Down from Troy A Doctor Comes of Age Author:Richard Selzer In this beloved classic, Richard Selzer recounts his childhood in Troy, New York, during the Great Depression. No easy town to come of age in, Troy in the 1930s was a city long past its prime, "full of whores and TB," and as the son of general practitioner, Selzer had occasion to view both up close. In the midst of this grim environmen... more »t -- "bereft, pigeon-colored, in despair" -- Selzer is buoyed by his father's devotion to the craft of medicine and his mother's love of music and art. Both father and mother endeavor to shape their son to their own ends, and although he initially chooses a career in medicine, he ultimately excels as both a surgeon and a writer. Thus are the dreams of both parents fulfilled. Down from Troy is a beautifully crafted memoir by one of America's finest storytellers.« less