College and Eighth by Herbert Hyde

Innocence and wonderment become mischief and delinquency in this boisterous romp through childhood. As the youngest of four boys in a family of ten kids, Herb Hyde’s unique perspective about growing up poor in a depression weary world shines through. His tale begins in the mid-1940s and carries you through the early 1960s. As a little boy he never knew he was poor. But when he got older, it became abundantly clear. Being so diminutive, he didn’t quite fit in with his older brothers—who were rarely home—or his neighborhood buddies who were older, bigger and often picked on him because of his size. He eventually wins over his older buddies and becomes one of the gang, as they blithely cavort through the streets. With Troy landmarks as a backdrop, their capers would range from swimming at Bare Ass Beach, to stealing Spaldeens from Cahill’s Sporting Goods in order to play a game of stick ball. Gang fights, real or contrived, become their obsession. The Bowery Boys have nothing on these guys. This book is uniquely conversational, utilizing the voice of the protagonist at various stages in his development.