Summer's End

Grace is about thirteen years of age, and she has an older brother named Collin.

It's also the time of the Vietnam war and the massacre at Kent State. Collin has burned his draft card, and it's possible he might go to Canada to escape being drafted. The book is about the effect his decision has on the family. Collin's father is extremely angry at what Collin has done. There have been other boys in the neighborhood who have gone and been injured, gone and been lost, and gone to Canada.

The father is very “be a man and fight” type of person. The mother is dealing with the fact that the main person involved is her son. Grace is rather confused over everything that is going on, and isn't sure just how to react.

This isn't a book filled with philosophical discussions; it's mainly a “slice-of-life” type of story about how people react to young males not wanting to fight in a war they considered unjust and unnecessary.


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