Confession of a Child of the Century by Samuel Heather

Finalist for the National Book Award: A witty novel of coming of age during wartime in AmericaIn the words of its 'author,' Samuel Heather, the Confession is a 'comical historical pastoral' that chronicles the struggles of growing up the son of a Midwestern bishop. ('My father's daily work was to be a father. It was excruciating.') Samuel escapes Missouri to attend Harvard, where he gets himself expelled for exploding a footbridge over the Charles River. He is soon sent to fight in Korea and lands in a prison camp. Samuel's picaresque coming of age by turns both funny and poignant is truly the tale of 'a child of the century.'