Eddy Pareti lives under the shadow of his older brother and sister, straight A students who are the apple of their parent’s eye. He’s the black sheep of the family who dodges duties at his family’s tavern, Ernie’s Bleachers (now Murphy’s Bleachers), ditches school and fails seventh grade . The Chicago Cubs in 1945 are heading to the World Series, and Eddy sneaks into games and brushes up against baseball legends, including stars of the Negro League. But he runs into trouble with a bookie who wants him to shoot a deadbeat gambler. He takes the mayor’s car for a spin with his buddies, and—hold your horses—he crashes a stagecoach on State Street. Eddy’s Italian-American family—already battling Chicago’s machine politics and the Mafia— think he’s going astray. Fed up, his parents make a decision that will change Eddy’s life—but street-smart Eddy has other plans. And thus begins a journey that takes him to places he’s never been. He encounters a strange religious cult that plays baseball on donkeys, and makes his home under the stars. Along the way, he learns a lifelong lesson about home, family, and responsibilities. Based on a true story, Ernie’s Bleachers is a coming-of-age saga of baseball, family, and the American spirit that intersects on the corner of Sheffield and Waveland avenues—a vintage tale that explores the classic era of our National Pastime, the ravages of war, the end of the Depression, and the city of big bets and big shoulders. “Pareti’s novel seamlessly weaves a deeply textured cast of characters along with a detailed chronicle of the atmosphere surrounding Chicago’s Wrigley Field when Lakeview was a blending of ethnic enclaves to deliver a patchwork quilt of the dominant topics facing Chicago at that time, war, baseball and crime. Pareti paints a story of the Wrigleyville well before the rooftops and the gentrification, capturing not only the neighborhood; people, conflicts, flavors and tastes; but also what it was to be an Italian-American. It’s a heartfelt and genuine piece of writing.“ Brian A. Bernardoni, Wrigley Field historian Ernie's Bleachers is about a lot of different things. It's about growing up in Chicago, especially its northside ethnic neighborhoods, in the mid-to-late 1940s. It's about Pareti's family and friends. It's a little bit about politics and corruption too. It's also about the Negro Leagues, Major League Baseball and especially the Cubs and what it means to be a Cubs fan. Dennis Hetzel, book reviewer and author of The Killing Curse The book is a masterpiece of storytelling, which brings one back to the way things were "back in the days" Robert Leon Davis, Reader Views book reviewer "A novel that's just perfect for anyone who's a Cubs fan, or from Chicago, or who's Italian-American...or had a childhood." Pat LoBrutto, Award winning Editor Reading Ernie' Bleachers is like time-traveling back to 1940s Chicago and becoming the precocious protagonist in a compelling coming-of-age story that's full of heart, hope, fear and wonder. It's well worth the trip." Steve Parolini , author of Stolen Things "A deep dive into an era, a storied neighborhood, and events that deserve a second look. Ernie's Bleachers bleeds with atmosphere. It takes the nation's pulse during a seminal moment in the history of baseball and all of sports, with the shadowy beginnings of the Chicago Outfit, the brutal politics of Chicago, and the final chapter of World War II as its backdrop, . Michael Just , author of The Dirt "A Chicago saloon in the 1940s. Baseball. World War Two. Tough guys. Politics. Mobsters. Beautiful dames. Chicago Cubs. A smart-ass kid named Eddy. What could possibly go wrong? Ernie's Bleachers. Get it. Read it. Love it." Steven Decker, author of Cambridge Street Pencraft Best Book Winner, winter 2023 Shelf Unbound Notable Indie 2022 Page Turner Writing Award Finalist 2022 Tim Pareti was born and raised on the north side of Chicago. An award-winning journalist, he worked as a reporter and editor for Scripps newspapers, and was a freelance writer for the Chicago Tribune. He enjoys playing jazz and blues guitar and softball. He lives in the Chicagoland area with his wife and two children.  Ernie's Bleachers is his breakout novel, a coming-of-age historical fiction. It's a true tale about an Italian-American family that lives across the street from Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.