A Separate Peace

One of my favorite books is A Separate Peace. I first read it at age fifteen and it made an indelible impression on me. It inspired my novel, Cutting of Harp Strings many years later.The novels I love evoke strong emotions and provoke thought. A Separate Peace does this for me as I experienced each moment alongside Gene during a poignant period of his life. He navigates a friendship—a love—that is difficult for him to understand. I know he would do anything for a “do-over” and I empathize with him and Finny.Gene, the protagonist, tells the story of when he was a boy full of jealousy and self-doubt to an adult who learns from his mistakes and finally accepts the consequences of past actions.With World War II as a backdrop, Knowles compares and contrasts both societal and personal loss of innocence. Gene struggles with his complex relationship with his roommate, Finny, as the immorality of war casts a shadow on all they do.A good book is worth reading many times, and I have done just that. Each time, I learned something new about this once-in-a-lifetime friendship. Like all relationships, it is full of joy and pain. Knowles was a master at lulling us into what seems to be a simple and innocent adventure but is, in truth, a deep and dark journey within. It reminded me that we must always search for the truth. Finding it, however, can be elusive; we may hear the voice within, but listening to it is another matter.

I particularly enjoyed coming-of-age stories all related to human development.Some of my favorite quotes from the book:The old Devon endeavor?Devon endeavor? That was good, the decrepit Devon endeavor.I felt that I was not, never had been, and never would be a living part of this overpoweringly solid and deeply meaningful world around me.Phineas had died from the marrow of his bone flowing down his bloodstream to his heart.

I never had to read this book in school, but my daughter did. She names it as one of the most memorable books she read during her younger years. I finally had a chance to listen to the audiobook and enjoyed it very much. At times, the narration reminded me just a little bit of the narration of the movie "The Christmas Story" with Peter Billingsley. You can feel and hear the immaturity of the boys at the start, and then later in the book, the maturation and more serious tone as the boys grow. I can see the contrasting themes of good and evil, as well as the symbolism of summer vs winter. As a budding writer, I marvel at the ability of authors to tell a story so seamlessly and so simply, yet still have it pack such a big punch.

I remember having read this in 10th Grade back in 1970. I read that this is a 'banned book' in some parts of the county, so I decided to read it again at 70. I found it to be just as profound as I remembered.

What can I say, this book is simple phenomenal and heartbreaking at the same time. I read this book in high school, had an amazing teacher (thank you Mr. Alfasso!) who broke it down for us and challenged us to think more deeply about it. Reading it years later and the thoughts and feelings came rushing back. A well written story with excellent characters and a deep look into the minds of young boys and human nature. This book remains a favorite of mines and will hold a special place in my heart. I can’t wait to re-read it. A masterful piece of literature.