<b>We Were the Firebirds</b>

<p dir="ltr"><i>We Were the Firebirds</i> is a coming-of-age novella in the form of a memoir. It is plainspoken: Holden Caulfield without the attitude. The narrative voice is relatively earnest so as to capture something of the innocence and naivete of youth in a bygone era. There are three overlapping arcs to the work: religion; football; and fellowship/romance. All this actually happened, more or less, though we now see it through a fun-house mirror.</p><p><br></p><p dir="ltr">About the Author:</p><p dir="ltr">Ben Giamo is professor emeritus of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame. He has published literary studies on William Kennedy and Jack Kerouac as well as books on both contemporary and historical homelessness. He is a regular contributor to <i>Sport Literate</i>, which ran "Played Out," earning him a notable nod in <i>Best American Essays</i>.</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p>