Summer of '69

The narrative follows the Foley and Levin families during a summer of significant social upheaval on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Kate Levin manages four children who each face distinct personal crises against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the Apollo 11 moon landing. Her oldest daughter, Blair, navigates a difficult pregnancy while suspecting her husband’s infidelity, while middle daughter Kirby joins the civil rights protests in Martha’s Vineyard. Meanwhile, thirteen-year-old Jessie deals with the isolation of adolescence and her brother Tiger’s deployment to the front lines of the war.

Readers interested in the intersection of domestic drama and American history find a detailed recreation of 1969 social codes and political tensions. The book appeals to those who enjoy multi-generational family sagas where external global events directly dictate internal family dynamics. A reader finishes the book with a clear sense of how the era’s shifting ideologies regarding race, gender roles, and military service fractured and reformed the traditional American family unit. Overcoming secrets and distance, the characters provide a look at mid-century resilience.

Clear-cut and escapist; an easy read.

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