Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Bantam (1966), Mass Market Paperback, 196 pages
Description
Set at a boys' boarding school in New England during the early years of World War II, A Separate Peace is a harrowing and luminous parable of the dark side of adolescence. Gene is a lonely, introverted intellectual. Phineas is a handsome, taunting, daredevil athlete. What happens between the two friends one summer, like the war itself, banishes the innocence of these boys and their world. A bestseller for more than thirty years, A Separate Peace is John Knowles's crowning achievement and an undisputed American classic.
User reviews
LibraryThing member TheBooknerd
Forced to read this in high school for a supposedly "advanced" English class, I found it supremely dull and lagging. None of the characters were particularly endearing, nor was the plot anything special. I'll never understand why this is considered a great piece of literature or assigned to
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teenagers everywhere. It's hardly the super-relevant coming-of-age story that some claim it to be, nor is it particularly challenging. I wouldn't recommend it anyone above, say, the 6th or 7th grade level. Even then, there's a wide world of literature to choose from -- why waste time with this? Show Less
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Originally published in 1959, A Separate Peace by John Knowles is a coming-of-age story set in a New England private boy’s school during World War II. The story is about friendship, competition and the inner doubts and fears of adolescent boys. There is a school of thought that pushes a
While Gene is an introvert and intellectual, Finny is an extroverted athlete who definitely has more control over their relationship. Whatever Finny wants to do, Gene, often reluctant, always follows along. As roommates, these opposites are always together. When Finny devises a daredevil club whose membership must jump from the limb of a tree into the river, Gene, although terrified, follows along. Gene admires Phineas but also is jealous of his ease with others and his ability to impress through actions. This jealousy flares up at various times, and eventually Gene acts upon impulse and this act of betrayal changes both boys forever.
A Separate Peace is beautifully written. It moves slowly but gives the reader vivid imagery and strong character development. World War II plays a vital part but always remains in the background, shaping the boy’s world, but not controlling it. The book varies itself, sometimes sad, sometimes humorous, always moving, and for me, it felt authentic to both the time and the place.
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homo-erotic dynamic as implied by the interactions between the two main characters, Gene and Phineas. This is subtle and open to an individuals’ interpretation of the relationship.While Gene is an introvert and intellectual, Finny is an extroverted athlete who definitely has more control over their relationship. Whatever Finny wants to do, Gene, often reluctant, always follows along. As roommates, these opposites are always together. When Finny devises a daredevil club whose membership must jump from the limb of a tree into the river, Gene, although terrified, follows along. Gene admires Phineas but also is jealous of his ease with others and his ability to impress through actions. This jealousy flares up at various times, and eventually Gene acts upon impulse and this act of betrayal changes both boys forever.
A Separate Peace is beautifully written. It moves slowly but gives the reader vivid imagery and strong character development. World War II plays a vital part but always remains in the background, shaping the boy’s world, but not controlling it. The book varies itself, sometimes sad, sometimes humorous, always moving, and for me, it felt authentic to both the time and the place.
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LibraryThing member cameling
A Separate Place by John Knowles is one of those books you read because it is so beautifully written. A simple story but that is but a facade and before long, you start to delve into the complexity of the hidden darkness behind some of the characters in the book.
An idyllic time in the life of boy,
The war does encroach after all, but even then, the school appears to provide a safe haven for the teenagers, until one student, Leper, leaves to enlist after watching a video on snow troops, but ends up returning because he's deemed by the army to be psychotic. Does this bring up the old accident and will truth out? Will we ever learn what's behind Finny's carefree nonchalance?
Beautifully written, this is well worth reading
An idyllic time in the life of boy,
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Gene Forrester, attending summer school in Devon in the early 40s. The war is but a rumor at that point. He meets Phineas, and is swept into a whirlwind of adventures and fun, but then there is an accident... or is it an accident? Does Gene secretly harbor resentment against Finny for being what he wants to be - charming, athletic, charismatic and a leader?The war does encroach after all, but even then, the school appears to provide a safe haven for the teenagers, until one student, Leper, leaves to enlist after watching a video on snow troops, but ends up returning because he's deemed by the army to be psychotic. Does this bring up the old accident and will truth out? Will we ever learn what's behind Finny's carefree nonchalance?
Beautifully written, this is well worth reading
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LibraryThing member sross008
I predict this novel will not resonate for future generations of youth, for its subtlety distills into boredom. There are better coming-of-age young adult novels that similarly explore the mystical boundaries of friendship, envy, betrayal, and ultimately, guilt. The basic premise of the story is
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that a jealous buddy perhaps is responsible for another's treefall. How lame (pun intended). We've got kids today setting each other up for certain failure in real-life scenarios involving warfare, drug deals, gang warfare, rape and unwanted pregnancies...this milkwarm preppie treatment is not the timeless classic I hoped it would be. Show Less
LibraryThing member crtsjffrsn
I'm not at all exaggerating when I say that this novel is one of my favorite books I have ever read, especially when it comes to required reading from high school. It is a story that has really stuck with me, I think mostly because it speaks to universal human experiences.
Who hasn't experienced a
I think these are things we can all say we've experienced and I think it is even more poignant for adolescent males who should not find it difficult to relate to the characters, their emotions, and their actions. It's been a while since last I read it, but the imagery and the themes are ones that stick with me.
Who hasn't experienced a
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bit of a rivalry with a friend? Who hasn't been driven to act out of jealousy? Who hasn't struggled with finding their place among all of those who seem to have it already "figured out"?I think these are things we can all say we've experienced and I think it is even more poignant for adolescent males who should not find it difficult to relate to the characters, their emotions, and their actions. It's been a while since last I read it, but the imagery and the themes are ones that stick with me.
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LibraryThing member snat
I recently re-read this book for the AP class that I'm teaching and I was reminded of what a deceptively simple book this appears to be on the surface. Set in an all boys prep school during WWII, A Separate Peace explores how the encroaching reality of war affects the psychological and social
Effective use is made of Finny as a Christ figure and we witness as Gene grows psychologically in response to the realization that he has destroyed Finny. Gene comes to realize that the real enemy is the enemy within and, through Finny, Gene finds a form of salvation from his dark, neurotic tendencies.
Knowles does so much with setting and imagery in the book that I pick up on something new every time I read it.
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development of all the boys at the school. The poignant irony of providing these young men with a classics based education at a prestigious school just to be sent into war to kill and be killed effectively shows how, before they even make it to the battlefield, the war cripples them--for one physically, for the others psychologically. The book focuses on the relationship between Finny, the popular and perfect athlete, and Gene, the intelligent and dangerously introspective one. Gene's all-consuming envy toward Finny causes him to shake the tree limb both are standing in; Finny falls to the ground and breaks his leg. However, this is a metaphor for how Gene's betrayal of the friendship has broken Finny.Effective use is made of Finny as a Christ figure and we witness as Gene grows psychologically in response to the realization that he has destroyed Finny. Gene comes to realize that the real enemy is the enemy within and, through Finny, Gene finds a form of salvation from his dark, neurotic tendencies.
Knowles does so much with setting and imagery in the book that I pick up on something new every time I read it.
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LibraryThing member curlyq9689
A Separate Peace begins with Gene going back to his old prep school and visiting the places that he was afraid of there. The story quickly moves into the past and we are told a story between 1942-1943 were two best friends are room mates at the prep school. I read this novel in 9th grade and was
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never extremely fond of it. However, I think that it is a very popular novel that students read in high school and I want to make it interesting when I teach it. I think that A Separate Peace can be a good novel for young high school students to read because it discusses friendship and the jealousy that appears in that friendship and how the lives and friendship can changed based on these actions. I think this novel could be a good one to get students to think about underlying factors in novels and thinking about more than just the story. Show Less
LibraryThing member jewelryladypam
This was a well-written book with believable characters and events. Though I did enjoy it and relate to it as a removed bystander, I couldn't connect with it on a personal level. I wish the character development had gone further - I would've liked to get to know each character better and get more
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involved with the book. This would've been a great book if written from Phineas' perspective. 3.75 stars out of 5. Show Less
LibraryThing member antao
This is one of my favourite books from years ago. I've read and re-read it quite a few times. As soon as I saw that the Beach Resort where I was staying had a copy I didn't look back. It was impossible for me to put it down once I began skimming it and I still own an original copy at home. It made
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my day. Beach Reading it is not...Amazing how some books stick in the mind thirty years after you read them (in a British Council Literature Class). I still remember the utter shock when Finny died! It was so sad darn it!
The book shows great examples of how dramatic it is to be an adolescent.
Finny is for the ages!"
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LibraryThing member Dainichi-Goddess
I loved this book. It was beautiful!!!!!!!
Gene Forrestor goes back to his old school, Devon, to reflect on past happenings. He thinks back on the times before World War II.
Him and Phineas, his best friend, both jumped off this tree. Later, from jealously and confusion, Gene bounces the tree limb
This is a very good book! I recomend this to everyone! I loved it! The word choice was very good too!
Gene Forrestor goes back to his old school, Devon, to reflect on past happenings. He thinks back on the times before World War II.
Him and Phineas, his best friend, both jumped off this tree. Later, from jealously and confusion, Gene bounces the tree limb
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while doing a double jump with Phineas. Phineas falls and is crippled. This book explores the life of adolescents as they mature and become adults. The war is a main theme of the book.This is a very good book! I recomend this to everyone! I loved it! The word choice was very good too!
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LibraryThing member rbiedry
A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, is the story of two young men at a summer boarding school in New England. The story is set primarily at a beautiful boarding school in a quiet town during the 1940's. World War II has just begun, and the story shows how it take hold of the school and has a very
This heart-wrenching novel is the classic coming of age story. Knowles does an incredible job, keeping the reader very engaged and curious of what happens next. In my opinion, Knowles does an even better job than Salinger in creating a real, believable coming of age story. The novel is not so amazing because of the plot, but because of the fascinating character development of a young man in a confusing time. I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a superb read.
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far reaching impact. Gene, the polite, shy narrator, becomes best friends with his roommate, Phineas, who is Gene’s polar opposite in every way imaginable. Phineas is the most popular kid at the school, an outgoing, honest, and athletic young man. The two of them are seniors, just old enough to be drafted. A sad and unfortunate “accident,” ends the summer with a shock, leaving Phineas dead and Gene a changed man. This heart-wrenching novel is the classic coming of age story. Knowles does an incredible job, keeping the reader very engaged and curious of what happens next. In my opinion, Knowles does an even better job than Salinger in creating a real, believable coming of age story. The novel is not so amazing because of the plot, but because of the fascinating character development of a young man in a confusing time. I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a superb read.
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LibraryThing member sarah-e
I can't fully explain why this was such a favorite of mine in high school. Required reading for two years, and I read it multiple times for fun. I always saw Finny as this beautiful, pure child; and Gene as a nasty and corrupted force (I apparently saw it differently than most of the kids in my
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class). It's a poetic struggle. I think of that tree branch often. Still a favorite. Show Less
LibraryThing member TimSher
I am sorry, but I did not appreciate this book. It has been labeled by many writers and critics as a "coming of age" novel, but I did not find the characters and their situations relatable at all. The fact that the main character admitted to purposely pushing his friend out of a tree was
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ridiculous. Even more ridiculous was the fact that Finny died after having leg surgery and an infection because his "heart gave up". When is the last time a strong and athletic teen had his or her heart stop because it was "upset". Also, the fact that gene Forrester felt jealous of Finny was silly because he was a better student and was also athletic. I thought the book just made Gene look like a jealous psychopath. I'm sure many people will have to read it anyway, but I did not feel the "deepness" that it is acclaimed for. Show Less
LibraryThing member plaeski
I remember very little about the plot of this book as I read it 9 years ago. But this is the first and only book I hated so much that years later just seeing the cover makes me launch into an embittered tirade. Part of the problem here was the teacher that taught this English class. It was her
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cracked theory that the boys were not actually separate individuals but two halves of someone with multiple personality disorder that put the icing on the cake. I could not see where she came up with this idea and we then spent a great amount of time scouring the text to back up her claims. I hope they have removed this from the required reading for Manitoban high school students and replaced it with something decent. Show Less
LibraryThing member nevusmom
Man, I slogged through this book convinced it would become more engaging. I've read worse, but just don't get why this is considered a classic. Other reviewers will encapsulate the story. It didn't do anything for ME.
LibraryThing member ithilwyn
This is really a coming of age story set in New England during World War II. Gene and Phineas are best friends, but their impending involvement in the war and jealousy drive a wedge between them that neither wants to verbally acknowledge.
While I feel this is an excellent book for my high school
While I feel this is an excellent book for my high school
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students to read, it isn't usually my cup of tea. Show Less
LibraryThing member TadAD
Like all middle-class white guys, I had to read this in high school. At the time, I thought it so-so, at best. I could see why it was billed as a coming-of-age story and, if that was the sole criterion for choosing a book...well, whatever. However, I didn't really enjoy it. My objections weren't
Re-reading it now, I have a slightly better reaction. With hindsight, I see bit more of myself in the story. Not in the actual events or background, but in the insecurities and isolation felt by some of the boys. Perhaps I would have reacted better to the book the first time around if I had been able to look at it at the commonality of the teenage experience and not focus on the actual occurrences. Since the book did not do that automatically for a large number of us, perhaps the teacher should have done it...who knows? Wherever the shortfall, I question whether, given how many great books there are out there, this is really the best choice for a "universal" item on the high school reading lists.
I'll give it a mild recommendation because, like Catcher in the Rye, if you haven't read it, you'll wonder what everyone else is talking about.
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the ones I heard from most of the class—the ambiguity of whether or not Gene acted deliberately. I thought (and still think) Gene's actions were probably part deliberate and part impulse. My objection was that it didn't really resonate with my own coming-of-age...yet, that seemed the whole point of the exercise. The result was that I was wading through a story that I found somewhat boring and a bit over the top. Re-reading it now, I have a slightly better reaction. With hindsight, I see bit more of myself in the story. Not in the actual events or background, but in the insecurities and isolation felt by some of the boys. Perhaps I would have reacted better to the book the first time around if I had been able to look at it at the commonality of the teenage experience and not focus on the actual occurrences. Since the book did not do that automatically for a large number of us, perhaps the teacher should have done it...who knows? Wherever the shortfall, I question whether, given how many great books there are out there, this is really the best choice for a "universal" item on the high school reading lists.
I'll give it a mild recommendation because, like Catcher in the Rye, if you haven't read it, you'll wonder what everyone else is talking about.
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LibraryThing member Magadri
I read this book in the 10th grade, and I hated it. I decided to pick it up about 5 years later, and I liked it a lot more. I won't go so far as to say that I loved it, but it was a lot more bearable for me. It was fairly interesting until the last 10 pages or so. I had to force myself to get
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through those pages. Show Less
LibraryThing member k8_not_kate
One of the better "young adult, coming-of-age" novels that can appeal to adults as well as teens. At its core, A Separate Peace is simply about friendship.
LibraryThing member whitewavedarling
This is a short quick read that is fairly touching nontheless. It takes a look at a group of boys at a private school, many of whom are on the brink of being drafted into the war. Knowles explores both the desire and the reluctance to leave behind childhood, and those last day of childhood
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regardless. The characters are believable, and the read is an engaging one. Show Less
LibraryThing member sparklegirl
This book was pre-e-e-e-ty boring. Not going to read it again.
LibraryThing member Jthierer
I think my enjoyment of this book was lessened because I'm a girl and I'm past the suggested age group for this book. Maybe I'm just cynical, but Gene's revelations about friendship and competition just didn't feel revelatory to me. I did, however, want to cry for poor Leper.
LibraryThing member t1bnotown
This was a ninth-grade "coming of age" book, and I felt about the same way about it that I did about most of the others- I didn't like it overly much. I can remember great portions of the plot, so maybe it did make some sort of impression at the time, but when my boyfriend said he wanted to read
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it, I just had a feeling of yuck. This isn't a book I'd force students to read to develop a love of literature or understanding of it. Show Less
LibraryThing member chrisjb
A separate peace is a wonderful novel. Gene forrester, the protangonist and main character, changes so much during the book. We see how friendships are broken and inevitably rekindled. Gene and his best friend Finny are obsessed with a certain tree to jump off. When one day one of the boys falls of
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and breaks their leg and will no longer be able to walk, they feel as though the value of their friendship will not be enough to keep them friends. The story focuses mainly around this and we learn about teh character and nature of people when they are seeking vengeance. Show Less
LibraryThing member Djupstrom
A good book about boarding school that everyone can relate to.
Subjects
Awards
National Book Award (Finalist — Fiction — 1961)
Notable Books List (1960)
Language
Original publication date
1959
ISBN
none
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