I loved this book. Don’t shy away from it because it takes place in “THE BRONX” or because it is about a Catholic family, and you are not Catholic. It could take place in any city, anywhere, and could be about anyone, so long as it is in an environment with a bustling life, nosy neighbors and lots of conflict and dysfunction! The characters could be interchangeable with characters of a multitude of backgrounds.
This novel is about the ordinary/extraordinary Campanosi family. The matriarch is skilled in the art of instilling guilt and love, both at the same time. She is well versed in the art of suffering, until she gets her way, that is; then she makes a miraculous recovery and no longer retires to languish on her bed. She is dominant, controlling and sometimes insufferable, but she is loved and respected. The patriarch, a sometimes-reformed alcoholic, is obsessed with making his son Jimmy a famous actor. It could be his ticket out of the Bronx. Jimmy, however, would rather play soccer. And then there is Billy, whom both parents embrace as their own when his life is torn asunder. He is the son and brother from another mother. Enter Mike, husband of the now divorced matriarch. He is a kind man and a fabulous cook who tolerates this odd combination of humans, including living with the sometimes-reformed drunk, ex-husband, too. The main character, Angela, is indomitable, though guilt ridden. She is a vegan, she is motivated to do good, to bring peace to a troubled world, but for ten years, she has run from herself. She is broke and wants to crawl out from under the shadow of her sibling. After her brother’s tragic accident which left him in a wheelchair, she ran toward the California dream her dad once had for him. When her mother invites her to her brother’s wedding, she is determined to be his savior again and to save him from making the mistake of marrying a woman, Julie, who is going off to war. She has not spoken to him for a decade, but true to herself, she jumps to her own conclusions believing she knows what is best, and she is determined to do her part. From California, she returns to “the” Bronx and with her, brings mayhem and madness. It will be impossible for a reader not to find a character, or some part of one, to identify with, and to recognize, as a part of themselves or their own family.
This is a story about family and what it means to be a part of one, in a magical place called “the” Bronx, beginning with a childhood world that is filled with challenges, and continuing up until the time of the first Gulf war, when additional challenges had to be faced. Told with the light hand of an author whose staccato sentences spill out with humor and insight, the novel is hard to put down. Still in spite of the wit, it also clearly presents the angst of family life, and life in general. Some of those moments are more apt to signal tears than laughter. What are the limits of family loyalty, guilt, devotion? How far should one go to escape shame or show love? All of these concepts and more are explored deftly as the characters come of age, even if it is a bit late in life. Who among us has not made a false assumption leading to faulty decisions which have altered the course of our lives? Who has not experienced grief, loss or any kind of tragedy? Who has not had a recalcitrant relative who was either unwilling or unable to reform their ways? Who was never bullied or abused? Who has not been against war and supportive of peace? Once, they were called flower children; today they are called activists or community organizers. There are none of us that can lay claim to a perfect life.
Nothing in this book is one dimensional. Do not be fooled. It is funny and a joy to read, but it also has profound messages. So pick up this book and walk down the memory lane of your own life or of your ancestors. You will not regret it. We have all walked some part of the way in Angela’s shoes or Jimmy’s or Mike’s or Billy’s or any of the others’ footwear. You will love this book, no matter where you hail from. Humanity lives large on every page.
“Last Stop on the 6”, takes place in a unique borough, the only one that that has an honorific in front of it, “the” Bronx”, but it could also have been Brooklyn, maybe even Queens or any other place that was thriving at the same time, that had that same kind of volcanic personality. The book was really nostalgic for me. I am from Brooklyn, and my husband is from the Bronx. My tennis racquet fell off the proverbial truck. Without that truck, I would not have learned to play tennis. Racquets were luxuries. We sat on stoops and consoled each other. We played pranks on people and played stickball in the street. Busybody ladies confiscated our balls when they went astray. My dad climbed to our roof, once a year, and rescued the balls that landed there, throwing them down to their “rightful” owners. My home was a two-family with a basement apartment making it an illegal three. One thing the author didn’t mention was tar beach. They were the apartment rooftops that everyone climbed to in order to cool off. Some slept on fire escapes. There was no universal air conditioning. People actually met outside and talked.
My husband and I beat the odds. We were considered G.U., geographically undesirable, but we courted and married. When I return to the area, I always go to Arthur Avenue, a haven for Italian culture. I could taste the bread, the pastries, the special olives and marvelous burrata when the author brought it up. The magnificent movie theaters, the elevated trains, they were all part of my life. I was my own brother’s savior, and for years, we too, did not speak. When Angela’s mom told her to marry a Jewish man because although he would cheat too, he would take better care of her, I remembered my husband telling me a story about a friend who wanted to go into business with him because he knew Jews were all successful in business. The stereotypes were rampant. The charm of the story and its characters is that they are totally, superlatively real! The story explodes with humor on every page. The dialogue is animated and alive, never boring. The novel is infused with so much humanity and reality, you will find your own self somewhere, on some page, as the characters touch your heart. Immerse yourself in it and enjoy.