Alan urged me several times to check out John Knowles's A Separate Peace before I actually picked up the thin novel. I was immediately mesmerized by the opening; the writing in that first chapter is phenomenal. The rest of the novel continues to be well written, but there is something special about that first chapter. The story is set in the early years of the second World War and tells the tale of a young man, Gene, and the complications of his friendship with Phineas. There's not much more to say without spoiling anything except that the novel deals with themes of jealousy, drive, guilt, identity, and friendship. It's short and well written, making it accessible and definitely worth checking out.
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