A Separate Peace

As war rages outside the borders of their world, a group of young men blanket themselves in the comfortable safety of school walls. While the country is embroiled in the Second World War, these boys go about their daily routines, virtually unaffected by the slaughter that rages across the ocean. Yet boyhood innocence cannot last forever and what these friends will encounter and endure will leave battle scars deeper and longer lasting than any bullet wound.

In every school there is a leader, the jock, the popular one...the one whom everyone else wants to be (or at least be associated with). At Devon School, that someone is Phineas, who just happens to be roommates with the quiet, studious Gene. And this is exactly how Gene defines his identity, by following in the daredevil footsteps of his bunkmate, Phineas. The two become the best of friends, forming clubs and playing sports, but somewhere underneath a jealousy lurks in both of them...Phineas wishing he were as smart as Gene and Gene in turn yearning for popularity and athleticism.

Then suddenly a circumstance presents itself, one that can elevate Gene to the number one position. It all appears to be a misfortunate accident...a simple slip, a devastating fall, but Gene had the opportunity and the motive. Did he push his best friend? The truth lies buried in an ocean of silence between two friends, bridging an uncomfortable distance between them, neither suspecting nor able to admit what actually occurred. That is, until one of their mutual friends forces the truth to be told. And like their classmate who lost his sanity while serving his country, neither Phineas nor Eugene will ever be the same.

A Separate Peace is standard reading in many high school classrooms. Using World War II as it dreary backdrop, the novel cleverly weaves history into an illustration that human malevolence and contempt can reside in the most unlikely and peaceful of places. And, sometimes the turmoil that exists inside of us produces carnage far more crippling than war itself.

Best places to buy this book online (from Best Book Buys) Note: Prices include S&H and are subject to change

1. Paperback (Used) Half.com $3.05
2. Paperback (Used) Amazon.com $5.18
3. Paperback (NEW) Barnes and Noble.com Click on the "Buy" button at the top of this article to go there now!

Be sure to check out the online auctions, too. Name your price! Also, try your local library, where every book is free!

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