THE AMBOY DUKES

by Irving Shulman ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 27, 1946

Report repeated from page 432 of the September 1st bulletin when scheduled for fall publication- as follows: ""Juvenile delinquency, in less impersonal terms than Farrell's documentaries, and the street corner gangs of Brownsville, Brooklyn, showing a youth, neither good nor bad, and a viciousness not tempered by youth. Frank Goldfarb, knowing only home relief until the war brings prosperity, is a proud member of the Amboy Dukes, who taught him to play tough, to sneer and snarl and fight dirty, to carry a home-made pistol, to smoke reefers, never to miss a good lay. He is a son baffles his defense-working parents, whose time and overtime leave them no time for their children. Frank and Benny are responsible for having their whole class suspended and when they return to argue with their teacher, Benny accidentally kills him. Frank counsels a waiting game and they manage to hoodwink the police but learn to hate their mutual bondage. Things come to a head at a dance the Dukes give; their member, Crazy, a psychopath, rapes a 12-year old girl. Benny's gun is found. Frank hoping to get off free informs on Benny, is cornered by Crazy and killed... Indictment of a system, which results in no normal boyhood, slum tenements, corruption by the brutal codes of their gangs-a grim, terrible picturing of headline youth.

Pub Date: March 27, 1946

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1946

Categories: FICTION