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Spotlight On: Growth and Change are Highly Overrated by Tom Starita



Growth and Change Are Highly Overrated is a classic coming-of-age story that takes a unique and comic look at what we all fear— having to grow up and abandon our dreams. For a charismatic man like Lucas James, life is a breeze because everyone else provides the wind. This man-child front man for a mediocre cover band has been mooching off of his fiancée Jackie for years until she finally decides she's had enough. Faced with the reality of having no income to support his carefree lifestyle, Lucas James abandons his principles and gets a job working in the stockroom at, “That Store.” How does he cope with this new found sense of responsibility? He casually steals... In a life spent bucking authority how will Lucas James deal with his manager, 'Victor the Dictator'? How long can he survive Ralph, a starry-eyed coworker who desires nothing more than to be best friends? Will Lori, a twenty-something cashier, be like everyone else and fall for his charms? Will he ever find a place to live? And is “growing up” just another way of saying “selling out?” With this hilarious and engaging novel, author Tom Starita perfectly captures a character we have all met and perhaps some of us know all too well.

Two Questions of Doom: 1) Why should you read this book? A: I don't want to overstate things, it's not my style. Let's just examine the facts. You are on a book review site, perhaps the best book review site on the entire world wide web. This means you are looking for a good book to read. I wrote a book, "Growth and Change Are Highly Overrated" that not only has gotten great reviews but also might be the definitive twenty-first century American tale. Jerry Seinfeld didn't say my book was the funniest thing he ever read. But he ALSO didn't say it wasn't. I rest my case.

2) What should you have for dinner tonight? A: A bowl of pasta with sliced up pieces of chicken cutlet, mozzarella, bacon and broccoli, layered with marinara sauce.


About the Author:

Like Brooklyn, Starita’s resumé is diverse ranging from teaching religion, Sales, working for the Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund, and now helping foreign exchange students find homes in America. “The common thread among all my jobs is having personal experiences with a large cross section of America. The rationale behind people’s decisions has always fascinated me, and writing allows me to carry that to the most extreme level.” Starita has made an impact on everyone he encounters. When asked for her thoughts about him, Oprah Winfrey said, "Who?" Tom Hanks refused to respond to an email asking for a quote and former Mets great Mookie Wilson once waved to him from a passing taxi. Originally from Staten Island, NY Starita has now found a home in the beautiful beach community of Stratford, Connecticut where he remains a loyal fan of the New York Mets.

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