Customer Reviews

The Altar Boy Chronicles

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This book should be on every shelf in Philadelphia, in every Catholic family's library, and every man who, at one time, was a teen-ager. It reads in one risible, enjoyable, poignant evening. Wonderful!!

Sometimes having personally met someone makes a review difficult. I enjoyed reading this book and think it should be required reading for boys from age 12 up. It amuses and makes the dispensation of a difficult topic more endurable. It would provide a decent read to anyone of any age.The Altar Boy Chronicles

All right, Tony Pasquarello says up front that this book is not about Altar Boy pranks, or other mischief that boys get into in his Philadelphia neighborhood.

And for the first 100 pages or so, the author's hindsight and commentary, although annoying, is tolerable, because the writing is crisp and sharp and you think it's going to take you somewhere interesting.

But when Tony hits puberty his urges take over not only the young boy, but this biography as well. Consider it a Portnoy's Complaint with pasta.

And there's the rub, pardon the pun, but how can anyone recommend this book to anyone else? You interested in history, or Italians in Philadelphia? Don't bother with this book - unless you just read the first 100 pages. As for the next 100 pages or so, it's so distracting, you'll lose any insight you might have found in the front of the book.

So, sadly, keep your mind blank and pass on The Altar Boy Chronicles.