9310993East Dallas-based writer Rod Russell-Ides debuts his memoir, “Sparky and the Dipshit” at Lucky Dog Books Saturday, April 6, at 8 p.m.

Here is a synopsis:

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For one summer Rod Russell-Ides and his older brother were a perfect synergy of high jinks and well intentioned mayhem to themselves, their dysfunctional family, and the Great Bend, Kansas population. From medical specimens in the refrigerator to adventures with dynamite, Sparky And The Dipshit takes us on a wild ride you won’t want to end. How they survived the summer of 1961 is a darkly funny, harrowing journey recounted by a master storyteller.

Laugh out loud funny and shockingly poignant, Sparky And The Dipshit captures the exuberance of youth’s innocence when anything is possible. Getting away with it is another story. With dad as the town doctor and a family reputation to uphold, we get a voyeuristic view of life in a small town. With little effort, the brothers’ escapades are hidden from their perfectly coiffed, cocktail soaked mother to admirably disastrous effect. Throughout, the author’s love for his flawed family keeps us turning pages.