This trilogy chronicles the coming-of-age journey of a young boy navigating a world shaped by strict upbringing and cultural clashes. Set against the backdrop of the 1960s, the narrative vividly portrays the tension between religious dogma and worldly desires. Readers will delight in witty observations on family dynamics, first loves, and the quest for self-discovery during a transformative era. It's a tale of daring to defy expectations and embracing the joy of finding one's own path.
This is the story of Calvin Becker, son of a missionary family on vacation in Italy in the early '60s. Calvin must cope with his father's bad moods, his mother's embarrassing habit of preaching to "Pagan" strangers, his sister's pious tattling, the the beautiful Jennifer, a fellow tourist who's captured his heart and made him determined to be "normal" once and for all.