Just Remember the Happy Hours
Growing up in the affluent suburbs of Chicago and Paradise Valley, Arizona, Jimmy Burns had everything a postwar American childhood was supposed to look like — and a front-row seat to everything that could go wrong behind closed doors. From the clink of ice in a glass to the smell of vodka on his father's breath, he learned early to read the room. Funny, clear-eyed, and deeply human, this coming-of-age memoir moves through the 1950s and '60s with the energy of the era and the hard-won wisdom of a boy who had to grow up fast.
"An absorbing memoir that will leave readers hoping for a sequel." — Kirkus Reviews
“This is a wonderful memoir. Burns speaks with humility and great soul-searching honesty, and yet, despite his recognized flaws, there is something noble and heroic in the young man he describes”
“I love this book. I recommend it highly. I couldn’t put it down. I completely related to it since I grew up in Lake Forest. My father was an alcoholic, and I love the way he talked about his high school years. I think he’s a great writer and I can’t wait to read another one of his books.”