Being Sweet

Book excerpt: In 1939, five-year-old Carl "Sweet" Donner believes the whole world loves him. He trusts all the grown-ups around him and never questions the wisdom of their teachings. But his halcyon days are numbered. Sweet's idyllic views are shattered by events wrought by World War II and the natural human frailty of those he loves. From each tragedy, setback, and failure, he recovers and learns a lesson-oft-times a logically warped one. Nearly killed during one of his escapades, he makes a remarkable recovery after a lengthy convalescence. He is convinced that he is invulnerable and blessed with luck as no other boy could be. By his eighth birthday, he is doubtful yet incorrigible, sure of nothing but his ability to outsmart those he feels will misrule his life or invade his rights. Sweet lands in a lot trouble but somehow always manages to prevail-well, almost always.