...By Reason of Childhood [Paperback]

Francis Connelly (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 12, 2002

'You should write a book!' Thus encouraged by his grandchildren, Francis J. Connelly sat down and did just that. The result is ...By Reason of Childhood, the candid story of his courageous journey through early life. Filled with rich detail about Brooklyn in the late 1930's and 40's, ...By Reason of Childhood is an engaging combination of memoir and genealogical detective story.Though he is being raised poor by an orphaned mother and a mostly absent alcoholic father, Frankie nonetheless tackles life with joy and tenacity. We share in his innocent adventures: Sneaking into Ebbets Field to see the Dodgers, hitchhiking through New England, spending a night in jail. We meet the unforgettable characters who populate his world, like Gene, the ghoulish hardware store owner, and Frankie Kane, the inscrutable but kindly father figure. As he endures house fires, bullies, armed robbery, summer camps from hell, and myriad illnesses, accidents, and injuries, Frankie somehow retains his sense of humor and essential goodness.Through experiences both poignant and comical, sifted mysteriously through the sieve of his family history, Frankie emerges as an anxious yet intrepid survivor. ...By Reason of Childhood is infused with a spirit of nostalgia, love, and, most of all, forgiveness.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Francis J. Connelly was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Over the years, Frank has worn many hats: Chinese voice intercept supervisor during the Korean War, police officer, corporate security advisor, and owner of a successful pest exterminating business. At one time, Frank was active in community theater, and was presented with a Best Director award by his acting troupe. Now retired, Frank spends his days reading, writing and spending time with his family, especially with his nine grandchildren (who allow him to be a kid again). He and Anne have been married for forty-eight years and still live in Brooklyn. ...By Reason of Childhood is his first book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (December 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1403356041
• ISBN-13: 978-1403356048
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,636,303 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A touching and real memoir, February 1, 2003

By 

Frederick J Martens (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ...By Reason of Childhood (Paperback)

I just finished reading this book, and spent as much time crying as I did laughing. It's basically a really engaging collection of episodes from an Irish youth spent making the most of a situation marked with the sadness of an absent, alcohholic father. I read Angela's Ashes several years ago, but found this memoir to be so much more refreshing because it's so much less "literary" and so much more personable. The voice with which the stories are told is more common than McCourt's (in my opinion almost contrived) loftiness, and the image I most often had in mind was Connelly as my own father, telling random stories from memory as they occurred to him, and as he remembered them. In spite of the hardships he was faced with, this guy was a champ at finding the fun and wonder in the simple things he had before him. I live in Brooklyn today, but Connelly made me wish for some of the Brooklyn of yesterday.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An honesty and humor that's rare, April 7, 2004

By 

Rocco Dormarunno (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: ...By Reason of Childhood (Paperback)

Francis Connelly's BY REASON OF CHILDHOOD is a frank remembrance of a youth spent on Brooklyn's sidewalks. While reading it, I was struck by how Mr. Connelly's book was a sort of male version of Betty Smith's A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN. The impossible task of coping with an alcoholic father, the toughing it out in the streets, the quick allies and enemies of childhood, all come together in this open and, often times, funny narrative. Qualities you don't find very frequently these days. The fact is, you have to learn to laugh at life, especially when it tends to frown at you; this is the subtext of BY REASON OF CHILDHOOD. It is a powerfully taught lesson which, to Mr. Connelly's credit, is conveyed to us through this wonderful book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Touching and Inspiring, January 31, 2003

By 

Gro (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ...By Reason of Childhood (Paperback)

Once you get started reading this book, you won't want to put it down! This is the story of what it was like for a young Irish boy growing up in old time Brooklyn. You'll share in his triumphs and sorrows. The author has a certain charming wit that just about everyone can identify with. If you're a fan of true life stories - you must add ...by Reason of Childhood to your reading list.