Kevin's Blog

I’m sure that anyone reading this blog post has gotten in a fight with their sister, brothers, or even their parents. As a teen, it seems impossible to evade getting into some type of trivial quarrel with siblings or parents over what channel the television is tuned to, who has to do certain chores, and countless other things. However, after reading the book 700 Sundays, a memoir written by the revered comedian and actor Billy Crystal, I think twice before starting a fight with someone in my family (as weird as it may seem).

To explain this further, 700 Sundays is Billy Crystal’s riveting account of the small amount of time he was able to spend with his father in his childhood; 700 Sundays (which is very little time, when you think about it), due his father’s early and deeply saddening death. Billy grew up in Long Beach, New York, and his father had to work multiple jobs weekdays and weekends to keep the family financially stable. This left the only free time for Billy’s father, Jack, to spend with his family, Sundays. As Billy explains in his memoir, “The only day we really had alone with him [Jack] was Sunday. Sunday was our day for my two brothers and I to put on a show and make them [Billy's parents] laugh…I just couldn’t wait for Sundays.” (Crystal 14, 15)

Billy’s story, in short, is about the world that his father exposed him to while growing up; jazz music, baseball, and most importantly, stage and comedy. As Billy takes us through the experiences of his childhood, he mainly expounds on the family roles and relationships that he, his two brothers, and his parents had. When he tells of his father’s death [this is not a spoiler!] the reader is humbled by his breakdown and painful experiences thereafter. Seeing this dark period in Billy’s life as he tells it firsthand will put reader’s lives into perspective, as they learn to value their family relationships better.

But, I do not want to give false impressions of the book; it is also a very funny, and accurate account of a teenager’s life. Reading about Billy’s comedic view on many of his wacky family members had me laughing pretty hard. Billy also expresses a lot of teenage angst, which is why I recommend this book mostly to an adolescent audience (but also other audiences too!). As well, the memoir offers a vivid snapshot of the setting that Billy grew up in; the 50s. Jazz music was just emerging and becoming the next best thing, and Mickey Mantle was the star hitter of the Yankees.

So, the reason that I’m recommending this book is that not only will it make the reader laugh, and give them a good perspective of life “back in the day” (a.k.a. the 50s), but it will truly bestow the reader with a great deal of appreciation for their family members, and those around them, and teach them to think twice about fighting with a sibling or parent. I guarantee that some way or another, you get something great out of 700 Sundays, whether it be a laugh, a tear, a snapshot of history, or a valuable life lesson.

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