A Boy's Pretensions

In his second novel, the author of the well-received Men with Debts takes an entertaining and insightful look at a young man grappling with the problems of coming of age. With high expectations, Nicholas Battaglia leaves his Massachusetts home to attend college in New York. It is 1970, a time of campus unrest and free love. The Jesuit campus of Fordham University, however, proves almost as tradition-bound as the home Nick left behind. While his roommate Tommy revels in his own sexual exploits, Nick begins a surreptitious affair with a married English professor, Cynthia Branner. Interwoven into the story of this ill-fated romance are glimpses of Nick's relationship with his family. A brunch with Nick's seedy Uncle Billy and Billy's tacky fiancee Judy offers a wonderful contrast to a dinner with Nick's loving but old-fashioned parents, Joe and Josie. Giardina's ability to portray these characters with both humor and affection makes this book a pleasure to read. (February 9)