Tim O'Brien July, July

Insidiously, compulsively readable. MSNBC At the thirtieth reunion of the Darton Hall College class of 1969, ten old friends join their classmates for a summer weekend of dancing, drinking, flirting, reminiscing, and regret. The three decades since graduation have brought marriage and divorce, children and careers, hopes deferred and replaced. July, July tells the heart-rending and often hilarious story of men and women who came into adulthood at a moment when American ideals and innocence began to fade. These lives will ring familiar to anyone who has dreamed, worked, and struggled to keep course toward a happy ending. With humor and a sense of wistful hope, July, July speaks directly to the American character and its resilience, striking deep at the emotional center of our lives. "A symphony of American life. All Things Considered , NPR A small-scale tour de force by an American original . . . O Brien is one of the most accomplished members of a generation of writers that includes Don DeLillo and Thomas Pynchon. Atlanta Journal-Constitution "Astonishing for [its] clarity of character, for [its] narrative thrills and surprises, for [its] humor and hard-won wisdom . . . July, July gives readers plenty of reasons to celebrate." Chicago Sun-Times "Perceptive, affectionate and often very funny." Boston Herald "A deeply satisfying story . . . O Brien is intelligent and daring, but he is also eminently accessible. O, the Oprah Magazine "Taut and compelling." Los Angeles Times Book Review"Beautifully realized, heartbreakingly honest." Providence Journal-Bulletin Almost impossible to put down. Austin American-Statesman "