Summer of ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand *****

The Summer of ’69 saw the United States in turmoil. Nixon, Vietnam, Chappaquiddick, Antiwar protests. Civil Rights. Women’s lib. On the positive side, Apollo 11 landed on the moon. Matriarch Exalta Nichols hosted her daughter and granddaughters at the ancestral summer home in Nantucket. Kate Nichols Foley Levin was worried about her son Tiger Foley, drafted and deployed to Vietnam. Blair Foley Whalen was in her third trimester and regretted being married to MIT Astrophysicist Angus Whelan. Kirby Foley, a junior at Simmons College, regretted her choices in men. Jessie Levin, 13, was beginning puberty. Five strong women overcome the challenges facing them.

MAIN CHARACTERS

*Jessie Levin, Messie, 13 (b. 1956)

Tiger Foley, 19 (b. 1950), drafted, in Vietnam

*Kirby Foley, 21 (b. 1948), junior at Simmons

*Blair Foley, 24 (b. 1945), pregnant with twins, married to Angus Whalen

Angus Whalen, MIT professor, crazy

Joey Whalen, younger brother, NYC, advertising

*Kate Levin, mother, 48 (b. 1921)

David Levin, lawyer

Lieutenant Foley, Kate’s first husband, fought in Korea, PTSD death.

*Nonny, Mrs. Pennington (Exalta) Nichols, matriarch, 75 (b. 1894)

This is not a good novel for men who are often insensitive, narcissistic, abusive, and unfaithful.

The book features extensive drinking and smoking, also racism, antisemitism, and classism.

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