Book Talk: ‘North Hill’ is insightful novel about Akron neighborhood

Puck Beck lives with his parents, grandmother and eight siblings in a crowded house on Tallmadge Avenue in Akron.

In “North Hill,” an insightful novel by University of Akron alumnus William Zink, Puck sleeps on a thin mattress in the attic with four of his five brothers, while a sixth sleeps in a nonfunctioning Volkswagen bus in the driveway, just to get some air and privacy.

Set in perhaps 1967 (Puck’s sisters listen to “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”), the episodic novel is in Puck’s voice as his family struggles to make do with the income from his father’s automotive garage. Breakfast is oatmeal with powdered milk, sometimes accompanied by celery. The boys work nonstop on home maintenance and helping elderly neighbors.

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Puck has a complicated relationship with two girls. On one side live the Del Rosas, whose voluptuous daughter Teresa stokes the libido of every boy on North Hill. On the other side lives Buzzy, whose real name is Sandy. She lacks Teresa’s allure and has a deeply troubled home life, but Puck is drawn to her penetrating intellect.

Puck’s father uses a wheelchair because of the effects of polio, and every night one of his older sons carries him upstairs to bed. He suffers agony from past third-degree burns and fractures. Puck suffers, too; he prays for his father’s legs to heal and tries to bargain with Jesus. His prayers are unanswered; his father’s business partner cleans out the accounts and skips town. Now there is oatmeal for dinner, too.

The book is rich with details of time and place, as the boys hike across the Viaduct and picnic at the Gorge. A group of hippies show up at a family farm and talk about the “vibrating and cosmic truths” in San Francisco. Brother Tommy goes off to Vietnam.

“North Hill” is William Zink’s 12th book; “Ohio River Dialogues” was a finalist for the 2008 Ohioana Book Award in Fiction.

“North Hill” (296 pages, softcover) costs $15 from Sugar Loaf Press. William Zink will sign “North Hill” from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Trust Books, 1884 Front St., Cuyahoga Falls.

‘Blood Moon’

While readers wait for the 14th book in Linda Castillo’s series about a small Holmes County town, “Blood Moon,” an e-story, will satisfy.

It takes place on a single warm night, with fog “as thick as peanut butter.” An Amish farmer is on his way home when his horse is spooked by a noise from beside the road. The farmer is thrown from his buggy and, in the dark, sees a figure rushing toward him. It makes terrifying noises, and attacks the man.

Burkholder is awakened and called to the scene. The farmer describes the animal as a bear, but Burkholder is skeptical and there are no bear tracks to be found. Within hours, there are two more sightings, and one of the witnesses brings up the “Spuk Butzeman,” the Haunted Scarecrow, an Amish folklore figure that guards fields by day and transforms into a wild animal at night. Another witness just describes “a monster.”

As no one is critically injured, there is ample opportunity for wisecracks and puns about the identity of the mysterious beast, and to advance the relationship between Burkholder and her fiancé, Ohio Bureau of Investigations agent John Tomasetti.

“Blood Moon” costs $1.99 for the Kindle (2713 KB) and Nook (5MB). Linda Castillo grew up in Darke County and now lives in Texas. “The Hidden One,” her next full-length Painters Mill novel will be released in July, and she will make several local appearances.

‘Skunk’s Spa Day’

Skunk are the common characters in three rhyming storybooks by Akron resident Michelle Fremon.

In “Skunk’s Spa Day,” Madeline tells her cat it’s time to go to the grooming salon, but the contrary cat has other ideas. She entices Stanley the skunk with some cheese and while he is occupied, paints over his skunk stripe. But the joke is on her — Stanley has a grand time at the pet spa, returning refreshed, smelling good and with a new toy.

“Scotty Skunk’s Secret” is that he and his family are experiencing homelessness, which his friend Stanley learns when he and his mother are serving lunch at the soup kitchen. Stanley’s family and their neighbors are helpful and welcoming.

Madeline returns in “The Skunk That Lives Down the Street,” as she meets various outdoor animals while walking her dog. At first she is squeamish, but then she realizes that all have something to contribute.

“Spa,” “Secret” (each 32 pages) and “Street” (37 pages) cost $10.99 in softcover from online retailers. The books are illustrated by Micaela Stefano.

Events

Loganberry Books (13015 Larchmere Blvd., Shaker Heights): Colby Smith signs his horror novel “The Ironic Skeletons,” 1 p.m. Sunday; Michelle Herman signs her novel “Close-Up,” 2 p.m. Sunday. Dan Chaon signs his terrific, darkly funny novel “Sleep Walk,” featured in May 22 Book Talk, 7 p.m. Friday.

Cuyahoga County Public Library: Jack E. Davis talks about “The Bald Eagle: The Improbable Journey of America’s Bird,” in a Zoom event from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. From 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Patrick Girondi discusses his memoir “Flight of the Rondone: High School Dropout VS Big Pharma: The Fight to Save My Son’s Life; from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Mark Kurlansky discusses his memoir “The Importance of Not Being Ernest: My Life with the Uninvited Hemingway.” Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.

Akron-Summit County Public Library (Ellet branch, 2470 E. Market St.): Lorie Langdon and Carey Corp talk about their “Doon” teen fantasy series, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Register at akronlibrary.org.

Cuyahoga County Public Library (Bay Village branch, 27400 Wolf Road): Bette Lou Higgins talks about “Lost Restaurants of Cleveland,” 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.

Visible Voice Books (2258 Professor Ave., Cleveland): Poet Pauletta Hansel reads from her work, including “Heartbreak Tree,” with Jonie McIntire, Poet Laureate of Lucas County (“Semidomesticated”) and John Burroughs, Ohio’s 2019-2021 Beat Poet Laureate (“You Can’t Trust It to Remain”), 7 p.m. Thursday. At 7 p.m. Saturday, Andrew Farkas launches “The Great Indoorsman.”

Learned Owl Book Shop (204 N. Main St., Hudson): Anthony Miano signs his Trojan War-set “The Changing of the Gods,” 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Reed Memorial Library (167 E. Main St., Ravenna): Jay Brakenrich, author of the Civil War novel “Greenbriar,” Janet Fox, author of the Portage County-set “Desperate Horse Wives” trilogy, and Sandy Engle, whose “Nature’s Miracles” is an environmental-themed novel, talk about and sign their work from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday. Register at reedlibrary.libnet.info/home.

Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library (Coventry Village branch, 1925 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights): Dan Chaon signs “Sleep Walk,” 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Cuyahoga County Public Library (Chagrin Falls branch, 100 E. Orange St.): Trisha K. Campbell, author of “Eight Was Enough: A God-led Adventure with Adopted and Special-Needs Kids,” presents “Parenting: The Hardest Job You’ll Ever Love,”  2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.

B-Side Liquor Lounge (2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights): Poets Jeanne Bryner, Paulette Hansel and Jeremy Jusek read from their work, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Email information about books of local interest, and event notices at least two weeks in advance to BeaconBookTalk@gmail.com and bjnews@thebeaconjournal.com. Barbara McIntye tweets at @BarbaraMcI.

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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: ‘North Hill’ is 1960s novel about Akron neighborhood