-age novel I’ve read recently…These stories of the 70s deserve to be read by anyone who grew up in that blighted decade.” — Washington Post
“Moving…looks past the era’s celebrated kitsch to still-relevant social and cultural issues and the timeless mysteries of growing up…A convincing portrait of a time of life, illuminating all the profound cruelty and tenderness of adolescence.” — Publisher’s Weekly
“His stories remind me…in their wit, humanity, and cumulative impact, of Philip Roth’s Goodbye, Columbus. Like that book, Perotta’s funny and deeply touching collection marks the arrival of a writer who’s here for the long haul.” — Tobias Wolff