Roast Beef in April: Reflections of a Boy's Life during the Depression and World War II - Paperback

by Robert J. Higgins (Author)

Roast Beef in April is a journey into the heartwarming yet difficult life of a young boy and his family which takes place during the turbulent period surrounding the Great Depression and World War II. In this nostalgic memoir, young Bob takes you down his path of boyhood adventures during the 1930s and 40s. You will meet his family whose ancestry evolved from Irish and Slovak descent. You will get to know Pop who had little education but always managed to remain employed and optimistic and Mom who worked hard at the Endicott Johnson Shoe factory. They survived gas rationing, food shortages, job insecurity and the unimaginable stresses of a world war, yet still managing to raise two successful sons. The book explores their numerous residences in the Upstate New York communities of Binghamton and Johnson City. During this period Bob and his older brother Matt attended five different schools before the sixth grade, finally settling into a stable environment in Windsor, New York. Bob's April first birthday made him the subject of bullying throughout primary school, but you'll enjoy reading how the "April Fool" learned to fight back when he entered Windsor Central School. You may shed a tear over the shocking demise of his pet crow Elmer and be surprised to find out what really happened to his pet calf April. His youthful narrative about juvenile sexual exploration, at a time when the subject was "taboo", will make you snicker! Just imagine a young boy's daily life without television, a cell phone or the internet, all things that at that time seemed like the stuff of science fiction. As you join Bob in sharing his memories and embarrassing moments you will also get a glimpse into the history of the Southern Tier area when life was a daily struggle for most everyone in America.

Author Biography

Bob Higgins received his nursing education at Binghamton State Hospital and Bellevue in New York City. Following graduation, he continued in psychiatric nursing until 1955 when he entered advanced training to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) in Rochester, New York. He practiced as a nurse anesthetist in Mississippi and Florida, retiring in 2000 to Binghamton, New York where he currently lives.