September 1943, Naples lay devastated by incessant bombardment from Allied planes. The city, under an iron occupation by the Germans, was without food. During the bombardment, the famed scugnizzi-the street boys-of Naples grew increasingly exasperated by the passiveness of their elders. Known for centuries for their daring, verve, and enterprise, the boys staged an incredible revolt against the occupying Germans on September 28, 1943. Dragging furniture into the roadways, they built barricades and shot at the enemy with stolen guns. Their courage inspired many adults and Italian army deserters to join their ranks. The fighting raged on for days, and hundreds of people died. But the valiant uprising was not in vain: On October 1, the Germans, having had their fill of Naples and the street boys, left the city for good. Later that day the first of the Allied tanks rolled into Naples, to the cheers of the victorious scugnizzi. Author and novelist Aubrey Menen was in Naples in 1948 and heard the story of those historic four days at first-hand from the scugnizzi themselves. Here he has recreated the battle-street-by-street, house-by-house. The result is an extraordinarily compelling human drama.