Everyone Leaves Behind a Name: True Stories

Michael Brick is one of those writers who never leaves your side and what pleasurable company he provides.In reading this collection of his newspaper and magazine stories from Brooklyn Houston and beyond picture the man. Tall and lanky and so proud to be Texan wearing a brown vest and cowboy boots his narrow reporters notebook in his back pocket slapping at his flat ass as if urging him onward because these blank pages needed filling.Bricks words breathe life into his subjects. Here is Willy the world-weary lady bartender at a salt-air bar and all you need to know is that Her daddy was William who wanted a son. Here is Minerva Ramirez aging with Down syndrome her hair tied in a floral bow pretty like Tinkerbell. And Danny Wimprine a talented quarterback too small for the N.F.L. whose gorgeous touchdown throws for the New Orleans VooDoo arena football team makes women swoon. And Peter Carmine Gaetano Napolitano the bartender at the Melody Lanes bowling alley in south Brooklyn wearing suspenders and a red-trimmed cummerbund an insurance policy for pants.Brick brings his characters to life and brings them along with him to the party. Make room for the Coney Island mermaids wearing green-sequined bras and knocking back Buds. Another round please.Proceeds from the book will benefit the Brick family.