First published 2003
Anne Bernays grows up on New York's East Side while Justin Kaplan comes of age on the West Side. Both children of privilege, they find themselves swept up in the explosive energy that follows the Depression and World War II. The 1950s pulse around them as they chase careers in Manhattan's publishing world. Anne throws herself into the literary scene while Justin pursues his own path through the industry's corridors. Their separate journeys eventually lead them away from publishing houses toward their true calling as writers. The city transforms around them as they navigate youthful passions, professional ambitions, and the dense social fabric of 1950s New York. Each discovers that leaving the security of publishing means risking everything for the uncertain rewards of independent writing. Their parallel stories capture two distinct voices finding their way through a decade of unprecedented change and opportunity.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, biographical-fiction, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: parallel-narratives, separate-journeys
Setting: East Side, Manhattan, New York, West Side
Period: 1950s, Depression, World War II
320 pages · Paperback · William Morrow Paperbacks