Fiction

Uncle hears voices; sister overdoses on intellectuality and calories. Neighbor nonchalantly shoots a real cannon across the city on the Fourth of July.

In one unexpected oasis of reality, Rosenthal's account of the descent into poverty of earlier members of the immigrant family during the Depression is right on the money.

Then, Jarvis falls for Kara Ruzci. In a blinding flash of advanced education, he bounds out of character ruminating: " . . . rampant phenomena, now converged, now (was) sensified, grounded, centered." (Author Rosenthal can't resist getting into the act occasionally.) Nevertheless, the dialogue's not only funny but accurate; this book begs to read aloud.