July, July (Paperback, New Ed)

Acclaimed American writer Tim O'Brien takes two significant dates as the starting point of this accomplished novel. July 1969 is the summer of peace and love - the USA fights in Vietnam and the first man lands on the moon. Students march on the streets and sing anti-war songs. Meanwhile, the graduating class of Darton Hall College gets ready to face the real world. In July 2000 the class of '69 gathers for a reunion. Every one of them is some way haunted: Ellie by a drowning man; David by a paranormal disc jockey; Dorothy and Billy by betrayal; Spook by the twin she lost and Marv by Spook. Over the reunion weekend old loves are rekindled or abandoned, friendships consolidated or lost, and one character moves closer to a drastic conclusion. The story moves backwards and forwards between 1969 and 2000, gradually building up a picture of a group of individuals asking themselves - and each other - 'How did we get here from there?'. O'Brien explores the way that, inevitably, hopes and ideals give way to disillusionment, but also shows how hope will always triumph in the end over experience. The writing is pacy and often upbeat and comic, and the dialogue has that slightly surreal quality of conversations held very late at night between the very, very drunk. Altogether, this is a stylish and thoughtful analysis of 20-something angst and middle-aged panic and the processes of changing and ageing. (Kirkus UK)

What happened to all those hopes and ideals? After thirty years, a group of friends are reunited in their old college gymnasium for a weekend of dancing and drinking, reminiscence and revelation. A mop manufacturer and a bigamist, a war veteran and a trophy wife, a glamour model and a defrocked priest ? each character has an extraordinary tale to tell in the compelling new novel from former National Book Award-winner Tim O?Brien.

General

Imprint:	Flamingo
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Release date:	July 2003
Authors:	Tim O'Brien
Dimensions:	198 x 129 x 19mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback - B-format
Pages:	336
Edition:	New Ed
ISBN-13:	978-0-00-713244-7
Categories:	Books > Fiction > General & literary fiction > Modern fiction Promotions
LSN:	0-00-713244-1
Barcode:	9780007132447

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