Moderator---Shellie
It's the summer of '44 and America is at war. In Newark, New Jersey, Bucky Cantor, who was rejected by the Army, finds himself in a war on the home front. He is a playground supervisor in the Jewish section of the city and the polio epidemic has found it's way there. There is no absolute information on the cause of the disease and speculation runs from it being spread by paper money, coins, spittle, or milk. There is even a 'Swat the Flies' campaign in case that is the culprit spreading polio.
For the WWII generation and for Baby Boomers, this novel is a reminder of what polio felt like. Rich in detail and history, the story makes the old scourge real again. Bucky Cantor is a man who takes what he feels is his responsibilities very seriously. Yet, he is given a way out of the path of epidemic. But at what price?
Philip Roth regularly sets his fiction in Newark, New Jersey where he grew up. A half dozen of his novels have been made into movies including Portnoy's Complaint, Goodbye Columbus, The Human Stain etc. He has received numerous awards for his writings including the National Book Award, Book Critics Circle Award, PEN/Faulkner Award and a Pulitzer Prize.
Deli Delights:
Boiled Hot Dogs with relish, Pretzels and Cookies.
"A young man labeled 4F manages to do his share."---Shellie
"Detailed look at polio--and the lasting effects on one's body and soul."---Dee Dee
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