Benjamin Uke's Reviews > Goodbye, Rudy Kazoody

A.A. Freda’s Goodbye, Rudy Kazoody is nostalgic of a lot of the old Bronx-stories I read growing up, brief glimpses into the lives of immigrants in New York. Narrated first-person by Joey, an Italian immigrant in the 60s Bronx. The story follows Joey, his cousin Spike, and their small street gang the Black Knights.

The story begins with Spike having a mental breakdown, telling the story of being a New world boy-surrounded by old-world family and customs. All while his personality is bouncing around between the two. The reader can feel the securities stemming from this conflict. Having lived among large groups off immigrants, many of whom are relatives, it is good to see the hidden conflict put into words.

With Freda’s great use of dialogue helps bring the scenes to life. Going over the Italian-american life in the ghettos of New York, morphing as the boys get older by involving sex, gangs, family and heartbreak. It is a bittersweet ending, but it has a lasting bittersweet flavor of humanity.