Now and Then: From Coney Island to Here

This book truly has some really interesting stuff within its pages.

Particularly, if you happen to be a fan of Joseph Heller's other works, you'll find certain elements here quite engaging.

However, unfortunately, it is written in a style similar to many memoirs, presenting a fairly random list of events and details from Heller's childhood.

Personally speaking, I really only enjoyed the chapters that delved into his father, his war experiences, and his time when he was trying to make it as an author.

I love the fact that he lists how much money he earned from each short story.

This addition gives readers a clear understanding of just how difficult it was for him to make a living as an author.

It provides a unique insight into the challenges and struggles he faced during that period of his life.

Overall, while the book has its flaws in terms of its narrative structure, the interesting aspects it contains make it worth a read for fans of Heller and those interested in the life of a writer.

A Compelling and Engaging Memoir of a Certain Way of Life

Memoirs have the power to transport us into the lives of others, allowing us to experience their joys, sorrows, and the unique paths they have walked. This particular memoir offers a captivating account of a certain way of life that is both fascinating and inspiring.

The author takes us on a journey through their memories, painting vivid pictures of the people, places, and events that have shaped their existence. We are introduced to a world that may be unfamiliar to us, yet we find ourselves completely immersed in it.

From the early days of childhood to the challenges and triumphs of adulthood, the memoir unfolds like a beautiful story. We witness the author's growth and transformation, and we are left with a sense of admiration for their resilience and determination.

What makes this memoir truly special is the author's ability to convey their emotions and experiences with such authenticity and honesty. We feel their pain, their joy, and their love as if it were our own.

Whether you are interested in learning about a different culture, or simply looking for an inspiring read, this memoir is sure to captivate you from beginning to end. It is a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of preserving our memories for future generations.

Joseph Heller, the author of my all-time favorite book, Catch-22, has always intrigued me. Since I've only read that one satire novel by him, I was eager to discover what a non-fiction work by him would involve.

Heller's upbringing was far from glamorous. He vividly描绘s his family and the unique experience of growing up with half-siblings who were "technically orphans." He also paints an idyllic picture of Coney Island, famous for its theme park attractions, offering a personal perspective of life there as a Jewish resident.

I suspect Heller might be on the autism spectrum. He mentions several traits that are typical of those with Aspergers syndrome or on the spectrum. For example, his early talent for writing and unconventional approaches, his lack of interest in social organizations or functions, his indifference to voting or other civic duties, his disregard for small things like cooking meals or making beds, and his habit of wearing the same clothes for weeks without changing. He even admits, "The tendency to be unaware of matters that should be obvious to me has stayed with me."

Nonetheless, Heller is a great storyteller. His life wasn't particularly remarkable. He did ordinary things like going to school, avoiding trouble, getting married young, joining the armed forces to fight in the war, and taking on decent jobs to earn money. Thanks to the G.I. bill, he suddenly had the opportunity to pursue a college education, which led to a respectable career in academia and as a writer.

Surprisingly, in this memoir, Heller doesn't write much about writing or his career as a writer, which didn't really take off until later in life. He only mentions it enough to show his love for the craft. Instead, he focuses on his family, the personalities of his siblings, his mom, and his neighborhood peers. He shares his adolescent experiences and many fascinating anecdotes that he witnessed or heard rumors about. He also describes the mood and feeling of Coney Island and its neighborhoods.

To be honest, Heller is not really extraordinary and seems quite reserved. However, the memoir is still enjoyable to read, which attests to his skill as a writer. He is able to capture the mood or feeling of what might seem like the ordinary and convey the spirit of a place or person through his writing.

Three-and-a-half stars.

I typed up approximately 1600 words of notes from this book, which clearly indicates its worthiness for reading.

Here are some of those notes:

1. Mark Twain is said to have made the observation that by the time we are tall enough to reach the jar of jam on the high shelf of the cupboard, we discover that we have lost our taste for it.

7-8. {newspaper boy} At best, this was very insignificant work, and I was fortunate if I earned as much as a dollar. I bought the papers for a penny and a half, as I recall, and sold them for two cents each, hoping for an occasional tip of a penny or two. People who wanted both might give me a nickel.

22. Our expectations, although varying significantly, were disciplined. We did not desire what we could not realistically hope to have, and we were not made bitter or envious by knowing about people who had much more. We worked at what we could because we never doubted that we had to work, and we felt truly fortunate that we could find employment.

23. I continued writing, of course, but I regarded this work - and still do at this very moment - not so much as working for money but as a challenging and eternally and increasingly harrowing (and remunerative) application of the mind to leisure, in much the same way I imagine a rock climber or mountain hiker contends with his pastime or an amateur bridge player or golfer grapples with the frustrations and adversities of his particular obsessive recreation. I make a living from mine.

33. Even back in 1929, when I entered kindergarten....

37. We were children from poor families, but we didn't know it. I don't think I have ever in my life considered myself underprivileged or unfairly deprived of something I might reasonably wish to own and didn't. Although incomes were low, everyone's father did seem to have a job, and later everyone's older brother and sister; finally, we, too, were out of school and working. It was a blessing of our childhood to be oblivious of our low economic status and of how others might regard us. We had our beach and our boardwalk, our safe streets, the food and clothing we needed, and I don't believe the circumstance of moderate poverty was overly distressing to our parents either. Nearly all were immigrants and living at a roughly equal level. This was the nature of life; they had learned that in Europe. It was not fashionable to complain. They expected life to be hard, and most were living better than they had been able to in the Old World.

57. And suddenly I understood without the need to put anything into words that this was a part of my life that was definitely over.... And like someone much older, for I have crossed similar thresholds of loss since, I felt with sadness that something dear was behind me forever, but I also felt that loss with tremendous relief. It is often pleasing to be free of even good things, and childhood is one of them. Youth is another.

68. In the military, I came close countless times to dying young, too, but I didn't appreciate that fact either until I saw blood pouring from a man wounded in my plane. I expect my war experience in this regard is similar to that of every infantryman, marine, paratrooper, etc., going into modern battle for the first time. I, luckily, was spared that dreadful realization until I was far along in my tour of duty, on my thirty-seventh mission. But after that, I was in a state close to panic as we took off from the landing strip at the start of every one of those remaining missions.

69. But I wanted that kite. It was a wish that had grown into a lust.

* 84. One of the girls was petite and pretty. The second was larger and jolly. I waited my turn and got the buxom one. The gossip turned out to be true. I felt a female bosom, and I learned something - I learned something quickly. I learned that once you had a breast in your hand, there wasn't much you could do with it.

189-90. The pilot killed in his plane was a blond fellow from upstate New York named James Burrhus, and I knew him too, having flown missions with him. The copilot was a younger kid named Alvin Yellon, who had recently arrived, and I found out more about him fifty years later when I received a letter from his brother asking whether the mission I had described in my writing could have been the one on which his brother had met his death. It was.

225. I don't give presents anymore, either, and I no longer observe holidays. I hardly ever hurry.

257. My conviction is strong that those who did succumb to drug addiction were individuals without any compelling personality traits.

This seemed slow in the beginning.

However, as I delved deeper into his adult life, it became very interesting.

(Reading this immediately after Steve Martin's book was probably not the best idea.)

I truly enjoyed reading about the relationship between Heller's own story and his characters'.

It was extremely interesting.

Nevertheless, my memory is rather weak, and I find it difficult to remember the books I read 30-some years ago.

I firmly believe that this would have been an excellent experience if I had re-read his books recently.

Perhaps with a fresh reading, I could have gained a more profound understanding and appreciation of the connections and nuances within the story.

Nonetheless, even without that recent re-reading, I still found certain aspects of this exploration quite engaging and thought-provoking.

It made me reflect on how an author's personal experiences can shape and influence the fictional worlds they create.

Overall, it was an interesting journey through Heller's life and work.

To be fair,

when I initially picked up this particular item from my book swap,

I was under the impression that it was a comprehensive history of Coney Island.

Little did I know that it was actually Heller's autobiography.

Given that I had never read Catch 22 and didn't have any inclination to do so,

I found myself having very little interest in delving into this man's personal back story.

What I truly desired was to learn about the old Coney Island,

the one that my grandma and dad had grown up in and had shared so many memories of with me.

Alas, it seems that this book won't serve that purpose for me.

I'll have to embark on a new search to find a different book that can fulfill my longing to know more about the Coney Island of yesteryear.

Maybe there's a hidden gem out there waiting for me to discover and quench my thirst for knowledge about that beloved place.

The article presents a rather interesting perspective. It starts by stating that the work in question is not bad and is definitely worth reading.

However, it makes a comparison with the highly acclaimed "Catch 22", suggesting that it is not as brilliant as that masterpiece.

This implies that while the current work has its merits, it doesn't reach the same level of excellence.

Furthermore, it humorously remarks that it is probably also less insane.

This could mean that it may not have the same level of complex and absurd situations that are characteristic of "Catch 22".

Overall, the article provides a balanced assessment, highlighting the positive aspects of the work while also acknowledging its limitations in comparison to a literary classic.

It leaves the reader with an understanding that the work is worthy of attention but may not be in the same league as some of the greatest works of literature.

Wonderful memoir!

Surprisingly, there is relatively little direct insight into his own war experience and how it compares to what he wrote in Catch-22. However, perhaps he wrote about that in a different autobiography?

At any rate, if you are interested in the story of a Jewish kid who grew up in New York in the 1920s and '30s and later became a bestselling novelist, this memoir is definitely worth checking out.

The writing is as excellent as you would expect from the author.

It provides a fascinating look into the life and times of the author, with vivid descriptions and engaging anecdotes.

Whether you are a fan of his novels or simply interested in learning more about his life, this memoir is sure to satisfy.

So, don't miss out on this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of one of the most influential authors of the 20th century.