Peace Breaks Out

After World War II, Pete Hallam returns to his alma mater, the Devon School, to teach American History and Physical Education. The story follows his reintroduction into civilian life after the war and the lives of several boys in their senior year at the Devon School, including two boys at odd with each other and most of the school, Wexford and Hochschwender.

The book was slightly less flat than A Separate Peace, perhaps, because there seemed to be a bit more depth to the characters and story but not by much. The exposition contained more details but there was overall too much exposition. I felt like I was being told what to think.

It seemed that several of the boys at the Devon School felt left out and guilty for missing war. They talking and thought about the war as some grand adventure and a way to make their marks. Pete Hallam offered the counter balance as to the realities of war. I wonder with less media available at the time and only certain people telling the stories, if the war was idealized to the youth at home in the US.

I also wonder about the purpose of Pete Hallam's ex-wife and chapter about Wexford's weekend in Boston. They seemed like out of the main story inclusions used just to make a point about the characters. ( )

2645 Peace Breaks Out, by John Knowles (read 5 Sep 1994) On Mar 14, 1970, I read the author's masterful A Separate Peace. In 1981 this book was written, also about Devon, and laid in the years 1945-1946. It is not as good, but is an obvious attempt to repeat his prior success. It tells of Wexford and Hochschwender. Wexford is antagonistic and he succeeds in getting Hochswender killed. Devon is a great place for murder, or at least involuntary manslaughter. I am not sure this book was worth reading. ( )

http://home.comcast.net/~tonydal/wiseguy_reviews.htm ( )

Sequel to A Separate Peace. Pete Hallman returns to Devon to work as a history teacher and coach, and from his own experiences in World War II can detect unmitigated hatred between two members of his class. Excellent. ( )