The tumultuous 1960s were full of shocking historical and cultural moments that shaped a generation of young men and women navigating the highs and lows. In this work of historical fiction, the decade comes to life with all its defining moments for a group of friends finding their way in young adulthood. The story opens with Dave Jennings learning the news that President Kennedy has been shot. Dave’s shock and sadness are palpable because he looked up to the young president as a surrogate father after his own father was killed in the Korean War. As he finds his footing in high school and with Vietnam looming, Dave goes to college and reconnects with his old friends, Adrian and Mitchell. All three begin the journey to find love and careers in a decade full of possibility.

Brimming with cultural references, this ode to the 1960s is rich in details of the era with the characters relentlessly pursuing paths of self-discovery. The friends are bonded by shared experiences and hopes, but their paths diverge as they explore individual interests allowing for a range of stories to be told. Rasmussen’s gifted storytelling offers insight into a time of great change both in the culture and in people’s lives. The characters seem formed as much by their singular choices as by the times they are living in. The defining moments of their lives propel them forward, and the story surges with each move taking readers for a ride through California and beyond in the 60s. Pivotal moments like landing on the moon and the Manson murders anchor the story in time and place without weighing it down. Rasmussen’s writing is buoyant and layered with lessons learned through living and loving.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

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