1968
READING AGE 16+
1968 follows the journey of an eighteen-year-old navigating the turbulence of 1960s San Francisco. Isaac grows up in a middle-class family with traditional expectations, but as the Vietnam War intensifies, he begins to question the values he was raised with. Drawn to the city’s growing anti-war movement, Isaac becomes involved with student activists, musicians, and draft resisters who challenge him to think critically about duty, morality, and identity.
When he receives his draft notice, Isaac makes the life-altering decision to refuse induction, believing he cannot in good conscience participate in a war he sees as unjust. His defiance leads to public protests, tense confrontations with his family, and ultimately his arrest. While in jail, Isaac wrestles with fear, guilt, and doubt, but also finds unexpected solidarity among other conscientious objectors.
Through this experience, he learns that coming of age means not only discovering what you stand for, but being willing to face the consequences. By the end of the novel, Isaac emerges with a stronger sense of purpose and an unshakable commitment to living by his principles, even in the face of profound sacrifice.
Unfold
“Might you let that infernal noise die?” Mama’s voice pierced from the kitchen, brittle as shattering bone china. I obeyed in silence, the needle’s kiss rising, shivering away from the grooves of Pet Sounds, those tide-soaked harmonies slipping into memory once more. The Beach Boys—Pet Sounds—my salvation, my secret message in a bottle. Sergeant……
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