They Don't Make Studebakers Anymore

I was born on the hood of a Studebaker . . . So begins the story of Boy, coming of age in a small town in the 1960s. From trying to understand the Cold War, to first kisses, and the moon landing, Boy struggles to make sense of his world. The unexpected disappearance of his father raises a multitude of questions: Was he really born in outer space? What exactly does one do when The Bomb lands in your backyard? And what precisely is supposed to happen on the front porch after your first slow dance with a girl? With his exceptional memory and keen observation skills, he chronicles the indignities of summer camp, drama club, driving lessons, and the prom-often with hilarious results-all while trying to assert some independence, and supporting his mother through her struggles to keep the family going. But as childhood makes way for adolescence and mystery gives way to mastery, Boy finds his newfound certainty turned upside down when he makes an unexpected discovery, and a forest-green car that looks an awful lot like the long-lost Studebaker turns everything on its head.