The Devon school in the summer of '42 is a lot like the fantasy kingdom of Camelot, and Phineas is its King Arthur, giving off a warm exuberance that attracts loyal followers and beguiles normally suspicious adults. No one loves him more than Gene, but this is Gene's "sarcastic" summer.

Pete is a sensitive, handsome young war hero. Wexford is a defiant, scheming troublemaker. Their lives collide in the uneasy days of peace after World War II as senior year at the Devon School changes from a time of friendships into a stunning drama of tragic betrayal. With the unforgettable power and simplicity that made A Separate Peace into a modern classic, this masterful companion volume by John Knowles takes us once again on a warmly nostalgic...