City Boy

Herman Wouk's City Boy focuses on Herbie Bookbinder, a bright overweight 11-year old boy growing up in the Bronx during the late 1920's. He has a series of adventures at home, school, and summer camp, with a style vaguely reminiscent of Tom Sawyer. Though some of the incidents are entertaining, the book as a whole didn't make much of an impression on me. Wouk does capture the atmosphere of his own childhood and presents a vivid portrayal of Herbie, his friends, and his family. Still, City Boy isn't nearly as riveting as Wouk's The Caine Mutiny.