Just a Philadelphia Boy is a memoir about growing up in North Philadelphia during the years 1936 to 1944 -- from the Depression until the final stages of World War II. The book recreates what was once an "Irish village" neighborhood set in the middle of a big city. The chapters center on the homes, places of employment, education, religious practices, amusements, sports, and general interests of the area's residents.North Philadelphia is a neighborhood whose parallels have existed in every major American city. Readers who grew up in areas such as South Boston, the Bronx, and Chicago's South Side will easily recognize the place. It was once their world too.