book review summer of 69

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Summer of '69

Baby boomers and lovers of the Massachusetts islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket can reminisce over the year of 1969 when the younger generation was feeling their oats through free love, Woodstock, and the harsh realities of the Vietnam War. 

It is June 1969. We are first introduced to 19-year-old Richard aka "Tiger" Foley when he receives a letter from the Selective Service notifying him he is called to serve in the army. His mother Kate is beside herself with worry. Why couldn't he have continued his education so maybe the war would be over when he finished and he would not have to go? How can the government take her baby; her only son?

Kate's first husband, Lieutenant Wilder Foley, had served along the 38th parallel in Korea; when he came home he was never right and shot himself in the head, leaving Kate a single mom to Blair, Kirby, and Tiger who were very young. After his passing Kate hired attorney David Levin to convince the court Wilder's death was an accident. Six months after the case settled, she married David, and they later had a daughter they named Jessie.

This enchanting novel revolves around the Nichols, Foley, and Levin families. Kate takes Tiger from their Brookline home to South Boston to be indoctrinated into the military while her girls prepare to head to the islands for three months. 

Kate's mother and matriarch, Exalta Nichols, owns property on Nantucket where they spend every summer, with David coming on the weekends. This year, oldest daughter Blair, wed to MIT Professor Angus Whalen who is currently engaged as an astrophysicist for NASA's Apollo 11 Space Project, is thrilled to be coupled with such an intelligent man. She completed her degree in Literature and is looking forward to attending graduate school after the wedding. However, Angus wants her to be a stay-at-home wife, which she consents to, but soon turns resentful. When she becomes pregnant with twins, Angus demonstrates a greater need for her to remain home though he works long hours, and she is bored and lonely. Before long, misunderstandings occur, and Blair leaves Boston for Nantucket to be with her mom and deliver her babies there. 

Kirby, the middle-aged daughter, is reeling from a broken romance and does not want to go to her grandmother's house. Finishing her sophomore year at Simmons College she decides to head to Martha's Vineyard to live in a boarding house with other girls and work at a local inn. Kirby is the rebellious one who has her own ideas about civil rights, politics, and life. She befriends Darren Frazier, a young black man, and they share an attraction, which is still taboo in many places. Then upon meeting his mother, she realizes they have met before, though not under good circumstances, and she also knows her grandmother would condemn her having any association with Darren.

Jessie turns 13 the day she and Kate head to Nantucket, and she dreads going. Her straight-laced grandmother will insist on her taking tennis lessons at her stodgy club, which she does not want to do, and without her sisters or Tiger to commiserate with, she will be miserable.

Exalta is an old-time Brahmin, bred to gentility and good manners. She does not understand the changes happening in the late sixties and insists on complete decorum from her daughter and grandchildren. Though she likes her "cup of tea," she is disheartened with Kate who over imbibes while hoping to assuage her anxiety over Tiger. 

While the reader is privy to the lives of three generations of women,  Jessie is the one showcased the most as she comes of age. Bewildered and embarrassed, she deals with her first teenage crush, reaching puberty, the horror of her tennis instructor trying to take liberties with her, and her shoplifting fiascos. 

Exalta gives Jessie an heirloom necklace for her birthday that she received from her husband back in 1919, and she was told it was only for special occasions. When Kate brings Jessie out to celebrate—only the two of them—Jessie pilfers the jewelry from where Exalta has it for safekeeping. Because it was given to her as a gift, it isn't stealing, is it? She's not allowed in her grandmother's room, so she feels somewhat guilty but shrugs it off. Then, to her shock, Jessie loses it. How can she explain this to her grandmother? Later she confesses: 

"'I lost your necklace,' Jessie says. 'The one Gramps gave you for your anniversary.'

"Exalta blinks, and this split second, while Exalts is processing what Jessie just said is the worst moment of Jessie's life.

"The silence that follows is equally awful. Jessie sees no choice but to fill it. 'I took the necklace from your room. I wore it to dinner with Mom last Thursday.'

Exalta executes a nod so slight Jessie wonders if she has imagined it, but it's followed by a change in Exalta's expression. The corners of her mouth fall a fraction of an inch. She isn't frantic at the news or appalled. She is simply disappointed. Jessie has revealed herself to be as untrustworthy as Exalta feared. Not worthy of the necklace. Not worthy of the family.'

"'You took it without asking,' Exalta says. 'Do you know what that's called, Jessica?'

'"Stealing,' Jessie says. . . . 

. . . 'Stealing,' Exalta repeated. . . 'And this isn't the first time you've stolen something, is it, Jessica?'

'I . . . ' Jessica falters. What does Nonny know?"

As the world is changing so quickly, Jessie tries to find her place in her life and in her family which now suddenly is becoming dysfunctional. She thinks:

"The experiences of this summer will become as much a part of her as her bones and muscle, her brains, and heart. Ten or twenty years from now, when she looks back on the summer of 1969, she will think:  That was the summer I became real. My own real person." 

Jessie's one solace comes from the few letters Tiger writes to her. Though they are step-siblings—a term their mother refuses to use stating they are true siblings—they are extremely close, and his absence pains her almost as much as it does her mother. 

Each well-fleshed-out character holds on to their own personal secrets while trying to discover their separate path to follow. More than a beach read, Summer of  '69 delves deep into history while painting descriptive and poignant pictures of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, its upper-class residents, and coming of age in a nation in turmoil. 

Nancy Carty Lepri is the author of a children’s chapter book, Tiny Angel , and is an illustrator and freelance editor. She has edited more than 20 books for national small publishers in various genres.

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#BookReview Summer of ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown

Welcome to the most tumultuous summer of the twentieth century! It’s 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer at their grandmother’s historic home in downtown Nantucket: but this year Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, a nursing student, is caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests, a passion which takes her to Martha’s Vineyard with her best friend, Mary Jo Kopechne. Only son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam. Thirteen-year-old Jessie suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her out-of-touch grandmother who is hiding some secrets of her own. As the summer heats up, Teddy Kennedy sinks a car in Chappaquiddick, a man flies to the moon, and Jessie experiences some sinking and flying herself, as she grows into her own body and mind.

In her first “historical novel,” rich with the details of an era that shaped both a country and an island thirty miles out to sea, Elin Hilderbrand once again proves her title as queen of the summer novel.

Relevant, vivid, and absorbing!

Summer of ’69  is a nostalgic, domestic tale that takes us back to the idyllic island of Nantucket during a year when Vietnam was still raging, and Apollo 11 was finally going to put men on the moon, and into the lives of the blended Foley-Levin family as they navigate a summer of revelations, change, and new additions.

The writing is expressive and polished. The characters are genuine, troubled, and sympathetic. And the spirited plot is a delightful mix of summer fun, heartbreak, coming-of-age, secrets, wartime worries, adultery, racial segregation, women’s rights, and fresh starts.

Overall, Summer of ’69  is once again a beguiling, heartfelt, must-read summer tale by Hilderbrand that highlights the power of family and reminds us that even though we’ve come so far, in some respects we still have a long way to go.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

About Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand is a mother of three, an avid runner, reader, and traveler, and the author of twenty-three novels. She grew up outside Philadelphia, and has lived on Nantucket for more than twenty years.

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2 Comments on #BookReview Summer of ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand @elinhilderbrand @littlebrown

Lovely review!

Thanks, Meggy! Xx

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The Candid Cover

A canadian (ya) young adult book blog, review: summer of ’69 by elin hilderbrand.

✼ We may earn an affiliate commission if you make a purchase through links on our site.

Summer of ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand is an epic historical fiction book that will sweep its readers off their feet. Set in Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, the book explores family relationships and an eventful time in U.S. history. It is a classic Hilderbrand summer novel with an exciting historical twist.

Welcome to the most tumultuous summer of the twentieth century! It's 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer at their grandmother's historic home in downtown Nantucket: but this year Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, a nursing student, is caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests, a passion which takes her to Martha's Vineyard with her best friend, Mary Jo Kopechne. Only son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam. Thirteen-year-old Jessie suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her out-of-touch grandmother who is hiding some secrets of her own. As the summer heats up, Teddy Kennedy sinks a car in Chappaquiddick, a man flies to the moon, and Jessie experiences some sinking and flying herself, as she grows into her own body and mind. In her first "historical novel," rich with the details of an era that shaped both a country and an island thirty miles out to sea, Elin Hilderbrand once again proves her title as queen of the summer novel.

❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃

Review: Summer of ’69 by ELin Hilderbrand

I have read a few of Hilderbrand’s novels before, but this one is my absolute favourite to date. This summer read has all of the classic elements that her works entail, such as drama and family relationships. However, the time period of Summer of ’69 really sets the tone for an intriguing plot. It is quite amazing how the history of 1969 blends perfectly into the narrative and its characters.

❀ Incredible Setting

The setting is one that always makes me yearn for a trip to Nantucket. Hilderbrand outdoes herself with this particular novel, however. Many of the popular shops and places of interest that are described in the book are truly a step back in time. Also, adding Martha’s Vineyard to the story adds a really interesting element as the characters deal with racism and segregation.

❀ Compelling Characters

The story is told in multiple points of view, which works well for this novel. The women in the Levin family are all given a voice and it is compelling to read about each generation’s struggles and achievements in a time where women are really starting to take a stand for their rights. I especially loved Jessie’s point of view, as she is the youngest and really comes of age during the course of the novel.

❀ A Perfect Summer Read

S ummer of ’69  by Elin Hilderbrand will not disappoint fans of her previous novel set in Nantucket. This epic historical fiction explores the time period and many of the social, political, and news-worthy moments of that summer. The characters are ones that readers will instantly relate to, making it a perfect summer read.

About Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.

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16 thoughts on “ Review: Summer of ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand ”

Sounds so good.. Lovely review 😍

Thanks so much!

Her books are quintessential summer – I’m glad to see how she’s branching out, genre-wise!

I completely agree. It is a really exciting move for Hilderbrand.

So glad you loved it. This will be the perfect summer read! Laura Thomas recently posted… Review and Giveaway ~ An Eye For A Lie by Cy Wyss

Weeelll… not for me??? BUT, but I love the song so much!

I had a hard time getting the song out of my head while I was reading!

Great review! Super excited to read this one! Amanda McGill recently posted… Top 5 Tuesday – Top 5 “main males”

I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did!

i really wanna read this!

I was a teen in 1969. I’ve put this book on my reading list, as I like to reminisce about those times. Thanks for the great review!

Love your review, you hit the nail on the head for this book!

Sounds like a nice experience, cool review.

This book sounds like a really great read.

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Elin Hilderbrand

Summer of '69.

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By Elin Hilderbrand

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Description

• Contemporary Women
• "The grande dame of beach reads...Hilderbrand shifts among characters with her usual ease, weaving a saga that will make you forget the dynamics of your own dysfunctional people as you crowd into a too-small vacation rental." Liz Egan, New York Times Book Review
• "An engrossing tale of an iconic American summer" People Magazine
• "Overall this novel is an entertaining bagatelle . . . There won't be a single transistor radio this summer on Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea, nor on Madaket Beach in Nantucket. But there almost certainly will be multiple copies of Summer of '69 . It's this year's beach-reading cure for . . . the summertime blues." The Boston Globe
• "Superb...Hilderbrand hits all the right notes about life in a tightly knit family, and this crowd-pleaser is sure to satisfy both her fans and newcomers alike." Publishers Weekly, starred review
• "HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Hilderbrand's first foray into historical fiction will rouse curiosity in new readers as well as devotees of her annual summer smashes." Susan Maguire, Booklist
• "Hilderbrand's characters are utterly convincing and immediately draw us into their problems, from petty to grave...To use the parlance of the period, a highly relevant retrospective." Kirkus
• "Misunderstandings, secrets, and wrong choices are revealed in this completely satisfying novel that is the beach read of the summer, sure to appeal to Hilderbrand's fans while earning her new readers. A must buy." The Library Journal
• "She presents another breezy yet gritty novel with Summer of '69... Simple, sassy, and continuously engaging, Summer of '69 fits neatly into the nostalgic reader's beach bag." NPR
• "Hilderbrand's books keep getting better and better." Bookreporter
• "With vivid descriptions of the songs, fashions and other details of the era woven throughout, it's a true nostalgia trip." AARP

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About the Author

Elin Hilderbrand is the proud mother of three, a dedicated Peloton rider, an aspiring book influencer, and an enthusiastic at-home cook (follow her on Instagram @elinhilderbrand to watch her Cringe Cooking Show). She is also a grateful seven-year breast cancer survivor. GOLDEN GIRL is her 27th novel.

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Book Reviews

Simple, sassy 'summer of '69' is the perfect beach read.

Jean Zimmerman

Summer of '69

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A faint tang of snobbery hangs about the term "beach read," as if, given the choice, we'd all prefer to sprawl out on a blanket in the Hamptons with War and Peace , say, or Infinite Jest (those might be properly termed littoral reads). But it takes more than sand to make a beach read: It needs a certain weightlessness, an ephemeral quality, with no heavy lifting required. Readers won't find themselves having to go back over particularly dense passages in order to keep up. Toes in the sand, sun in the sky, not a thought in our heads — that's a beach read.

Elin Hilderbrand has been named " The Queen of Beach Reads ," and she wears the mantle lightly, with justifiable pride. Many of her books are quite literally littoral, in that they are set at the shore. She presents another breezy yet gritty novel with Summer of '69, the story of a family of long-time Nantucket vacationers who weather some tough times and ultimately find redemption, solace, even a measure of happiness. Chappaquiddick, the moon landing and Woodstock all have cameos in this, Hilderbrand's 23rd novel. Charles Manson, 1969's poster boy of darkness, doesn't make the cut. No really dark clouds allowed.

But that's not quite fair. Hilderbrand does include plenty of adversity in her stories, but it's of the type expressly designed to be overcome. At the center of Summer of '69 is Jessie Levin ("Rhymes with 'heaven,'" she tells people). The youngest of four children, Jessie resembles most 13-year-olds in being full of questions about life, and just as full of judgements about it. She loves and misses her brother, Tiger, who as the book opens ships off to "the Central Highlands of Vietnam with Charlie Company of the Twelfth Regiment of the Third Brigade of the Fourth Infantry." Tiger will favor her with adoring letters throughout the book, as she will write him and so forward the narrative. Though Summer of '69 is not quite an epistolary novel, the letters allow Hilderbrand to be two places at once, Nantucket and 'Nam, where, it is well known, Charlie don't surf.

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Writer elin hilderbrand, 'queen of summer,' wears her crown proudly.

Kate, Jessie's mother, descends into an alcoholic haze with the departure of her beloved boy. Blair, the eldest sibling, is pregnant with twins. Free spirit Kirby spends her time listening to rock'n'roll and attending political protests. In fact, as well it should be in a novel set in 1969, rock'n'roll serves as a thematic touchstone, with chapter heads and titles drawn from songs ("19th Nervous Breakdown," "Magic Carpet Ride," etc.). Max Yasgur's farm looms at the end of the summer, but Jessie will miss Woodstock, darn it.

Hilderbrand designs careful family dramas that don't overly rock the reader's boat. Jessie loses her stern old granny's valuable necklace — hooray! it's found! She gets her first period, develops a crush on a cute older boy, who responds to her, then — horror of horrors — crushes on another girl. Blair can't find a dress to fit her bulging tummy. Beautiful Kirby falls for a dazzling African American guy, his parents disapprove of their dating, but they manage to see each other anyway. Hilderbrand plays these moments against a beautiful beachy backdrop, employing a simplicity that renders them tasty and smooth as a frozen custard purchased at a seaside stand.

Speaking of beach treats, a pleasant feature of Hilderbrand's narrative is specificity about food and drink, sampled in the various boites on the island. Clothing and grooming, too, are painted in such meticulous detail that visualizing the characters is as easy as watching them on TV. Period beach-house settings are spot on: "Sliding screen doors open onto one long room with stark white walls and white beams. The furniture is modern and curvy. Against one wall is a lipstick-red sofa that looks like a woman lying on her side; it's flanked by two shell chairs, one turquoise, one electric lime green."

Oftentimes we don't hunger for a seven-course meal — oftentimes, a light repast will do. Simple, sassy, and continuously engaging, Summer of '69 fits neatly into the nostalgic reader's beach bag, right alongside the Chablis and the Coppertone. Where were you in '69? If you can remember, you weren't there. But if you can't, Hilderbrand suggests you had "White Rabbit" on the radio, a crochet bikini, and designs on that hot guy down the beach.

Jean Zimmerman's latest novel, Savage Girl, is out now in paperback. She posts daily at Blog Cabin .

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Summer of '69 : Book summary and reviews of Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand

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Summer of '69

by Elin Hilderbrand

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Published Jun 2019 432 pages Genre: Historical Fiction Publication Information

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About this book

Book summary.

Four siblings experience the drama, intrigue, and upheaval of a summer when everything changed, in New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand's first historical novel.

Welcome to the most tumultuous summer of the twentieth century. It's 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer at their grandmother's historic home in downtown Nantucket. But like so much else in America, nothing is the same: Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests and determined to be independent, takes a summer job on Martha's Vineyard. Only-son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam. Thirteen-year-old Jessie suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her out-of-touch grandmother and her worried mother, each of them hiding a troubling secret. As the summer heats up, Ted Kennedy sinks a car in Chappaquiddick, man flies to the moon, and Jessie and her family experience their own dramatic upheavals along with the rest of the country. In her first historical novel, rich with the details of an era that shaped both a nation and an island thirty miles out to sea, Elin Hilderbrand once again earns her title as queen of the summer novel.

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Reader reviews.

"Hilderbrand hits all the right notes about life in a tightly knit family, and this crowd-pleaser is sure to satisfy both her fans and newcomers alike." - Publishers Weekly (starred review) "As always, Hilderbrand's characters are utterly convincing and immediately draw us into their problems, from petty to grave...To use the parlance of the period, a highly relevant retrospective." - Kirkus Reviews "Hilderbrand's first foray into historical fiction will rouse curiosity in new readers as well as devotees of her annual summer smashes." - Booklist

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Elin Hilderbrand Author Biography

Elin Hilderbrand is the author of twenty-eight novels, including The Hotel Nantucket . She is a proud 1991 graduate of Johns Hopkins University where she majored in Writing Seminars. In her senior year at Hopkins, Elin had her first short story, "Misdirection," accepted for publication in Seventeen Magazine . After a short stint working in publishing and teaching in New York City, she moved to Nantucket permanently in 1994. She attended the University of Iowa writers workshop and earned her MFA in 1998, and published her first novel, The Beach Club , in the summer of 2000. Her 2019 novel, Summer of "69 SUMMER OF '69 was her first novel to debut at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. She is the mother of three children and loves riding the Peloton, cooking, and going to the beach. She...

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SUMMER OF '69

by Todd Strasser ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 9, 2019

Vietnam, Woodstock, road trips, and acid trips: a sweetly bittersweet, surprising, even melancholy bildungsroman set against...

The prolific Strasser ( Price of Duty , 2018, etc.) offers a semiautobiographical account of a transformative Long Island summer in 1969.

High school grad Lucas Baker is working for his dad’s bulk-mail facility for the summer, and it’s not exactly stimulating, but he has the company of his good friends Arno and Milton and plenty of acid and grass at the ready. But his parents seem headed for divorce, and his girlfriend is off at camp, sending letters hinting at a possible breakup. He’s also been rejected by the only college he had much hope of getting into, closing off his best shot at avoiding the draft. There are a few bright spots: the lovely Tinsley and the upcoming Woodstock music festival, which promises to be epic. Before he gets to Woodstock, he’ll have to wrestle with his views on the war and the draft and escape a few hairy situations with his friends, including a memorable tussle with a biker gang. Strasser perfectly captures the golden haze of youth and life on the cusp of adulthood. Readers fascinated with this time period will find much to enjoy. All main characters are white, but Lucas’ African-American conscientious objector counselor, Charles, offers his perspective on the war and the treatment of African-American soldiers.

Pub Date: April 9, 2019

ISBN: 978-0-7636-9526-2

Page Count: 384

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT HISTORICAL FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION

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BOOK REVIEW

by Todd Strasser

IF ONLY I HAD TOLD HER

by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6, 2024

A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.

In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me , three characters tell their sides of the story.

Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.

Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024

ISBN: 9781728276229

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE

More by Laura Nowlin

by Laura Nowlin

INDIVISIBLE

by Daniel Aleman ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 4, 2021

An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.

A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.

Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.

Pub Date: May 4, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FAMILY | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES

More by Daniel Aleman

by Daniel Aleman

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Elin Hilderbrand, author of Summer of '69

It's 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer at their grandmother's historic home in downtown Nantucket. But like so much else in America, nothing is the same. Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests and determined to be independent, takes a summer job on Martha's Vineyard. Only-son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam.

• About the Book

Summer of '69

Elin Hilderbrand | 4.19 | 57,953 ratings and reviews

Ranked #24 in Beach

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Summer of '69

65 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue-Part 1, Chapter 3

Part 1, Chapters 4-6

Part 1, Chapters 7-11

Part 1, Chapters 12-16

Part 2, Chapters 17-20

Part 2, Chapters 21-24

Part 2, Chapters 25-28

Part 2, Chapters 29-32

Part 3, Chapters 33-34

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

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Summary and Study Guide

Elin Hilderbrand’s Summer of ‘69 (2019), her 25th novel, is a family drama that spans the spring and summer of 1969. The book is set on the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, and historical events such as the Vietnam war, the moon landing , and Ted Kennedy’s car crash at Chappaquiddick provide a vivid backdrop. Only when the characters confront the past and accept the uncertainty of the future, can they embrace what’s most important to them. Hilderbrand revisited these characters in a long story titled Summer of ‘79 , available as an eBook.

This guide uses the hardbound version of Summer of ‘69 , published in 2019 by Little, Brown and Company.

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Content Warning : The novel contains scenes depicting domestic violence and physical fights, references to abortion and drowning, and alcohol misuse. In addition, some characters discuss racial and ethnic prejudice or use racial slurs, which are replicated in this guide only in quoted material.

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Hilderbrand’s Summer of ‘69 follows the Foley-Levin family, particularly its female characters, during the spring and summer of 1969. The family’s world is shaken when 19-year-old Tiger Foley is drafted into the Vietnam War. The plot follows his mother, Kate Levin , and her three daughters—Blair, Kirby, and Jessie—as they navigate personal drama and the changing times.

Using the turbulent backdrop of the Vietnam war and the civil rights and feminism movements, Hilderbrand depicts how personalities change during a family stay on the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. Alternating chapters focus on the differing perspectives of Kate, 48, and her three daughters: Blair Foley Whalen , Kirby Foley , and Jessie Levin.

In the spring, Kate learns that her 19-year-old son, Tiger, has been drafted into the army and must deploy to Vietnam. Distraught, Kate thinks she’s being punished for how she treated his father, Wilder Foley. He died by suicide in 1953, and she feels responsible. Despite loving her second husband, David Levin , Kate drinks excessively. Her drinking keeps her from helping her daughters with their problems and distances her from them. Kate heads to the home of her mother, Exalta.

Kate’s youngest daughter, Jessie, is turning 13. She worries about growing up and how people feel about the fact that she’s Jewish. To feel sophisticated and powerful among her friends, she’s experimenting with shoplifting. Kirby, the middle daughter, is 20 and is working on Martha’s Vineyard to recover from a tumultuous love affair with a police officer who she discovered was married. Blair, Kate’s eldest daughter, is 24, pregnant, and debating leaving her husband, Angus Whalen—an astrophysicist whose job keeps him away (and who might be having an affair)—for his attractive younger brother, Joey.

Wilder’s infidelity haunts Kate since the couple fought over it just before his death. His lover at the time was Lorraine Crimmins, the daughter of Bill, the caretaker of the family home. Pregnant, Lorraine left Nantucket for California, where she gave birth to Pick. Bill recently brought Pick back to Nantucket because Lorraine disappeared. The two stay in a small adjacent house on the property.

Jessie starts tennis lessons at the Field and Oar Club, which she finds elitist. She worries that Exalta harbors prejudiced sentiments. When her male tennis instructor touches her inappropriately, Jessie’s powerlessness triggers the urge to shoplift. She develops a habit of shoplifting whenever she’s upset, culminating in her stealing an heirloom necklace from Exalta. When she loses it, she must talk to her grandmother, who grounds her. However, Exalta expresses sympathy for Jessie, who then stops shoplifting.

Kirby meets affluent African American Harvard student Darren Frazier, and the two fall for each other. However, Darren’s mother—the physician who diagnosed Kirby’s pregnancy several months earlier—doesn’t approve of their relationship. Kirby is afraid she’ll lose Darren if he learns her secret. When he deliberately avoids inviting her to family gatherings, Kirby suspects that Darren has hidden the fact they’re dating. No longer willing to have the secret of her past keep her captive, Kirby tells Darren everything about her relationship with officer Scottie Turbo. Darren accepts all this without judgment, but in telling the story, Kirby realizes that she can’t have another clandestine relationship, and the two break up. Kirby is sad but sure she made the right choice.

Blair worries that she’ll give birth alone because she hasn’t heard from either Angus or Joey. She starts to realize that she must act independently rather than wait for romantic rescue. Although Angus tries to visit Blair to explain his affair, he runs into Kate, who sends him away. On the day of the moon launch, Blair gives birth to their twins while Angus works at mission control. She’s excited to head into her new life as a mother, and her anger toward Angus dissipates.

As Kate’s drinking continues, David suggests that they buy a new house and distance themselves from Exalta’s influence and Kate’s past, but Kate doesn’t know how to break her cycle of self-harm. Eventually, she realizes that her former focus on propriety and keeping silent gave her no advantage, and she submits an offer on the house David likes.

Jessie and Pick kiss. Convinced that she’s in love, Jessie starts making romantic plans before Pick reveals that he has a girlfriend, Sabrina. Jessie’s sadness and anger over Pick make her consider shoplifting again, especially when she learns that another girl was sexually touched at the Club. She redirects her anger toward activism and reports the crime. When Lorraine arrives unexpectedly to retrieve Pick, Jessie tells Kate that she loves him. This prompts Kate to confess her secrets. She reveals that Pick’s father is Wilder and that she confronted him about it, triggering his death by suicide. Jessie shows Kate sympathy, realizing how desperate and lonely keeping this secret must’ve been for her mother.

Kirby is fired from her job after abandoning her shift to help protect her friend Patty from her drunken boyfriend. Darren drives Kirby to the ferry. When he kisses her in public, she decides to give their romance another chance. On the boat, she unexpectedly runs into Scottie Turbo and his pregnant wife. In a coded conversation, Kirby finally says goodbye to her old flame. At Exalta’s house, Kirby encourages Blair to talk openly with Angus. Returning from Houston, Angus tells Blair that he wasn’t having an affair as she thought. He meets with a therapist to address his thoughts of sadness and vows to communicate more honestly in the future. Blair tells him that she wants to go back to school, and they reconcile.

By Thanksgiving, the Foley-Levin world has changed for the better. Magee has joined them as Tiger’s fiancée, Jessie has a new boyfriend, and Blair and Angus are happy with their more balanced relationship. Kirby has revealed her romance with Darren to Exalta, who has become much more accepting of others’ differences since she started a new relationship with Bill. Tiger is still in Vietnam but has found a sense of purpose as a soldier. Kate surprises them all with the newly purchased house, and David carries her over the threshold like a newlywed. A new appreciation of family and true love abounds.

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Summer of '69 Mass Market Paperback – June 30, 2020

Purchase options and add-ons.

• Print length 480 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Little, Brown and Company
• Publication date June 30, 2020
• Dimensions 4.25 x 1 x 7.5 inches
• ISBN-10 0316463248
• ISBN-13 978-0316463249
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown and Company (June 30, 2020)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316463248
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316463249
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.8 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.25 x 1 x 7.5 inches
• #1,404 in Mothers & Children Fiction
• #2,821 in Family Life Fiction (Books)
• #3,563 in Women's Domestic Life Fiction

About the author

Elin hilderbrand.

Elin Hilderbrand first discovered the magic of Nantucket in July 1993. Her recipe for a happy island life includes running, writing at the beach, picnics at Eel Point with her three children, and singing "Home, Sweet Home" at the Club Car piano bar. Here's to Us is her seventeenth novel.

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MSL Book Review

Summer of ’69.

Todd Strasser relives and shares with the reader his experiences as Lucas Baker, a newly graduated high school senior, who just wants to spend the summer hanging with his friends doing plenty of acid and smoking weed and best of all — Woodstock Music Festival. But as series of mishaps leads him to bad acid trips, testing his faithfulness to his girlfriend Robin, who happens to be in Canada for the summer, his parents separation and the worst of all — the draft. Vietnam was in full swing and the only way a healthy young male didn’t goto war was to be in college, which unfortunately, Lucas found out that he wasn’t accepted to college and way too late to do anything about it.When  Lucas finds this out he meets with a conscientious  objector counselor to figure out ways to avoid being drafted; other than escaping to Canada as many did, go to jail for refusing to be drafted or maim himself.

Despite the time span, many teens will relate to issues in this book — relationships and friendship, politics, families, road trips and much more and even more so for those that find the 60s interesting. Recommended for grades 10 and up.

Reviewed by Kristin Taylor, Biddeford High School, Biddeford, ME.