The Irresistible Henry House

Henry House was born in 1946 and spent his first year as "practice baby" in a college home economics program designed to teach young women how to be mothers. (Yes, this was really a common practice across the country).  Typically babies were orphans and were put up for adoption after one year.  Henry, however, steals the heart of the program director, Martha Gaines, and stays on, moving upstairs with her and seeing a succession of practice babies come and go.  What he learns is not a good lesson -- how to make a variety of women think they're his favorite.  At the age of 10 Henry learns who his biological mother is and loses his trust in Martha.  Baby boomers will enjoy the side characters in Henry's story -- Benjamin Spock, Walt Disney, the Beatles-- as he wanders from college towns to New York,  Los Angeles, and London before returning to Wilton College.  Henry is an engaging character and the mid-twentieth century setting is fun in this coming of age story.