New York: The Viking Press, (1964) dj. Hardcover first edition - The author's first book, a collection of nine interrelated - and at least somewhat autobiographical - stories, which depict Jerry Gordon, born and raised in the Southwest, growing from a boy acting as trainer for his 9 year-old brother's fist fight, to his time at a New England prep school, dealing with the death of his father and becoming a young man of his time. One of the stories "Just Fine" was chosen in 1963 by STORY magazine as the best college work of short fiction and "Homecoming" was selected for the 1965 O Henry Prize Stories. 181 pp.