Button Man

Behind the button boards of street vendors, that is. Life is pretty basic when you're selling on the streets. Money arrives in sporadic spurts, depending on the event. Unfortunately, the main man gets most of it. Add to this a bad gambling habit, and the button man isn't going to last long. As a former New York resident, Lyons does a good job of giving the reader some sense of this chaotic life surrounded by other suspicious, untrusting, but interesting characters. The protagonist only leaves his nowhere lifestyle when forced to, leaving the reader with the sense that he just might make it operating on his own in the future - or not. Back Bay Boston Basement