The Nitty Gritty

by Frank Bonham

Charlie Matthews lives in Dogtown, a predominantly Negro residential area of a large city. He gets A-plus on his English compositions at school, but in spite of his teacher's encouragement, Charlie's father things there's no future in education for a Negro and that Charlie is better off working at the shoeshine parlor.
Charlie figures to resolve his troubles by escaping from Dogtown with his free-wheeling Uncle Baron, who is all fun and gentleness, and Charlie's idea of a really great guy.
Uncle Baron needs cash first though for a big deal, and lets Charlie help earn it. They clean off a vacant lot for the salvage rights, they trap ladybugs for the park service, and Charlie even takes on a fight to make money. Uncle Baron's hopes for the big win don't work out, however, and he takes off precipitously, leaving Charlie behind to struggle with new and painful emotions, but with a clearer view, too, of the reality of things.
The Nitty Gritty is a little tougher than Mystery of the Fat Cat, Frank Bonham's first story of Dogtown, but the same warmth and humor are here, and the same sweet humanity.

Hardcover

First published September 16, 1968

About the author

Frank Bonham (February 25, 1914 – 1988) was an author of Westerns and young adult novels. Bonham wrote 48 novels, as well as TV scripts. Bonham was born in Los Angeles. He was a UCLA graduate. Bonham was known for his works for young adults written in the 1960s, with tough, realistic urban settings, including The Nitty Gritty and Durango Street, as well as for his westerns. Several of his works have been published posthumously, many of which were drawn from his pulp magazine stories, originally published between 1941 and 1952. Durango Street was an ALA Notable Book.

Reviews

[Edy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was written over 40 years ago when I was taking an adolescent lit class:

Charlie Matthews is trying to please himself by continuing his education and at the same time to please hi father by working as a shoe-shine boy to earn money for the family. In order to earn enough money to get himself out of the mess that he is in, he devises a program of work that is incredible. Within just a few days he earns more than enough money to buy his way into partnership with his uncle. His great disappointment comes when he realizes that his uncle has only used him in order to get what he wants: enough money to buy a fighting cock that is killed in the first match. Through this experience, Charlie grows up. He is able to face the disappointment and decides he had better work things out so that he can continue his education. The Nitty Gritty reveals quite well the mind of the under-privileged as Charlie struggles to meet the daily demands of life: the father's concern for money. Charlie has a good potential for writing and is encouraged to continue by his English teacher. The novel has suspense, comedy, realism, and adventure. The language is characteristic of the Black slum and add power to the impact of the book.

[Benjamin Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read every Frank Bonham books that the library had when I was a kid. I loved them. They were a little bit like S. E Hinton's book, but there was a little more humour and fun in them. I don't remember a lot of the plots now - just pieces here and there - but I remember enjoying them all greatly.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had zero expectations when I picked this one up off the 50 cent rack shelf at my used book store. But definitely glad I took it home with me. An unexpected gem.