A wonderful book from start to finish that incorporates the difficulties of broken families from mistakes - Harry's one night stand - and the unfairness of life that breaks families up - the death of Harry's father.

It is blatant that Harry adores his father - although he does not say it. He is constantly looking to his father for guidance, respect and acceptance and hopes his own son, Pat, will do the same to him. However, when the seemingly unstoppable man falls ill, Harry's life is in dissaray. His wife is in Japan - leaving him to hold down a job and look after his son. Harry is devestated to discover his father has lung cancer and watches his hero slip away into the depths of a "morphine fog" as he is sedated. Soon, he passes over and Harry's mother is left to deal with the death of her beloved husband and she has to try to forge a smile on her face to keep Pat from hurting.

'Man and Boy' is a novel that includes everything from marriage to child birth; one-night stands to new love and new beginnings and old memories... There is nothing about the novel that screams "fake" or "unbelievable" and it is easy to discuss the issues and themes within the book as they are recurring themes in today's society.