Through America's forties into the fifties, times coinciding with history, "Becoming" is a funny, humanisticly sexually frustrating novel that may remind many of us of ourselves way back then when God's most mysterious creation was the opposite sex.
Do you remember your radio and Captain Midnight, The Lone Ranger, Junior Miss and Let’s Pretend? The first time you inhaled a cigarette? Your first swallow of hard liquor? The thrill of the first exploration of the body of your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife... your own body? Your first orgasm? Remember when as a people we loved America, and showed it? Then you might be ready for a nostalgic, funny, romantic, sexually frustrating novel. A novel that may remind many of us of ourselves, “way back then,” when God’s most mysterious creation was the opposite sex. A novel about life and the often funny, sometimes sad, day-to-day things that stir the memories of our lives.
Excerpt
Yes, when he said it last week he did mean it. But last week he’d been embarrassed, and his passion had been spent. But on this night, operating under a very revitalized head of steam, though he’d told himselfl I will not even try to go any further than before, then just touching, or kissing… or, or, most of all, seeing what Susan’ll let me see. Meaning, of course, he dearly wanted to see her breasts, so…
Professional Reviews
Becoming
A professional review of BECOMING,
by Willow, of Working Girl Reviews
“Do you remember your radio and “Captain Midnight,” “The Lone Ranger,” “Junior Miss” and “Let’s Pretend”? The first time you inhaled a cigarette? Your first swallow of hard liquor? The thrill of the first exploration of the body of your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife… your own body? Your first orgasm? Remember when as a people we loved America, and showed it? Then you might be ready for a nostalgic, funny, romantic, sexually frustrating novel. A novel that may remind many of us of ourselves, “way back then,” when God’s most mysterious creation was the opposite sex. A novel about life and the often funny, sometimes sad, day-to-day things that stir the memories of our lives…”
THE ABOVE IS A QUOTE FROM THE BLURB for Mark Lichterman’s Becoming and I put it there because it so aptly describes the novel. When I decided to review this book, I was worried because number one, I rarely have time to sit down and read a book as long as this one and two, because I stupidly felt I’d never be able to connect with anything in it. I’m female, Christian, grew up in the country, and the time period was before my time. I was wrong, wrong, wrong! The subject matter is timeless, the characters so genuine they jump from the pages and into your heart, and being the mother of boys—I could even relate to the male point of view.
The story begins in 1939 on Chicago’s west side and follows five-year-old Mitchie for the next seventeen years of his life. A true coming of age story told in graphic detail. And the humor—did I mention the humor? I found myself laughing out loud many times. I especially loved when the humor came at a time when it was totally unexpected, the way it is in ‘real life’. I can’t say all I’d like to say about the book because it needs to be experienced first hand and I don’t want to spoil that experience for the reader by saying too much.
Mr. Lichterman is a talented storyteller with a beautifully unique writing style and strong voice. His characters are delightfully flawed, giving them an unsurpassed charm and authentic quality. Becoming transcends all gender, ethnic, and geographical backgrounds, so no matter where you’re coming from, if you love truly great coming of age stories, give this one a try.
My one complaint is I felt the book ended too soon. Yes, even at 736 pages, I was sad when reading that last page and know these characters will be with me for a long time. – Willow
Becoming
"WONDERFULLY WELL WRITTEN, it paints a life picture at times through eyes of both humor and disappointment. I was reared in the rural south but this work transcends ethnic and geographic boundaries so that we can easily identify with Mitch, especially in his quest to lose his virginity. Mark's wit and great sense of humor comes through in a style that holds ones attention long after putting down his book. You just know this has to be Mark's story and that of those who experienced life with him. This is indeed a book worth reading for the sheer enjoyment of remembering the way we were and those people who made it interesting." -- Renetta Randy, Nashvill, Tn
Becoming
"AS ONE RAISED in a Chicago neighborhood around the same time Lichterman grew up in his, I found this coming-of-age novel very reminiscent of my own childhood and adolescence. However, to enjoy this book, one needn't be from Chicago (or Peoria, for that matter), nor a child of the same era. The scenes, characters, experiences, relationships, conversations and events in this book are vividly and brilliantly depicted in a way that will awaken fond, fearful, and passionate memories in the reader fortunate enough to acquire this gem of a book. It is a poignant, humorous and timeless tale that moves along at a satisfying pace." -- J. Magoun, Thousand Oaks, CA
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Reviews for "Becoming: Mid 20th Century American becoming of age novel"
In Mark Lichterman's detailed chronology of Mitchell Lipinsky coming-of-age in World War II Chicago, he uses conversation that kids used in big-city America to carry the action very well. So well, that when one reads what Mitchell is saying and doing to those around him, it becomes very realistic. As though Mitch was not a fictional person from a novel, but really living that life in that time.
Mitchell was Jewish, but not suffering like the Jews in Europe. In fact, went through this entire period of his life without much concern for the war raging in Japan and Europe. Those thoughts were far away from his mind. Like Portnoy’s Complaint, Mitch was concerned about his manhood. Through a series of fits and starts Lichterman humorously and cleverly takes Mitchell through a kind of gauntlet hell where he never gets, like Mick Jagger later complained, “Satisfaction.”
Lipinsky was a big kid, tall, dark and a handsome, but not the best in school, perhaps because of his distraction. Slightly overweight, and not restricted by kosher food, he didn’t use his physical stature in sports. Mitchell’s parents couldn’t afford a Jewish school, so he went to public school until being sent to a Christian military school in Wisconsin. There, Mitch received a better education in life than in academia.
After a failed love affair with a willing Gentile girl, Lipinsky failed to live up to his own expectations for college. In despair for being unable to go to college or marry the girl of his very, Mitch signed up for the National Guard. During summer camp their unit was called up for the Korean War. Because some others and he were underage, they were honorably discharged. Still lost in limbo over that girl, Mitchell joined the coast guard. The road to manhood was clear. Read the book to find out if Mitch Lipinsky ever made it.
I highly recommend this book for Mark's highly detailed and well paced story that will help anyone, even young people of today, in spite of the tastefully written sexual content, to understand the way it was at that simpler time on the home front when the world was under great stress.
Dozens of Frequently Asked Questions regarding Pathological Narcissism, relationships with abusive narcissists, and the Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
