Whitefish Bay Writer Pens Coming-Of-Age Novel

In "Let Me Wear Your Coat," author John Basil paints an oddly realistic portrait of a 14-year-old New Jersey boy who has trouble fitting in with his classmates.

The vivid emotions and inner dialogue of protagonist Neil Bricker seem less odd when the Whitefish Bay resident describes his own experiences growing up in an affluent New York City suburb where, like Neil, he idolized The Who and battled teenage awkwardness.

"There's some of me in that book," Basil said in a recent telephone interview. "I'd say one-third of it was drawn from my youth."

But the book is far from an autobiography. Set in 1979, the book interweaves pop culture references to tell a coming-of-age tale about the main character's adolescent angst, a classmate who bullies him and a tense relationship he has with his adopted African-American brother who  – despite being the only person of color in their school – has seamlessly folded into its social scene.     

Through these characters, Basil shows that adolescence is not easy for anyone – even the popular kids.

“Neil thinks the other two characters have everything going for them, but as the narrative unfolds, you see that’s not the case,” Basil said. “They're all in the same boat.”

The adolescent angst that Neil experiences is similar to Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye – except Neil judges his value in the world based on his success in prep sports.

In addition to sports, Neil also finds release through music – particularly, The Who's. "Let Me Wear Your Coat" is a line from the British rock band's popular hit "Behind Blue Eyes" and serves as a metaphor for how the three characters seek solace and understanding.

Basil said he spent four years writing the book, and he had it self-published last year. He said the book has been popular with young adults, as well as adults who identify with the pop culture references from the late 1970s.

Basil said he already has another book in the works – also based partially on life experience. A Whitefish Bay resident of 10 years, Basil previously worked on Wall Street and happened to be in the World Trade Center when the first plane hit on 9/11. He said he is in the beginning stages of writing that book, which he hopes will turn a tragic memory into a cathartic experience.

Let Me Wear Your Coat is available for paperback and Kindle on Amazon.