The Gift

I really enjoyed reading The Gift by Pete Hamill.  Without a doubt the reader is brought into the frail psyche of a man in love yet loses her during his absence from the area to serve in the US Navy.  This coming of age tale is an autobiography by Hamill depicting his brief return over the holidays before going to enter the Korean War.  Hamill returns home to be reunited with his high school sweetheart only to learn she has moved on to another guy.  The pain and anguish serves as a side story to the main thrust of the short story, Hamill’s inability to ever connect with his father.  Other issues the story presents include living in poverty as an immigrant family, connection with family, and how the war really tore people apart.  Set in Brooklyn, there are a number of references to places, such as Prospect Park and other iconic locations, that provide a scenic background for this powerful tale.  Hamill, the oldest of seven, never had a strong relationship with his father, who was disabled fighting in Ireland as part of the IRA rebellion.  Hamill’s father stays distant to his oldest child until Hamill returns and their reunion at a local pub seemingly lifts a lifetime of barriers that had been created.  The gift Hamill receives is greater than anything one could possibly purchase.  Hamill has a wonderful ability to share a story that has impact on anyone has a similar relationship with their father.  All one ever wants is acceptance and an ear.  Wonderful holiday story!