Arse over Teakettle: An Irreverent Story of Coming of Age During the 1940s in Toronto

by Doug Taylor

Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn found adventure on the banks of the mighty Mississippi. Tom Hudson and his friend "Shorty" discovered it in the secluded laneways and avenues of a deceptively quiet Toronto neighbourhood. Arse Over Teakettle is an intriguing tale of Tom Hudson's boyhood escapades in Toronto during the 1940s. He and his mischievous friend, Shorty, encounter eccentric characters such as Grumpy, an unconventional older man in the neighbourhood, and their fierce neighbour-Mrs. Leyer. Their confrontations with the Kramer Gang are sometimes painful and at other times hilarious. As Tom and his friends become sexually aware, amusing situations develop. Shorty constantly pushes Tom to explore beyond the secure boundaries of childhood, into the world of the "big boys." An intimate and heartfelt tale of family life in Toronto, Arse Over Teakettle is set during the decade when the city is transforming from a parochial city into a cosmopolitan urban centre. In Tom's neighbourhood, difficulties arise as he confronts ethnic and religious prejudice, which wounds his boyhood friends.

536 pages, Paperback

First published November 5, 2010