Boys: Stories about Bullies, Jobs, and Other Unpleasant Rites of Passage from Boyhood to Manhood

by Scott Semegran

These are the stories of three boys living in Texas: one growing up, one dreaming, and one fighting to stay alive in the face of destitution and adversity. There's second-grader William, a shy yet imaginative boy who schemes about how to get back at his school-yard bully, Randy. Then there's Sam, a 15-year-old boy who dreams of getting a 1980 Mazda RX-7 for his sixteenth birthday but has to work at a Greek restaurant to fund his dream. Finally, there's Seff, a 21-year-old on the brink of manhood, trying to survive along with his roommate, working as waiters and barely making ends meet. These three stories are told with heart, humor, and an uncompromising look at what it meant to grow up in Texas during the 1980s and 1990s.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Ebooks

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 27, 2015

About the author

Scott Semegran is an award-winning writer of ten books. BlueInk Review described him best as “a gifted writer, with a wry sense of humor.” His latest book, Starman After Midnight, is a quirky novel-in-stories about two beer-drinking neighbors who team-up to track down a mysterious late-night interloper terrorizing their middle-class neighborhood. His nine previous books include The Codger and the Sparrow (Discovery Prize winner for Fiction in the 2024 Writers’ League of Texas Book Awards), The Benevolent Lords of Sometimes Island (first-place winner for Middle-Grade/Young Adult fiction in the 2021 Writer’s Digest Book Awards), and To Squeeze a Prairie Dog (winner of the 2020 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award Gold Medal for Humor and winner of the 2019 Texas Author Project for Adult Fiction). He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English.

Scott Semegran is co-host of the web series Austin Liti Limits along with fellow award-winning writer Larry Brill.

Rep: Mark Falkin at Falkin Literary.

Reviews

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slap a robot on a cover and lure me in. Nicely done, Scott Semegran. But in actuality this turned out to be quite a decent read, a sort of slice of life thing or really slices of life since this book contains three separate potentially interconnected stories all of which as the title suggests deal with boyhood in various forms. First off the shortest and quintessentially all American (tragically so) tale of a young boy who goes into his mom’s nightstand drawer, gets a gun and brings it to school to scare a kid who’s been picking on him and eventually ends up shooting his own leg. In the second and arguably best story the protagonist is a teenage boy trying to save up money for his first car. In the third and by far the longest entry the boy is now a college graduate who aimlessly works in a pasta restaurant barely getting by, mainly aspiration free outside of some writing ambitions. Presumably the moral, if one is to be found here, is that boys will be boys. In every story the boys have different names, although they all seem to be the same character, especially in #2 and #3. This was done cinematically once in Boyhood, a pretty great and exceptionally ambitious movie that follows the same boy as he goes from kid to young adult, real time, shot over a number of years. Anyway, this was an easy light sort of reading, can be easily done in one sitting and entertaining enough in a sort of genuinely nice sincere manner. For a random kindle freebie that’s pretty good. Plus there’s a robot on the cover.

[Lesley Anderson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe I am missing something? Puerile, no pun intended, is the word which springs to mind .

[Shelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! So often I choose lengthy books or serious books that I forget the short story genre. This is a lighthearted slice of life book that was just fun to read. The second and third story reminded me of my own life, although from the opposite sex point of view. The relationships between the characters were realistic, they were just how I remember them to be when I was in my 20's. I just wish there were a few more stories, what happened next? did he get an office job?..

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

A journey from childhood to adulthood trekking on the unknown paths in life.

While the title of the book is Boys, about a quarter of the book focuses on two "boys" prior to adulthood, but do not let this dissuade you, it is a fun read and good listen as well (if you happen to get a hold of the audio book). The first two chapters are very good short stories that cover childhood and adolescence. The rest of the chapters cover the adulthood of a broke college graduate who is just trying to get by with friends. The latter is very much an enjoyable read as he and his friend try to figure out how to survive the day to day (food, rent, social life, work, etc). It takes you on unexpected twists and characters that leave you sad that it ends although it does close a chapter of their lives.

[BLOOPY! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable stories. A little controversial in areas. Overall, an easy read with likable characters.

[Julier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boys: Stories about Bullies, Jobs, and Other Unpleasant Rites of Passage from Boyhood to Manhood The complete title is quite apt. There are three short stories set in the 80's-90's, each longer than the previous one, and each boy was older than the last. (Total of 7 hours audio) It was startling to read about a second-grader who took a gun to school because he was so angry at one bully in particular. The second one was about a 15-year old who started working in order to buy a sports car. I didn't like how he lied about things like his age and not knowing how to drive (even less have a license) or skipping delivering 2 Greek food orders. It is not credible how he had no negative consequences and just drifted through life at that point in time. The third story was perhaps this same boy as a college graduate working in an Italian restaurant and barely getting by financially. He struggled on his own and knew his parents (especially his dad) were tired of supporting him financially. He was an aspiring writer but pretty much floated through his days with a focus on the present. When something he did made a drastic difference in his present, he needed to change and grow up some. The narration in the audio was a little uneven; the parents and other adults in the first two stories almost sounded like robots when they talked. The grown-ups in the third story were more natural-sounding. It was touching how important it is to have friends and, if you're lucky, parents that you can rely on for emotional support. I can actually use a newly-learned term to describe this story: it is a Bildungsroman. [According to Wikipedia: A Bildungsroman relates the growing up or "coming of age" of a sensitive person who goes in search of answers to life's questions with the expectation that these will result in gaining experience of the world. Normally I don't like short stories because the endings leave me hanging, but I felt these stories were fully satisfying.

[Daphne Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boys is an amazing short story collection about growth. This book consists of three short stories of the motivations, interests, influences, and desires of three different boys at three different, but critical stages of their lives. Scott Semegran does a fantastic job of building and capturing the sensitivity, resiliency, and persistency of each of the characters. The book and its stories are curated with a natural flow, as each character is older than the next, and you see and experience their interests & desires become more complex, and frankly, more interesting and captivating. Semegran digs down deep into the insecurity and vulnerability of each of the characters, as they balance their self-doubts against the strength of their imaginations, question, and then accept, reality, and learn to appreciate the differences in others, and then, in themselves. I found myself rooting for each character in hopes that they would get to the point where they were not distracted by their pain or insecurity, but instead that they eventually discover what was most important. Lastly, and not to go without a mention, is Semegran’s development and description of the settings in each of the stories, particularly that of “Pasta Warehouse,” which filled me with an memories of several “90’s” Austin pasta places where we used to go to get tons of pasta on the cheap. The scene was very similar to my own specific memory of the at time complacent, hungry, and even listlessness of early adulthood, AND working in a restaurant. To that end, BOYS is an adventure of dealing with real life, growing into relationships, and growing into oneself as a young man, with fun, a bit of adventure, and maybe a girl or two, along the way.

[Guy Venturi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boys are.......boys. Always and forever.

Each is a different person with strong influences of ethnicity, family, friends, and mentors. The friends are increasing strong influences thru the teen years, but tend to fade as adulthood and manhood merge with boyhood and bring new independence and life opportunities. Somehow the bad influences are painted over with good intentions, and in spite of frequent and predictable set backs, life goes on to new adventures.

This book has several fictional stories, but most of us can see and feel ourselves facing the challenges, and probably making the same mistakes again.

Life is hard for boys who have to be independent even if it kills them. Girls have to be dependent even if it makes life much harder for everyone. It is the fantastic interact of experience, education, nurture, and nature that swirls life events in mysterious ways to keep it crazy for everyone.

You cannot pry the boy out of the man, but it is easy to get him to act like a boy in spite of himself. Thank God for boys.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ended too soon!

I loved this quirky collection of stories trying to morph into a novel, but it ended much too soon, leaving too many questions unanswered! What happens to Seff? Does he ever get off his couch and find a new job? Does he get arrested for theft? Will he become a best selling writer, or go back home a failure? What's the problem between him and his Dad? Does he ever get together with Laura Ann? Why did he never see Sarah or Arthur again? Does he ever see Alfonso again? Did Alfonso and his sorry car make it home to his grandmother's? These are a few ideas for new stories about Seff, Alfonso, Mr. Whiskers, and their friends. Will we ever see a sequel? I hope so! I love the way this author pulled me in and made me care about these quirky characters. I would have given it 5 stars if it hadn't ended so abruptly, leaving me feeling as if I'd lost some very close friends. I will definitely read this author again!

[Lindsay Zombek · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book containing three short stories about boys at different stages facing the anxieties, dilemmas, and strange twists of lives. I would have preferred it more if it was just the last short story, The Discarded Meal, because the three stories together just didn’t feel cohesive to me. All of the stories were good, but they didn’t gel as one book. The author created likable, believable, honest characters and gave each a strong voice. There were some missed opportunities for editing (missed articles, spelling, things that weren’t just dialects) and the occasional off the wall simile (“she peeled the car out like the wine at home was sitting on the couch unsupervised”). It was an easy read; it was enjoyable and has unique plots.

[Paul Preston · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories got better as they went along, but I almost put it away after the first one. It was a tiresome predictable story of the second grader getting bullied at school so he brings a gun into school to show the bully up. The second story, all I could think of was that the authors dad must have been a real jackass because both stories were about bad or nonexistent father figures. The last story actually made sense and the main character, Seth, made choices that seemed reasonable. You could actually see his character grow

[Marls · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written; this author can really turn a phrase. That said, it's docked a star for embarrassingly bad copy-editing -- the text is littered with misplaced modifiers, random commas, and incorrect words (for example, "who's" for "whose," "residence" for "residents," and -- most egregiously -- "it's" as a possessive), among other sins that make my Type A side twitch. The author's bio says he was an English major, so I presume this problem lies with the publisher rather than the author.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to get a glimpse of life in the view of a male at the stage of a child, a teenager, and a young adult. The young adult story reminded me a bit of my youth though from the eyes of the opposite sex. It had some funny parts. It didn’t keep my attention for long periods of time though. Not a bad book.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and dark

The end result of this book is a bittersweet feeling - final, yet with an optimistic feel, nothing gloomy. Almost comical, save for the raw pitifulness of the narrator's thoughts. I loved it.

[Hendrix Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a huge short story person, but these were engaging.

[Marie C Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of the stories felt a bit unfinished by they were all believable. There was a continuity hitch in the last one when a non-smoker suddenly became a habitual smoker and some more background would have been nice.

[Larry Brill · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting to look back as a baby boomer at the same hot-button emotions that came with growing up male. Semegran pushed them without resorting to hackneyed prose.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good idea but not the greatest execution.

I couldn't finished it. The narrative is just not cut for me. However, I think the right person will like to give it a try.

[Konstantin Weberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to read! I like!

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

The collection opens with Wiliam's story, "The Great and Powerful, Brave Raideen". It's a short story with a predictable plot element, but it's nicely done. The characters are honestly portrayed; the dialogue genuine. It demonstrates the dual fickle-forgiving nature of children and the power of play.

Sam's story, "Good Night, Jerk Face", comes next. It's a novelette that ends rather abruptly. Semegran builds up the tension between Sam and his parents over Sam's desire to buy the car of his dreams, but it just fizzles out. There's also the potential for conflict between Sam and his boss over the restaurant's delivery van, but that too gets shrugged off. The title of this story implies some kind of confrontation. While Semegran explains who says it, we never find out why. To his credit, Semegran does a good job at capturing adolescent anxiety—learning how to drive, talking to girls, working menial jobs.

The remainder and bulk of the book is "The Discarded Feast". Seff and his roommate, Alfonso, work at a chain restaurant barely getting by on their meager earnings. The story covers their adventures at work and outside of it. A good deal of their free time is spent smoking cigarettes, drinking cheap beer, and wondering if they'll be able to come up with the money for next month's rent. If it were a movie, it could serve in a double feature with Waiting , but the characters are far more realistic.

This isn't so much a story you get wrapped up in for plot; the events pertaining to the story's title make up a fraction of the content. Rather, you tune in for the characters. Everyone has a story, and the people that Seff meets tell him their stories. Some are more interesting than others. I get the feeling that these are people that Semegran met when he was Seff's age, and he felt compelled to honor them by relating their stories here.

Boys is a collection of stories that reads more like a fictionalized memoir. It would've benefited from a run through by an editor to draw a bit more focus in content and to clean up the grammatical mistakes (mostly comma usage). Semegran gets points for realistic characters even if the book falls short on the storytelling.

This review initially appeared at the New Podler Review of Books. A free copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

[Jsmith50964gmail.Com · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting gritty story of boys. Hardships, bruised hopes. Hard times and coping. Good portrait of handling difficult times.

[Angel (Bookn.All.Night) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting look into the minds of boys and young adult males. This author has a way of writing that really pulls you in and makes you reflect. There are many parts I could relate to... especially the financial struggles with jobs that you need but sometimes hardly feel worth having.

I absolutely LOVED that the very first story in this collection took me back to The Benevolent Lords of Sometimes Island and gives a backstory to one of the friendships from that book. I also loved that this story ended on a positive note vs. the horror it could have ended in.

It is helpful to note that this isn't a book for thrill seekers or readers who want a fast-paced page turner. While this is highly enjoyable, it is meant to be savored and reflected upon. I'm sure we all know someone who either went through these scenarios or we ourselves have gone through something similar.

I chose to listen to the audio for this one and while it wasn't great throughout it's entirety, it didn't make me cringe either. I don't listen to much audio and it says a lot that I finished this one AND, for the most part, enjoyed it. How I feel about the audio in no way reflects my love for the story itself. Overall, a good book, and one I would definitely recommend.

[Casey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not a big fan of this book. It is broken into three stories. The first story really showed some potential, but kind of ended abruptly. The second story started out as a kid that really had this goal to get a specific car and the whole focus was on that goal, and then all of sudden it switched gears on the last 2 or 3 pages to the kid falling in love with a girl. The last story was much longer and had chapters. Each chapter seemed like what a junior high kid would turn in for the daily diary assignment about what they did over the weekend. I am really not trying to be a harsh critic here either. Just trying to give my honest opinion. First story was definitely interesting, the rest I could do without.

[Fred · Rating 2 out of 5]

If Seinfeld was a TV show about nothing, then this was a book about nothing, except not as amusing. I stuck this book out to the end but it really is an aimless book that rambles on without much point to it. Young people in dead-end jobs and no ambition. To add to it, their sense of right and wrong is also fuzzy. It wasn't funny and I had a hard time trying to figure out what the purpose of this book was. Unfortunately, I bought two books by this author, so I am going to have to read the second one, but if it is anything like this one, I don't think I'll bother trying to finish it.

[Patricia Kitto · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this book but it didn't deliver. The writing was meh - there were way too many similes that were forced and disrupted the flow of the book. The characters were mildly interesting but very simply drawn and some of the situations they found themselves in had me rolling my eyes. I stuck with it because I did want to see what happened to the "Boys" but was disappointed. 1 1/2 stars but I round up so 2 stars.

[Reading is Life · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing

I read the first two stories before giving up. There's no real plot or character development, no conflict, no setting. The stories could be interesting if something g actually happened to challenge the characters. Maybe that happened in the other stories but if it didn't happen in the first two I wasn't holding out hope.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, this was an exceptionally easy read. However, I am still confused on how the 1st chapter ties in with the rest of the book. Also, the author tended to have different characters sharing similar language. While there was a main character, the development of the supporting characters were just not very precise. Overall, three stars but not a recommended read.

[Ann Davis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Language

I read one chapter and several pages of the second. I don't use or want to read or read rude language.

[Alexis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I’m glad I didn’t fork over much for this.

I had Alexa read this to me for starters and finished it on my own. I did finish it, so that gives it two stars.

[Jacqueline Woolnough · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dull and going nowhere.