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Grandpa had been a father in a time when men had nothing to do with the actual day-to-day business of raising children. Men didn't change diapers, warm bottles or nurse babies. As a result, it was Grandpa's wife, and not Grandpa himself, who knew how to do all these things. Had she still been around, no doubt she would have taken over the business of raising me herself. But she--my grandmother--was no longer present to discuss it with; she'd simply disappeared one day when my father, Eddie, was still little, just after the Fiasco of the Ostriches, and Grandpa had never heard from her or of her again.
Still, Grandpa perseveres and baby Billy prospers under his unconventional care. As a child, Billy leads an isolated life--he is home-schooled and their nearest neighbours, the Simpsons, live half a mile away and are on bad terms with Grandpa anyway. But Billy has his family history to keep him company--the Manns were once prominent and wealthy, before the ostrich débacle--not to mention the ghosts who share the Mann house and occasionally play tricks on the living inhabitants. At age seven, however, he ventures further afield than his backyard and meets Annie Simpson, a little girl with a terrible secret.
While Billy's relationships with his grandfather and his childhood friend are central to the novel, William Kowalski packs his story with lively subplots including a family curse, the identity of Billy's mother and a legendary diary belonging to a Mann ancestor. Eddie's Bastard is a coming-of-age story that doesn't take itself too seriously. Though the standard elements of domestic drama are all here--abandonment, child abuse, alcoholism, death and loss of innocence--whenever possible, Kowalski prefers to leaven his tragedy with a wink. Only a comedian would bankrupt a family with ostriches, after all. --Alix Wilber
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Eddie's Bastard This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 7719-9780385600880
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 6545-9780385600880
Book Description Soft cover. Condition: Good. Old bookshop stamp on inner leaf. Tanning to leaves due to age. Seller Inventory # 004543
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Used: Very Good. very good clean copy .sent next working day from the u/k 0.0. Seller Inventory # 1029EDW7ZZ4
Book Description Trade Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Trade Paperback. 367 pages. *** PUBLISHING DETAILS: Doubleday, London, 2000. *** CONDITION: This book is in very good condition. More specifically: Covers have light creasing. Spine has minimal reading creases. . Pages are lightly tanned. *** ABOUT THIS BOOK: The warm, humorous and endearing tale of an abandoned orphan and the inhabitants of the small upstate New York town, Manville. *** Quantity Available: 1. Category: Fiction; General; ISBN: 0385600887. ISBN/EAN: 9780385600880. Inventory No: 13060482. The photo of this book is of the actual book for sale. Seller Inventory # 13060482