"Small Smile's Sunday Buddy and other South Brooklyn Tales" is a thoughtful collection of vignettes and short stories that dives into the complexities of place. As Aiden, the main character, looks back on his life growing up in the Windsor Terrace neighborhood of South Brooklyn, he comes to understand that where you spent your formative years has a profound influence on who you become. Humans, after all, are a product of where they spend their time. Place is an inescapable part of our identity.
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“Wonderful book that gives insight into a way of life. Charming and warm.” – Amazon Reviewer
“Filled with nostalgia and bittersweet melancholy, Small Smile's Sunday Buddy and other South Brooklyn Tales is the life story of a young man who grew up in South Brooklyn and its implications on his life as he entered adulthood. Author J.A. McNally's collection of short stories strikes a chord in your heart and makes you feel you're getting an unflinching glimpse at the life of a real person. This is primarily because the narrative is grounded in realism, with vivid characters in real-life situations trying to make the best of the cards they have been dealt by life.” – Kobo Reviewer
“I thoroughly enjoyed the short stories. I felt a connection with Aiden as he navigated and grew in the tight, traditional neighborhoods of Brooklyn NY. The people and rituals he depicts are all characters and routines that are familiar to many, just with different names and faces (same profile). Hundreds if not thousands of baby boomers from the area will relate. Easy read and nostalgic.” – Amazon Reviewer
Excerpt: Aiden did not feel like he was dying, but he wasn't quite sure. So, he made a vow at this crucial juncture to recall and recount all his memories of growing up in a neighborhood in South Brooklyn. He vowed that he would write one story, one sentence, or even just one word that would encompass his past and all that had occurred over the years as he did not know for certain what his future might hold.