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The Outcast Prophet of Bensonhurst, a darkly humorous and gritty coming-of-age novel set in the period 1952 to 1971, is about much more than Anacleto Roosevelt, the reclusive young man who is its main character. It also eloquently and hauntingly paints a picture of a time and way of life that are long past. His odd name, eccentric family, and a minor physical deformity cause Anacleto, from a youn... More

The Outcast Prophet of Bensonhurst, a darkly humorous and gritty coming-of-age novel set in the period 1952 to 1971, is about much more than Anacleto Roosevelt, the reclusive young man who is its main character. It also eloquently and hauntingly paints a picture of a time and way of life that are long past. His odd name, eccentric family, and a minor physical deformity cause Anacleto, from a young age, to be an outcast in his Brooklyn neighborhood. He spends a great deal of time observing life from the outside. In his isolation, he experiences periodic episodes of detachment from reality which allow him to view people and events from a very different perspective from that of everyone else. He sometimes thinks that he is able to foresee future events that involve those around him. He does not disclose this "gift" or "curse" to anyone. As the story progresses and Anacleto matures, he reaches out for acceptance. This turns out to be a dramatically life-altering decision. Although The Outcast Prophet of Bensonhurst begins as a quirky, ironically humorous story, as the plot unfolds and as Anacleto tentatively develops friendships, he is drawn into a series of heart-wrenching calamities and dramatically violent situations. He attempts to counsel an eccentric acquaintance who is at war with society. Later in the story, he finds himself caught up in the turmoil caused by the dark family secret of his best, and only friend. Anacleto experiences the ecstasy of first love and plunges headlong into a series of rapturously heady sexual encounters. At the same time, he wrestles with his own family problems and with questions having to do with religious belief, free speech, and the war in Vietnam (two of his older brothers serve in the armed forces, one of whom returns home badly scarred, physically and emotionally). And then, there's the gun...the one that is lost and which leads to so much misfortune. The powerful and ironic climax of The Outcast Prophet of Bensonhurst leaves all of the main characters damaged. It will leave you breathless.

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