Delamore's Dreams (Paperback)

Delamore's Dreams is about the power of hope and forgiveness, the strength of family and the enduring bonds of friendship. The heart of the story is a wayward son and his estranged father striving for respect, reconciliation and the strength to prevail. The book explores serious social issues (e.g., drug use, racism, teen violence and gang behavior) that transformed many American communities in the 1960s. The obstacles that confront the Delamores reflect the passions of the turbulent decade in which they have settled in their adopted hometown of Barrington, an "oil and water" community of affluent Jewish and working-class Italian families on the outskirts of New York City. The two protagonists are Charlie and Nick Delamore. Charlie, the father, is a hard-luck dreamer who promotes a historic polo club in Westchester County. But he risks losing his family when his success collapses around him. Nick, the second of three sons, is a shy French-Irish kid who moves to the gritty Little Italy neighborhood in Barrington. Befriended by a tough-love boxing coach, Nick faces his fears and becomes an aspiring Golden Gloves pugilist. He will later rebel and be seduced by the thrill of street fighting. After his "fall from grace," Nick will find it harder to reconcile with his dominating father, Charlie, than to break from his gang.