Books like Closing Time by Joe Queenan
Joe Queenan’s Closing Time is a deeply humorous yet moving memoir that follows his journey from a poverty‑stricken Philadelphia housing project in the early 1960s to a life beyond that environment. Raised in an Irish‑Catholic family dominated by his erratic, alcoholic father, Queenan recounts the violence and emotional turmoil that marked his early years. Through a series of mentors and surrogate fathers, and fueled by a fierce love of books and music, he charts a path away from the bleak confines of his neighborhood, including a brief, misguided stop at a seminary. The account offers a poignant exploration of how children endure parental hardship and discover resilience, balanced with Queenan’s sharp, witty commentary on pop culture and life.
First publish date: 2009
Genre: Biography & Autobiography/Autobiography
Authors: Joe Queenan
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