Gene was a lonely, introverted intellectual. Phineas was a handsome, taunting, daredevil athlete. What happened between them at school one summer during the early years of World War II is the subject of A Separate Peace. A great bestseller for over thirty years--one of the most starkly moving parables ever written of the dark forces that brood over the tortured world of adolescence.
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"A good high school boy novel that is deceptively complicated. I mean, the whole thing does scream "TEACH ME IN HIGH SCHOOL AP ENGLISH" but that's a good thing. It's an easy read, full of symbolism and themes and all that stuff teachers need to teach you about. I read this because I desperately want to make up for my laziness in 9th grade. For not wanting to do the summer reading, and thus plodding through easy peasy English classes for my entire High School career and then having to pay out the ass for the same damn thing in college. Because I didn't want to read. Because I didn't start reading until second semester of 9th grade. But I didn't want to read this. And I didn't want to read "Lord of the Flies." And now I really want to read them. Well, I guess I read this one. And enjoyed it, but maybe because I love that upscale boy's school setting. And I loved the constant shadow of death hanging over them, and the fact that all of these boys are receiving the highest education for what? To go to the war and die on the front lines? There's a beautiful scene at the end of the book where Brinker Hadley's father gives Gene Forrester a dirty look for wanting to just ride the war out. To not go to the frontlines. To survive. And the dude just tells him that those frontline memories are going to be important some day, and that people might look down on him if they find out he didn't want to go. Whatever. It was a brilliant little part that tied the whole book together, and shows that the peace mentioned throughout like a heavy fist is something that must endure lest we lose our humanity entirely. Become the fat old war mongers of the world. That summer semester at Devon School sounded like all my best summers. The lax supervision, the getting stuff done but having more fun sort of attitude. And sadly, that whole chunk of the book is there merely to contrast the sinister world these boys are standing on the edge of." — Ian (4 out of 5 stars)
"A good high school boy novel that is deceptively complicated. I mean, the whole thing does scream "TEACH ME IN HIGH SCHOOL AP ENGLISH" but that's a good thing. It's an easy read, full of symbolism and themes and all that stuff teachers need to teach you about. I read this because I desperately want to make up for my laziness in 9th grade. For not wanting to do the summer reading, and thus plodding through easy peasy English classes for my entire High School career and then having to pay out the ass for the same damn thing in college. Because I didn't want to read. Because I didn't start reading until second semester of 9th grade. But I didn't want to read this. And I didn't want to read "Lord of the Flies." And now I really want to read them. Well, I guess I read this one. And enjoyed it, but maybe because I love that upscale boy's school setting. And I loved the constant shadow of death hanging over them, and the fact that all of these boys are receiving the highest education for what? To go to the war and die on the front lines? There's a beautiful scene at the end of the book where Brinker Hadley's father gives Gene Forrester a dirty look for wanting to just ride the war out. To not go to the frontlines. To survive. And the dude just tells him that those frontline memories are going to be important some day, and that people might look down on him if they find out he didn't want to go. Whatever. It was a brilliant little part that tied the whole book together, and shows that the peace mentioned throughout like a heavy fist is something that must endure lest we lose our humanity entirely. Become the fat old war mongers of the world. That summer semester at Devon School sounded like all my best summers. The lax supervision, the getting stuff done but having more fun sort of attitude. And sadly, that whole chunk of the book is there merely to contrast the sinister world these boys are standing on the edge of."
" "...this was my sarcastic summer. It was only long after that I recognized sarcasm as the protest of people who are weak." "
" Read in college and re read it in book club. Great book! "
" Another high school read. I even read it again after college. "
" Excellent read! I know a lot of people hate this book, but personally, I thought it was great. I'll be readin it again soon, but for now, I other books on the to-read list. 4.5 stars. "
" I was 13 when I read this book. I related heavily to this book (maybe because I was in adolescence myself and longed for a friendship like this) and this book shook me to the core, the friendship and then the death. I haven't been able to read it since! "
" I really liked it. I found the shelf of books that my brother-in-law had to read in High School, and decided I should read them. "
" Eh, not a lot too it, actually. It kept coming up in conversations, so I wanted to re-read it. But, aside from being interested in the details of life during wartime, the book is pretty boring. "
" This book was.........boring. "
" I had to read this for school, and my entire class loathed every second of it. But I really loved the characters and thought it was rather good. "
" This wasn't bad... but it wasn't great :P "
" I enjoy reading historical pieces. I thought it was sad but good. "
" Read it in high school but just picked it up again on a whim. Amazing indeed. "
" Forgot that I read this. It's so good and kind of perfect! "
" One of my all-time favorites. Love Catcher in the Rye, but this book hits similar notes in a much more engaging way for me. "
" boys & war are not relevant to my interests "
" Read "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" and Fosterize this one. It'll blow your mind. "
" I thought it was a great book I did find it kinda sad what happened to Gene's best friend (Finny). I think anyone would seriously enjoy it if you give it a chance "
" eeehhh, not my cup of tea. "
" Lovely, hilarious, and horribly sad. "
" Loved this book. A tale of pure masculine friendship. If it were written in our modern age, I'm certain that there would have been a gay declaration or two. "
" How does this author say so much so well, so concisely? Never had it inflicted upon me in school; first encountered it as an adult. So well written. "
" I loved this book when I read it last year I'm high school. It was one of the few required books I read in my English and I adored the book I would definitely recommend this novel to someone looking for a good easy read! "
" i had to read this for school. this book was okay. it was easy to understand. it was just long and boring. i thought i would like it because its considered modern (its written about world war 2), but its just not that interesting. its a lot of jealousy, and not a lot of action. "
" Another one I had to read for high-school, but it stuck with me so much I bought a copy of my own in adulthood and read it again. "
" I hope to reread this at some point. "
" I chose to put off reading this book until a day before it was due. It just sounded so boring, so terrible: the title, everything about it. Once I got past the first three chapters or so, it actually got better. I didn't really like the plot of it, but it otherwise was amazing. "
" My second favorite book of all time, right after Little Women. "
" I liked this coming of age story of two boys facing the dark side of adolescence and realities of life and war as they mature. However, i don't agree John Knowles is the next Salinger. It was good but not great to me. "
" A really well-developed novel. Very complex, deep characters, with intricate relationships. Some fantastically descriptive, vivid descriptions. Greek mythological and biblical allusions add texture to the characters and plot. Poignant message about the nature of hatred and war. Who is the enemy? "
John Knowles (1926–2001) was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire and Yale University. His first novel, A Separate Peace, was published in 1959 and adapted for film in 1972. In 2004 it was adapted again as a television movie by Showtime. He wrote seven novels, a book on travel, and a collection of stories. He was the winner of the William Faulkner Award and the Rosenthal Award of the National Institute of Arts and Letters.
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