Book Bearings
Cover of A Separate Peace by John Knowles

A Separate Peace

  • 196 pages · about 3 hours
  • First published 1959
  • 103 editions

Bookshop.org links may earn us a commission. It supports independent bookstores and costs you nothing.

1 About this book

A Separate Peace is a coming-of-age novel by John Knowles, published in 1959. Based on his earlier short story "Phineas", published in the May 1956 issue of Cosmopolitan, it was Knowles's first published novel and became his best-known work. Set against the backdrop of World War II, A Separate Peace explores morality, patriotism, and loss of innocence through its narrator, Gene Forrester, in his relationship with classmate and friend Phineas.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Good for readers who want: a coming-of-age story and friendship.

  • Coming of age
  • Boys
  • Death
  • Preparatory schools
  • Friendship
  • World War II
  • New hampshire
  • Youth

2 About John Knowles

1926–2001

John Knowles (; September 16, 1926 – November 29, 2001) was an American novelist best known for A Separate Peace (1959).

Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

3 Similar books

Find a book that fits your moment