Introduction

Four teenage boys, coming of age and dreaming of their future, even as that future seemed to be slipping through their young fingers. It wasn’t their fault they were born into a town, into a way of life, that was dying. They did what they were supposed to do: followed the rules, studied hard, played hard. But for them, unlike their fathers and grandfathers, there was no promise of a fat salary at the mill, no promise of a house and a yard and a middle class life. Not in Hopeton Mills, Pennsylvania, anyway. Not when the fabric of so much of America was fraying in the late 1970’s and 80’s. They had but one option, just like kids in factory towns and farm towns coast to coast—getting the hell out. As their hero from an equally bleak Jersey shore town put it in the title to his iconic anthem, these four sons of Hopeton Mills were born to run. Summer of Hope, Summer of Dreams is a story of the follies and dreams of youth, of enduring loyalty and friendship, of the hope and faith of adulthood, and of the bonds forged from songs that inspired a generation.

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Excerpt

Gina and Cunny couldn’t have been more mismatched as a couple. He was tall and smooth, she was petite and perky. She was first generation Italian-American, he was third generation American mutt. Her family embraced their roots, while his family’s origins were unknown and unspoken. No one in his family cared about their genealogy, which was not surprising in regard to his father, who barely cared that he had a family. His mother’s apathy was more a result of the mental beating she took on a daily basis from her callous husband. Whatever she knew, she had kept to herself. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. What did you enjoy (or not enjoy) about the book?

2. Were the characters relatable/authentic to you?

3. Did you find the ending satisfying--why or why not?

4. Can you relate to this book, and if so, in what way?

5. Are you a Bruce Springsteen fan, and if so, did that thread throughout the book enhance your appreciation of the book? If not, did it detract from the book?

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