| Summary: | Eli Gottlieb's remarkable debut novel flawlessly depicts the emotional chaos that characterizes the transition into adolescence. In the literary tradition of Catcher in the Rye, "The Boy Who Went Away" introduces Denny Graubart, a serf-proclaimed "highly skilled intelligence operative", who spends one summer spying on and chronicling the slow deterioration of his family as his mother tries desperately to keep his autistic brother out of an institution. With amazing insight, Denny navigates the rocky path through puberty guided only by his own questioning spirit and the depraved advice of Derwent, the teenager next door. Denny ultimately confronts his family's problems in a way that is at once humorous, poignant, and ultimately touching. Through Denny's eyes, Gottlieb draws us closer to the universal truths of self-discovery and personal courage.
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