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Beginning with the meeting of Deborah Getsinger and Vietnam veteran Christy Mahon on May 1, 1975, the day Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese, this finely nuanced novel follows the intertwined lives of five people during the final 25 years of the 20th century. Set in a small New Hampshire college community, it tells the story of Deborah and Christy, whose long emotional connection is troubled by Christy's experiences in the war; their son, Ian; Deborah's friend Sonia; and Sonia's daughter, Patience. As they face changes in their culture and themselves, the adults deal with regret, loss, and the impact of their choices on their lives and those of their children.