A well written coming-of-age novel from early nineteen sixties Hollywood. Kirkwood was born into an acting family and has here produced a semi-autobiographical piece that reveals the difficulties for a fatherless fifteen year old and his actress mother who lacks real love and regular work in films. The story develops when an accidental meeting with a man gives the pair hope that love and stability might be achievable.
The story is told from the fifteen year old, Josh's point of view. It is a honest portrait of someone who craves stability, but one who also must come to the rescue of other characters, especially Rita, his mother.
Kirkwood was an actor himself as well as playwright, stand-up comedian and writer. He ought not to be forgotten, as it appears has happened to him. So much the better then, that a biography, "Ponies and Rainbows: The Life of James Kirkwood" by Sean Egan, published by BearManor Media, OK. (2012) has appeared and to which I will next address my attention. ( )

he story is narrated by fifteen year old Josh, son of waning film star Rita Cydney. Rita enjoys a traumatic love life, divorced from Josh’s father and with a trail of failed lovers. Enter Ben, the seemingly perfect partner, and father to be for Josh, but then one day Josh discovers Ben’s body at the bottom of the Garden with a bullet in his head. But is it suicide or murder, and so the nightmare begins. A fascinating tale, but the real beauty is the writing, which truly conveys the honesty, passion and innocence of the fifteen year old Josh; an absolute joy to read. ( )