Welcome to Scranton [Paperback]

Greg Halpin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 24, 2010

It's a wild ride through Scranton in this darkly funny and touching story about guys in their twenties trying to figure out life in their hometown. The boundaries of friendship are tested as one of them hits rock bottom. Welcome to Scranton paints a portrait of a small town that includes political corruption, a disgraced teacher, and the hilarious misadventures of young men. The story takes you deep beneath the cliché of small town life. It offers scenes that make you laugh out loud, situations that make you cringe, and, above all, Scranton itself looms large as the kind of ugly, lovely town that we all know too well. www.welcometoscranton.com

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Greg Halpin was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He opened gourmet coffee shop Café del Sol in the mid 1990s where some of the scenes take place in Welcome to Scranton. Halpin now lives in State College, Pennsylvania with his wife Elisha. He works for his alma mater, Penn State University. Halpin hosts a Jazz program each month on WPSU-FM. You can listen online at www.wpsu.org

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (November 24, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1453847243
• ISBN-13: 978-1453847244
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #680,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Greg Halpin was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Halpin now lives in State College, Pennsylvania with his wife Elisha. He works for his alma mater, Penn State University.

Halpin hosts a Jazz program each month on WPSU-FM. You can listen online at www.wpsu.org

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, March 2, 2011

By 

Chris J. Campion "curius" (Scranton, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Welcome to Scranton (Paperback)

From the opening scene, I could not put it down. Halpin is great with dialogue, interjecting backstory with taste, and adding his own wry sense of humor when appropriate. I stayed glued to his prose until the very last page.

I must confess, I also got a real kick out of reading all the landmarks in print, as I live and study in Scranton. I felt like I was sitting right next to Hank, Jake, Mike, and Ed while at Whistles, I felt like I could see those grey walls in the Mercy hospital waiting room, I was looking up Ash street, and I could see the pool table in that upper-level-thingy at Jack's. I'm sorry - the old Jack's.

As a whole, I was very impressed with his writing and ability to tell a story with a great balance of detail and introspection. The book is very tasteful and it flows with ease. I don't think there was ever a moment when I found myself bored while reading it.

In conclusion, the story seems to take place at least 15 years ago and Halpin has to be at least that much older then me. Sadly, or ironically (or both), I think about the current state of Scranton, and the same problems still exist: Heavy drinking and drug use, lack of employment, friends who can't cope so they try to kill themselves by consuming a whole bottle of pills, etc etc etc ... And I flip to the cover of his book and re-read the title "Welcome to Scranton" and don't know whether to laugh or to cry.

But besides that little rant, this book is excellent. Halpin has got real talent!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A raw look at the different forms a love-hate relationship can take, May 16, 2011

By 

Nicole Langan "Tribute Books Reviews" (Archbald, PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Welcome to Scranton (Paperback)

Character likeability is subjective. In Greg Halpin's debut novella, Welcome to Scranton, Hank and Ed are not your typical valiant heroes or romantic leading men. Instead, they offer a glimpse into the mind of a twenty-something, small town male. They are rude, crude and obsessed with the opposite sex. All in all, they represent Halpin's take on the average guy. Their realistic portrayal demonstrates how good writing can overshadow the cult of personality.

The main question Halpin addresses is: Would you try to save someone you didn't like? Despite the fact that they've been friends since childhood, Hank despises Ed. Hank is the owner of the gourmet coffee shop, Cafe del Sol, while Ed is a strip club hustler. Hank likes to watch independent films at the Ritz Theater while Ed indulges in cocaine. Hank is tolerant of the differences of others while Ed is a bigoted homophobe. Hank is in a committed relationship while Ed cheats on his pregnant girlfriend. Yet when Ed's life is in danger, Hank must decide whether or not he is worth saving.

This powerful premise is developed through dialogue laced with profanity and sexually explicit language. Hank is not depicted as a saint. He is hesitant to respond to Ed's call for help. He is reluctant to do the right thing. He doesn't want to take charge of the situation and shoulder the responsibility. This is a complex, emotional response to what may seem like a straight forward dilemma. Hank is not one who gladly rises to the challenge of saving the day. Instead, he exhibits the characteristics of a genuine antihero.

When a protagonist doesn't fall into a cliche and think/say/do the expected thing, it lends credence to the narrative. Real life isn't black and white, and good writers live in shades of gray. When characters are composed of both merits and faults, they are ultimately more believable and authentic. Their true natures are revealed by the choices they make under difficult circumstances. Do they rise to the occasion or do they fall short?

In fact, the city of Scranton, itself, is featured as a multi-dimensional character, and Halpin fleshes out the mindset of those who live there. In fact, he explains that despite the feeling of self-hatred the city imprints on its residents, many are so close to their city that they tend to view it as a member of the family. Halpin also highlights the lack of opportunity throughout the region from the impossible odds of obtaining a job with the Scranton School District to Ed suggesting Sinatra should have been singing about Scranton with the words, "If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere." Halpin continues by addressing the long held politically incorrect views of older residents in regards to non-whites and gays, and extols the younger generation for being more open minded about community diversity.

Halpin also features colorful asides in regards to area landmarks and local innuendos. Mickey Gannon's Irish Pub in North Scranton is considered the gathering place for the children of the city's elite despite being a nondescript watering hole. Due to the uneven male to female campus ratio, the girls of Marywood University are believed to be sex-starved, yet unobtainable. While Cooper's Seafood House is mocked for its out of place architecture, but viewed sentimentally for its ship regalia. Across various settings, Halpin illuminates how Scranton culture is immersed in contradiction.

Overall, a raw look at the different forms a love-hate relationship can take.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dark and Deep, November 26, 2010

By 

thomas m swift - See all my reviews

This review is from: Welcome to Scranton (Kindle Edition)

Halpin connects to the underlying humanity of a generation too often depicted as bereft of soul. His protagonist is reminiscent of Hemingway's Jake Barnes in a setting of a new "Lost Generation". Today's strip clubs may just be the modern equivalent of the bull ring.

We look forward to more from this insightful young writer.