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209th out of 242 books
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Boston Boy: Growing up with Jazz and Other Rebellious Passions
by
Nat Hentoff
Boston Boy is Nat Hentoff's memoir of growing up in the Roxbury section of Boston in the 1930s and 1940s. He grapples with Judaism and anti-Semitism. He develops a passion for outspoken journalism and First Amendment freedom of speech. And he discovers his love of jazz music as he follows, and is befriended by, the great jazz musicians of the day, including Duke Ellington ...more
Paperback, 212 pages
Published
December 1st 2001
by Paul Dry Books
(first published 1986)
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Surprisingly good memoir by an author I had only previously associated with jazz criticism. Assured, confident, and not at all self-important, he describes growing up in Roxbury, MA, the section of Boston then known as a sort of Jewish ghetto for newly arrived eastern European Jews. He calls himself a heretic, for his estrangement from Judaism and swimming against the stream in many other things; but can celebrate his feelings upon his son’s bar mitzvah; and he can also identify strongly with ...more
This was a fun memoir about growing up Jewish in Roxbury/Boston in the 30s and 40s. It had a lot of great anecdotes and funny stories. My cousin Mel grew up kicking around jazz clubs with Nat back then so I've always wanted to read this. It was enjoyable.
To self: first half totally enjoyable, 2nd half less so.
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