The Brother Years: A NovelFrom the acclaimed author of Black Flies and Into the Savage Country and co-creator of top-ten Netflix hit Outer Banks, a powerful new novel of class striving and the precarious dynamics of brotherhood in the Chicago suburbs of the late 1970s. "In our family, there was none of this crap about everyone being a winner," says Willie, the narrator, who looks back on his teen years--and his nearly mortal combat with his domineering older brother, Coyle. In the Brennan house four kids sleep in a single room, and are indoctrinated into "The Methods," a system of achievement and relentless striving, laced with a potent, sometimes violent version of sibling rivalry. The family is overseen by a raging bull of a father, a South Side tough guy who knocks them sideways when they don't perform well or follow his dictates. Rivals, enemies, and allies, the siblings contend with one another and their wealthy self-satisfied peers at New Trier, the famous upscale high school where the family has struggled to send them. Evoking their crucible of class struggle and peer pressures, Burke balances comedy, tragedy, and a fascinating cast of characters, delivering a book that reads like an instant classic--an unforgettable story of the intertwining of love and family violence, and of triumphant teen survival that echoes down through the years. |
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The Brother Years
User Review - Publishers WeeklyBurke’s lackluster latest (after Into the Savage Country) follows Willie Brennan through his teen years as he deals with his overbearing brother, Coyle, and their father, who clawed his way up from ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - nancyadair - LibraryThingBurke writes about "the weird, poor family in the rich neighborhood' and how their childhood was a crucible that molds and toughens them. Central are brothers Coyle and Willie Shannon and the ... Read full review
Contents
| 3 | |
Section 2 | 16 |
Section 3 | 19 |
Section 4 | 24 |
Section 5 | 28 |
Section 6 | 35 |
Section 7 | 54 |
Section 8 | 57 |
Section 17 | 131 |
Section 18 | 139 |
Section 19 | 140 |
Section 20 | 155 |
Section 21 | 163 |
Section 22 | 185 |
Section 23 | 195 |
Section 24 | 203 |
Section 9 | 61 |
Section 10 | 76 |
Section 11 | 79 |
Section 12 | 82 |
Section 13 | 90 |
Section 14 | 94 |
Section 15 | 103 |
Section 16 | 118 |
Section 25 | 215 |
Section 26 | 226 |
Section 27 | 261 |
Section 28 | 269 |
Section 29 | 273 |
Section 30 | 275 |
Section 31 | 277 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
already asked ball beat better bike boat Brennan brother called coming Coyle Coyle's Dainty didn't don't door eyes face father feeling felt Fergus fight fist five four friends front gave getting give going hair hand happened hard head heard held holding inside It's Jimmy kids knew later laughed Liam living looked Maddy mean minute months morning moved never night once parents passed past pick play present pulled reached rest ride Robert seemed side sound standing started stay stood stopped sure talk tell tennis Thanks thing thought told took tossed Trier trying turned waiting walked watching week whole Willie window write Yeah yelled
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Brother Years: A Novel |
| Author | Shannon Burke |
| Publisher | Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2020 |
| ISBN | 152474865X, 9781524748654 |
| Length | 288 pages |
| Subjects | › › Fiction / Coming of Age Fiction / Family Life / Siblings Fiction / Literary |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |