Bob Flaherty

One of the funniest books I've read in some time. Set in the Boston suburbs of the 1960's & 70's the main premise of the book is that the Gullivan brothers want to drive to Braintree to score some weed. During the Blizzard of 1978. Disguised as Red Cross Workers. They swiftly are sidetracked in their quest for a buzz as they have to assist people trapped in the storm. Told in first person by the elder brother John, the book relies on flashbacks to flesh out the story of the Gullivan family one that I find close to home. The narrative quickly veers away from it's silly but appealing premise to delve into more serious issues as the death of the Gullivan's mother and John re-igniting a romance with neighbor Dally (a raven-haired tomato). It reads as if Dude, Where's My Car were written by John Irving if he'd been raised Irish-American and Catholic.

"Is it possible that's all maturity is? Speaking better? Is it possible that everybody in the world -- the monsignor and president included -- is just a dumb, stupid kid acting like a grown-up because they can sound and look like one? It almost seems easy." - p. 212… (meer)