James Sveck is a lonely youth in the summer before he goes off to college at Brown University. Apart from hanging with his grandmother, James prefers solitude. The story is told in first person narration, which helps give an intimate inside view of James as he works through his life at the therapy sessions which his parents insist he goes to. We learn about James's past and present through the stories he tells. James Sveck is a lonely youth in the summer before he goes off to college at Brown University. Apart from hanging with his grandmother, James prefers solitude. The story is told in first person narration, which helps give an intimate inside view of James as he works through his life at the therapy sessions which his parents insist he goes to. We learn about James's past and present through the stories he tells. Parental Guide