Friday, July 19, 2013

A Separate Peace


It's a shame that A Separate Peace has come to be associated with high school syllabi - because this book deserves the attention, I think, of more adults.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Knowles' classic. Certainly its title always felt a little intimidating. But it's very well done: the writing is clear and crisp, and story fits nicely into the larger contexts of private education and the war.

A graduate of Andover, Knowles knew what he was talking about when it came to the world of boarding schools. And a veteran, he knew, too, what it was like to sacrifice the pastoral for something far more violent and immediate. 

A Separate Piece moves forward at all moments toward its awful resolution. And while it's not a resolution that's entirely unexpected, it does serve its purpose: to show the fragility of life, both on and off the battle field. 

This is a book about generations, despite its pronouncement that wars are about more than generational conflict; they're about "some ignorant in the human heart." That ignorance is deeply felt in Knowles' novel, one that deconstructs youth with understanding, sorrow, and sympathy.



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