WILLIAM A. GRALNICK
THE TRILOGY IS NOW AVAILABLE
I’ve been asked what this book is about. Another trait from my borough is to answer a question with a question. Why did I write this book? Simply, it is about me from earliest memory through high school, from no hormones to all hormones. I wrote it for two reasons. First, if one is honest with oneself, as we progress through these years we do an amazing number of stupid, mortifying, sophomoric things. So why not share them?
We need a respite from a messy world. George Washington Didn't Sleep Here, is a fun memoir full of smiles and guffaws. The reader is taken through the mistakes, miseries, and missteps made during six years of college and graduate school. Set mostly outside the classroom, it's week one of adjustment, professors, dormitories, fraternities and girls. This book is a pinata of stories for the reader.
The title of That's Why They Call It Work comes from the author's response to his son who noted that work was hard, to which the author replied, "That's why they call it work." Readers are taken on a train of words that carries them through six states and a dozen or so cities. There are episodes that evoke fear, wonderment, challenges to believability, and some good old- fashioned belly laughs.
" I have just read "Itchy". It sounded just like my family."
- Eugene DuBow
"Hi Bill. I just finished reading your new book. It brought back wonderful memories and it was a fun read. Stay safe and well."
- Brother Barry Duman
"I thoroughly enjoyed this book: it was insightful and entertaining, revealing the character of the author and his sense of humor" - Stuart Silver
WHO AM I?
Bill Gralnick has been writing ever since his mother said, “Little Pishers” should be seen not heard.” As a teen, he wrote over one hundred love letters to his girlfriend. As an adult he has written almost nine hundred op-ed pieces for newspapers around the country—four have appeared in USA Today. This is his third book. There are three more in the hopper.
"More informative than any history book you'll find.
And it has heart...tons of heart" - Randall Murray
"Delightful. Makes me nostalgic for the Brooklyn I grew up in." - LS (former Brooklynite)
"Just finished the book. Really cute. Fun read. Told my wife she has to read it." - Joe (Montreal)
"A super fun read. A wonderful walk down memory lane with a superb storyteller." - Judith Beiner, PhD
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2022
A delightful, humorous, accurate and entertaining historic perspective on Brooklyn and New York.
"I really enjoyed the Clem Labine story. I remember seeing him pitch on my 17 inch Dumont inch TV and also seeing him play at Ebbets Field, if he came in you knew it was gonna be lights out. When you put down his full name my brain had a light jog for a minute until I shortened it to Clem Labine, keep up the good work I enjoy reading your
stuff." - K.M.
SECOND PLACE
Isaac Davis Memorial Award
Intramural Contest
Extemporaneous Speaking
WINNER
First place in the Story Contest Slam hosted by FAU
and the Boca Raton Library.
DROP ME A LINE
"My wife gave me this book for a present several months ago as she felt I would enjoy it being I grew up in Queens and Brooklyn. I was a little busy and maybe lazy so the book just sat on my night table since. Well with COVID-19 taking over our lives and really turning everything into a "MESS" I had a lot more time to spend time reading. The book brought me back to the days of my youth having been born in the Bronx, living in Queens, and going to school in Brooklyn. I guess that makes me a 3 Borough man although I spent plenty of time in Manhattan as well. Itchy balls is a very easy book to read and kept my interest throughout bringing me back to my days of yore. This book is just pure pleasure and helped to provide a much needed distraction during a time of distress. Reading The War of the Itchy Balls brought back plenty of memories both good and bad". - Gary Warren Boca Raton, FL
Email me at wagmom@aol.com
and lets discuss Dodgers, Coney Island, Nathan's and "Itchy Balls"
