Summer of '69

By: Elin Hilderbrand

Narrated by: Erin Bennett

Four siblings experience the drama, intrigue, and upheaval of the '60s summer when everything changed in Elin Hilderbrand's #1 New York Times bestselling historical novel.
Welcome to the most tumultuous summer of the twentieth century. It's 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer at their grandmother's historic home in downtown Nantucket. But like so much else in America, nothing is the same: Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests and determined to be independent, takes a summer job on Martha's Vineyard. Only-son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam. And thirteen-year-old Jessie suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her out-of-touch grandmother and her worried mother, while each of them hides a troubling secret.
As the summer heats up, Ted Kennedy sinks a car in Chappaquiddick, man flies to the moon, and Jessie and her family experience their own dramatic upheavals along with the rest of the country. In her first historical novel, rich with the details of an era that shaped both a nation and an island thirty miles out to sea, Elin Hilderbrand once again earns her title as queen of the summer novel.

Critic reviews

"The grande dame of beach reads...Hilderbrand shifts among characters with her usual ease, weaving a saga that will make you forget the dynamics of your own dysfunctional people as you crowd into a too-small vacation rental."—Liz Egan, New York Times Book Review

"An engrossing tale of an iconic American summer"—People Magazine

"Overall this novel is an entertaining bagatelle . . . There won't be a single transistor radio this summer on Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea, nor on Madaket Beach in Nantucket. But there almost certainly will be multiple copies of Summer of '69. It's this year's beach-reading cure for . . . the summertime blues."—The Boston Globe

"Superb...Hilderbrand hits all the right notes about life in a tightly knit family, and this crowd-pleaser is sure to satisfy both her fans and newcomers alike."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Hilderbrand's first foray into historical fiction will rouse curiosity in new readers as well as devotees of her annual summer smashes."—Susan Maguire, Booklist

"Hilderbrand's characters are utterly convincing and immediately draw us into their problems, from petty to grave...To use the parlance of the period, a highly relevant retrospective."
—Kirkus

"Misunderstandings, secrets, and wrong choices are revealed in this completely satisfying novel that is the beach read of the summer, sure to appeal to Hilderbrand's fans while earning her new readers. A must buy."—The Library Journal

"She presents another breezy yet gritty novel with Summer of '69... Simple, sassy, and continuously engaging, Summer of '69 fits neatly into the nostalgic reader's beach bag."—NPR

"Hilderbrand's books keep getting better and better."—Bookreporter

"With vivid descriptions of the songs, fashions and other details of the era woven throughout, it's a true nostalgia trip."—AARP

Romp thru 69

This book was a pretty good review of 1969. it includes every major event, to a sometimes boringly predictable extent.

Too many characters

I just never connected with any of the characters on the story..seemed like a very long summer of 69.

Please write a sequel!!

Loved this book! Hated to see it end. Loved the family and the complicated dynamics. Loved how some history was woven into the story. This was my first book from Elin Hilderbrand, and I can't wait to read more. Just goes to show that a great story can be written without profanity, violence, or ecplicit sex. Great ending, but I want to know more about this family! Please write a sequel - Summer of '70 perhaps?

I loved it!

I was the same age as Jessie or “Messy” in 1969, so I lived through all of this. It really was quite the year. I loved all the characters and how beautifully the story was intertwined with actual events. It was a very enjoyable read/listen.

Cute

I enjoyed this book although knowing it was fiction remembered the decade being born in 58. And having a brother in Cambodia. Cute was the word I picked because it depicted the good of the time!

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!

First let me say that I really enjoy Elin Hilldebrand books, I haven't read one that hasn't left me thinking about it long after the last page is turned. However, this one was special for me. Having been 18 in 1969, this book was a treasure trove in a time capsule, bringing back forgotten memories of first love, the turmoil of the Vietnamese War, the political scandal of the time, and days spent at the ocean in the summer sun.
It makes us aware of how far...and...not so far we've really come in matters dealing with marriages of mixed religion, interracial relationships, battered women syndrome, and the psychological trauma that keeping secrets can cause.
I LOVED this family, much like I loved the Quinns. I hope Ms. Hilldebrand is planning on keeping us updated on their lives with many more sequels in the future. Thanks for another great read.

loved it

didn't want it ti end.
as a woman that came of age in the 60s it brought back so many memories!
i will recommend this to my book club.

Memorable characters make for memorable fiction

The plot is present, but character development, and the placement of the novel in time and historical context makes this as enjoyable a novel that I have read for some time. For persons who live in and around Nantucket, it will be even more interesting.

Another Great Summer Read

I enjoyed that characters, the settings, and the way Elin included real life events in this book.

Loved it!!!!!!!

Kept my interest throughout! So interesting to remember the way children were raised just a mere 50 years ago!