The Life and Times of the Last Kid Picked

I grew up playing for the "publics" in the town of Tomah. The author was four years ahead of me but my experiences were similar. I recognized almost every character in the book and remembered parts of my childhood that had been long forgotten. I never dreamed that this book would also tell the story of so many others growing up in the 50's. I applaud the author for this excellent book and wonder how he could remember so much of his childhood.

Everybody knows this kid. He was either in our class or in the family. Great storytelling. I think I married him as well. Have given this book for graduation, teen's birthday and now father's day. Good for all ages.

Mr. Benjamin spoke at my school today on his tour for this book, and I had the chance to speak with him beforehand. His speech was engaging, and at the lunch prior to the event he had a chance to talk on a more personal level about "Last Kid Picked" and sumo wrestlers. I recommend this book as well as his short "screeds," vignettes about his childhood in Tomah.

Author David Benjamin relates his childhood experiences of growing up attending a Catholic school in Tomah, Wisconsin, during the 1950's. Whether you grew up during this decade or not you can relate to the experiences he describes regarding playing baseball without Little League, football, fishing, and attending your first high school basketball game. Of special interest is the degree of ridicule children heap upon one another in playing games. I did find an error on page 173 in which the author says he "remembers Harvey Haddix pitching thirteen no-hit innings against the Braves in Pittsburgh" when it was twelve perfect innings he pitched against the Pirates and the game was in Milwaukee, not Pittsburgh. It was May 26, 1959, when the Kitten carved history with his left paw. Nevertheless, if you want to relive your childhood through the eyes of author David Benjamin, you will find this a most interesting and humorous book to read. If you are from the decade of the 1950's or if you want to see what being a child was like during that time period, you will enjoy this book.

A poignant, often hilarious account of growing up in a Midwestern town in the 1950's.This book rings with the truth of what it means to be a kid and even grosser - a boy. All the gory details of discovering the world around you. Nature, or what passes for it growing up poor in a Midwestern town, and family - the dedicated grandparents, the single mother struggling to do her best while raising three kids, and the well-meaning, often absent father. Many books have cataloged the faults of our parents during our formative years. Benjamin doesn't even venture there - he just appreciates the efforts his parents did make (his father braving an early morning hangover to take him and his brother fishing) and focuses more on abiding by the `code of the kid'. A big enough job on it's own.I laughed, I cried, and I cheered - especially during one particular baseball game where the last kid picked, my hero, struggles to make the right choice between being popular or helping an even less fortunate `last kid picked'. If you enjoyed Frank McCourt's, "Angela's Ashes" or Ricky Bragg's, `It's All Over but the Shoutin'", you'll truly love this book.