Green Grass Grace

by Shawn McBride

Henry "Hank" Toohey, a thirteen-year-old altar boy, is an incessant smart-ass with a deep love of life. ..and other four-letter words. But with his foul mouth comes a heart of gold, and he's going to need it to get through the last weekend of summer 1984.
Everyone up and down St. Patrick Street, Henry's claustrophobic Irish-Catholic block in Philadelphia -- with its seventy-eight row homes, seventy-eight skinny mile-high lawns, seventy-eight statues of saints, and seventy-eight Mondale-Ferraro signs -- knows that the Toohey family is falling apart. Henry's mailman father is having an affair with a neighbor lady right under his mother's nose. His big brother has been a drunken mess since his girlfriend died. And his little sister is counting on him to keep her laughing through it all. But Henry has a plan to pull the family back He'll propose to his chain-smoking fourteen-year-old girlfriend, Grace McClain, at a neighborhood wedding. To prepare, he and his ragtag group of friends pinball around the streets, making elaborate plans for his proposal, riding bikes, rating breasts, bothering the local merchants, talking trash about Mike Schmidt and Bob Seger, and kissing behind the seafood-store dumpster.
Gritty, giddy, and bursting with Henry's boundless energy, Green Grass Grace is a heart-thumping rocket ride back to adolescence that is riotously funny and tragic at the same time.

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Humor

286 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

philly boy. unprolific author. father. fuckface.

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simultaneously heart-warming and heart-wrenching, a difficult line to walk.

[Talia · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book set in Philadelphia! Set in 1980's Bridesburg and narrated by a potty-mouth 13-year-old, this book is a loving homage to adolescence, northeast Philadelphia, and growing up working class.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve had this book laying around for a while. It was written by my coworker’s brother and is often on the banned book list for middle school (so of course I had to read it.) The author captures a moment in time (the 80’s) on a Philly block one summer. The books is fast-moving and character-driven. The protagonist reminds me of the teenage angst of Holden Caulfield but with much more of a zest for life. Funny and sad in that specific coming of age novel way

[David Haugaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The central character and narrator of Green Grass Grace is the parochial but intelligent Henry Toohey, a 13 year old boy in a white working class neighborhood (Bridesburg) in Philadelphia during the 1980s. More specifically, the denizens of St. Patrick Street, a street of identical rowhouses where everyone (or nearly everyone) is Irish Catholic and knows each other’s business. Henry is a cheerful teenager, but he is distressed by his family’s unhappiness — his mother is furious that his father (a mail carrier) is having an affair with Donna Cooney, a married woman on the block - he drops off the mail and stays for a long time. Meanwhile, his father fights pointlessly with Stephen, one of Henry’s two older brothers, who has become alcoholic and despondent since his girlfriend Megan died in a car accident. The dad is pretty much of jerk, thoughtless, smug, and clueless but not intentionally cruel.

Henry is locally famous for his wisecracks, a lovable smart aleck, if you can tolerate his constant cursing and his two fixations - Henry notes with enthusiasm the size and type of breasts of each woman, young or old, who appears in his narrative, and comments on the hair styles of boys and men. Henry is very vain about his own hair, which he combs frequently, and has strong views about a proper haircut.

But Henry believes in love and kindness and has a scheme to reunite his bickering parents and mend relations between his dad and Stephen. His idealistic faith and enthusiasm for this scheme is touching. He is also disturbed when Bridesburg teenagers plot to beat up teenagers from Fishtown. Both are white neighborhoods (at that time, Philadelphia was a segregated city, except for a few pockets of enlightenment), but Fishtown is not as well-off, and, besides, they are not from the neighborhood, so how dare they come to play basketball.

I really enjoyed the characters. Henry always describes his girlfriend - to the reader and to her - as the lovely, lovely Grace McClain - Grace is a chain smoker, a tomboy, who curses constantly and is up to all the hijinks of her pals Henry and Bobby Jones. She’s also smitten with Henry, and the two have started kissing, plus she allows him to feel her leg. She does not have much in the way of breasts, but Henry doesn’t care, his obsession just fades away when he is with her. His pals Bobby Jones - wilder and not as soulful as Henry - and Harry, the entrepreneur - he mows the tiny lawns in the neighborhood - he is always hustling for jobs, and then spends his hard-earned money on others. His mother whose love of music is very Philly. OAnd there are other great Philly characters.

This comic novel is a celebration of working class life in Philadelphia. It is deeply nostalgic. How people talk, what they do for fun, how they view each other, what they care about. There is a touch of satire here and there, but Shawn McBride is very much of the neighborhood. The book made a bit of a splash when it was published in 2003 with favorable reviews in the New York Times and Philadelphia Inquirer. As far as I know, this is his only book. The last I heard he was a court officer in City Hall. As a longtime proud Philadelphian, I think this book should be a Philly classic.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love quirky, coming-of-age stories READ THIS!! Sort of like 16 Candles or Pretty In Pink from a blue collar boys perspective.

Set in the early 80's, it's about Henry, a hair (and boob) obsessed teen and his family and friends.

It's hilarious, touching, hard hitting, tear inducing (both from laughter and it's poignancy) and FABULOUS!!

I will say there is lot of bad language, F-Bombs all over the place, but I think it fits Henry and the cast of characters so perfectly...think tough teens trying to look cool, dads who work at the nearby prison, etc.

I can't recommend this enough!

[proseaddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yo! If you're from Philly and a product of the '80's, ya gotta read this book! What a fun read. I'll be talking about this one for a while. I just happened to stumble upon this author and I'm so glad I did. This novel would make a great movie. Richard Russo (author of Empire Falls) is quoted on the back cover as saying: "The last time I had this much fun in the company of an adolescent was when Ferris Bueller took a day off. Shawn McBride is a hoot and a half" I think that sums it up perfectly.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yo!..Friggin great book! Im definitely bias...growing up in a very similar neighborhood. Philly is a town of neighborhoods and this could be any one. I really enjoyed Henry's sense of humor. My only problem was the use of the word "pop".....no one calls soda "pop" in Philly...its just soda..sorry

[Carisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read. It reminded a bit of the Wonder Years meets the Outsiders. It's not often I read a book written from the perspective of a 13 year old boy from Philadelphia. It took the first couple of chapters for me to really fall into the story, but once I did I couldn't put the book down.

[Aubin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fantastic story about a young boy coming of age in my favorite city, Philadelphia. One of the funniest books i have ever read by a writer that i would like to see more of. While also being one of the saddest.

[Justine Philyaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel about growing up Catholic in Northeast Philly. It could be my memoir. Funny because of its honesty. Sad but not maudlin. Hopeful without being too cliche. Philadelphians will particularly enjoy some of the setting-specific humor- especially the opening line.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My boss recommended GREEN GRASS GRACE as “required reading for all Philadelphians,” and while I have to disagree, this novel really grew on me. The protagonist is a 13-year-old tough talking kid from Frankford with such a distinctive, strong voice that I grew to really know and care for him over 288 pages. That voice is definitely off-putting—all female characters’ have their boobs classified before any other traits—which definitely took away from my enjoyment of the novel. But ultimately it’s a beautiful, heartbreaking little story.

[Megan Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine if John Hughes partnered with John Landis to make The Blues Brothers. Like, Jake and Elwood are kids growing up in East Philly (as opposed to Chicago), running amok and wreaking havoc, but all for a good cause.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose to read this book because the setting is in the area in which I grew up and the timeline is during my growing up years. However, I could not relate to these characters at all and the profanity was distracting. This book just did not work out for me.

[Leslie Eisenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read at least 4 times, one of the all time greatest books, ever!

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay. It would've made way more sense if Henry was 16 and not 13.

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being very much in the head of a thirteen year old boy, it took a little while to get used to, but had me fully invested and sobbing by the end. Very good and very Philly :)

[Grizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious!!! Great story telling; felt like I was there on St. Patrick St.

[k-os]

Skimmed this one. Very crass and brash. Think there’s an Irish Catholic boy who could enjoy.

[Joe Giordano · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorite books. Full of characters that will make you laugh then break your heart. I’ve read it 3 times!

[Monica Yant Kinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Philly, moving and full of life. Need to reread.

[Sean Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Philly Forever

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Amazon review: Although set in Philadelphia in the 1980's Shawn McBride has fostered an authentic feel for neighborhood life and politics in just about any city in the United States. While there are obvious details that make it Phila to those who know it, an outsider will not be in the dark if they haven't visited Tack Park or seen a 76ers game. The voice of 13-year-old Henry Toohey is brash and fresh and although female readers may have difficulty discerning if Henry's voice rings true (do 13-year-old boys really think about boobs THAT much?), Henry is a bright star in a world stuffed with books about young women "coming of age". Henry's constant fluctuations between immaturity and maturity, his desperate desire to make everything right for everyone, for his family to be happy and whole, and his naiveté in believing he can bring it about single-handedly (and at all) with a premature wedding proposal to his beloved, chain-smoking, young love, Grace, is heart wrenching. And while every character in Henry's world is dysfunctional (the rule, not the exception), they are all dynamic, eccentric, powerful, compelling, insightful, touching, and familiar. Wonder abounds that they can survive each other at all. Shawn McBride's prose is musical and wonderful. The first couple of paragraphs demand to be read out loud and they suck you into Henry's attitude for life, into his world, and really set the pace. McBride's writing hits a beat like Henry's beloved record albums, resonating with life, love and the desire to persevere.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I thought the last few chapters went by too quickly and also catered to the usual "something really bad has to happen for people to get their s*** together" I'm still giving this book 5 stars because it kept me entertained and intrigued (and a bit nostalgic even though I'm not a baseball fan). Once you meet Henry Tobias Toohey you want to follow him everywhere he goes.

McBride did a great job of reaching back to the early 1980s and getting into the adolescent mind frame. Especially watching his family slowly fall apart and trying to help in anyway he can. His friends (Harry, Grace, Bobby J., Archie, and Margie), his family (mom Cecilia, dad Francis Jr., older brothers Frannie and Stephen, and younger sister Cece) are fully fleshed out characters with potty mouths all the same and no apologies for anything. From the first few profanity filled lines of Henry's narration you're completely immersed in 1984 Philly and can't wait to see how the next two days pass on St. Patrick street. It's full of ups and downs, but mainly ups from Henry's POV. What I liked most is that Henry's his own man and doesn't crack under peer pressure and is seriously his own man. He doesn't let outside forces sway his actions and it's so refreshing to see that in a character that doesn't follow the crowd. Plus, his love for women (for their mammaries and in a respectful way) is great to read. Though he's thirteen you admire Henry and hope he gets what he deserves, which is to continuously spread all the love he has in his heart while making you laugh with a good joke.

[Stevelee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finished Green Grass Grace and now even know the secret behind the title, which I liked. There is no doubt that Shawn McBride can write, but think at times he lost himself, and the plot as well, in his rambling asides. I did not mind the bawdy language, or his mockery of Catholicism, but he overplayed it on grand scale, and I am not sure any 13-year old, anywhere in the world of life or fiction is as obsessed with breasts as was Henry. A little bit would have been fine, but once again, after a while, it was too much and distracted from the story. Overall, not a book I would recommend, but it did have its moments. For instance when the kids (all around 13) were out together on their bikes riding as a group through a park. Though this ride started in a blue-collar urban neighborhood near Philadelphia, it took them into the woods where they were able to connect with and appreciate nature. In this passage, the author was able to transmit the joy and innocence of that age, of deep friendships, unabashed joy, and how the world looks through their eyes.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Green Grass Grace pops vibrant & neon distinct --- its pages clamoring with life's hard truths and small triumphs. In Hank Toohey --- the novel's protagonist --- McBride captures with obscene clarity the inner workings of the adolescent male. Green Grass Grace, however, is not a one-dimensional recapitulation of hormone-induced bravado and potty humor (though at one point a character is beat up with a bag of dog poop) --- rather it amplifies and explores those instants in which youth's earnest plottings and aspirations abut life's actualities; this is the struggle of male adolescence, preciously (and artfully) amplified.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I re-read this book in October 2009, having first read it in April 2003 (and went into labor with my daughter a few hours after finishing it). It's therefore sentimental to me, and written by a college friend! He is a trip, and he recently signed the book for me. I can't recommend this book to everyone because it is definitely out there. It's from the perspective of a 13-year-old hormonal boy growing up in Philly and therefore has some interesting themes! But it is funny and sweet at the same time.

[Judi · Rating 3 out of 5]

If there was half stars i would give this book 2 1/2 stars. It took about half way through this book for me to really enjoy it, but once I did I enjoyed immensely. I loved the way he wrote about the relationships between the kids even with all the cussing and talking about boobs (tits). It seems kind of silly but as a tomboy who hung out with boys much of her life, boys are like that. And I loved the neighborhood and as disfunctional as most of them were I wished I had grown up in such a tight knit group.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's simple and sweet. It's fun and sad. The writing style is nothing to marvel at, though he does try. At times I felt a little condescended to in terms of how he choose to portray characterization, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed a day or two in the life of the these amazing kids. It reaffirmed my stance on life: Grown-ups and all their problems suck, Imagination rules, and falling in love might be the most painfully delicious thing on earth.

[TK · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated the way the author prefesented the high drama and tragic happenings of St. Patricks Street, Philadephia, through the voice of a 13-year old boy. This book is one big ball of hope, and even though the narrator curses like a sailor and has a million ways to talk about tits, he doesn't recognize a vibrtor when he sees it (or even know what it is). This innocence is both authentic and disarming.

Thank you to SG for this book.

[Paul Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually, I learned little from this book, aside from the fact that a lot of what we have in our lives we naturally take for granted. Human nature is lacking contentment. This book is quite simply written, but entertaining, and quite funny, and has some magical way of making the reader look at himself and realize that it was, in some way, written about him.