Beautiful, classical little collection of stories about a boy and his family caught up in the excitement and heartbreak of World War II America. William Saroyan is one of the great--and sadly often overlooked--American authors of the first half of the 20th Century. Saroyan's central character is a 14-year old boy who takes a job as a telegram delivery boy, often having to deliver the dreaded telegrams from the War Department that always start, "The War Department regrets to inform you of the death of...". His book is intensely human, taking the reader into the daily lives of people in a small town in California. Philosophically, Saroyan sees people as basically good at heart. His depth of understanding of human nature is both illuminating and hopeful. For those readers who love his work, I would recommend that they also take the trouble to find his one-act play, "The Oyster and the Pearl," which is similar in tone. The War Department telegrams change the lives of families forever. This little masterpiece may do the same for you too.