Tom Playfair

Tom Playfair is one in a series of books Fr. Francis Finn, S.J., wrote about Tom Playfair. Tom is an ordinary American boy, who is sent to St. Maure's Catholic boarding school by his father. While there, Tom learns many lessons and becomes a better boy and a better Catholic, but does not lose his high spirits or sense of fun. As he goes through his duties, classes, and games, he makes many good friends and wins over enemies. Among his adventures are snowball fights, baseball games, being struck by lightening, winning over the school bully, and capturing a murderer. The story is not without tragedy, as three of Tom's friends die, but it shows how Tom learns and grows from these experiences. This is a book essential to any Catholic boy's bookshelf.

Young Harry Dee arrives at St. Maure's thin and pale from his painful experiences involving the murder of his rich uncle. In this last book of the three, Tom and Percy help Harry recover from his early trauma--which involves solving "the mystery of Tower Hill Mansion." After many wild experiences, the three boys graduate from St. Maure's and head toward the life work to which God is calling each of them as young men.

The story opens with 10-year-old Tom Playfair being quite a handful for his well-meaning but soft-hearted aunt. (Tom's mother has died.) Mr. Playfair decides to ship his son off to St. Maure's boarding school--an all-boys academy run by Jesuits--to shape him up, as well as to help him make a good preparation for his upcoming First Communion. Tom is less than enthusiastic, but his adventures are just about to begin. Life at St. Maure's will not be dull!