My Name Is Aram — William Saroyan

Hailed by "The New York Times" as "marvelously captivating," William Saroyan's 1940 international bestseller recounts the exploits of an Armenian clan in northern California at the turn of the twentieth century. Based on the author's loving and eccentric extended family, the characters in these 14 related short stories enact humorous and touching scenes from immigrant life.
Aram Garoghlanian narrates the tales, reflecting from an adult's perspective on his boyhood adventures. Beginning with "The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse," in which 9-year-old Aram and his cousin redeem themselves from wrongdoing, the stories conclude with "A Word to Scoffers," which features an itinerant preacher's sage advice to Aram as the young man departs from the San Joaquin Valley for the first time.