The year is 1968. The world is changing, and sixteen-year-old Jon Mosher is determined to change with it. Racked by guilt over his older brother's childhood death and stuck in the dead-end town of Brewster, New York, he turns his rage into victories running track. Meanwhile, Ray Cappicciano, a rebel as gifted with his fists as Jon is with his feet, is trying to take care of his baby brother while staying out of the way of his abusive, ex-cop father. When Jon and Ray form a tight friendship, they find in each other everything they lack at home, but it's not until Ray falls in love with beautiful, headstrong Karen Dorsey that the three friends begin to dream of breaking away from Brewster for good. Freedom, however, has its price. As forces beyond their control begin to bear down on them, Jon sets off on the race of his life--a race to redeem his past and save them all.

Mark Slouka's work has been called "relentlessly observant, miraculously expressive" (New York Times Book Review). Reverberating with compassion, heartache, and grace, Brewster is an unforgettable coming-of-age story from one of our most compelling novelists.

A New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice
A Washington Post Notable Book of 2013
A Barron's Favorite Book of the Year, selected by Daniel Woodrell
A Booklist Best Adult Books for Young Adults Editor's Choice 2013

Author: Mark Slouka
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 05/05/2014
Pages: 288
Weight: 0.5lbs
Size: 8.23h x 5.75w x 0.69d
ISBN: 9780393348835

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.8
Point Value: 11
Interest Level: Upper Grade
Quiz #/Name: 167837 / Brewster


Review Citation(s):
New York Times Book Review 10/12/2014 pg. 24

About the Author
Slouka, Mark: - Mark Slouka's most recent books are the story collection All That Is Left Is All That Matters, the memoir Nobody's Son, and the award-winning novel Brewster. His work has appeared in The Best American Short Stories, The Best American Essays, and the PEN / O. Henry Prize Stories. He lives in Prague.