Eddie Ryan

Growing up Catholic on the South Side of Chicago, Eddie enters adolescence and high school with the typical issues of being a teenager, but the additional weight of being Catholic. He worries about his physical appearance, his changing voice, girls, and his lack of academic success. At the same time, he and his friends, a small group of unique individuals, make their way through high school, enduring the rigidity of the Brothers of the St. Bremmer Order and the lackluster lay teachers, all of whom insist upon strict obedience and unquestioning compliance. As Eddie proceeds through high school, the maturation process becomes noticeable. He learns to "play the game" at school and finds romance with Una, a relationship that does not ultimately last, but one which profoundly affects him. As well, he begins to reflect upon more significant issues, including politics, his Catholic faith and his future...