Union Ave Books welcomes Shannon Burke to present his new book THE BROTHER YEARS. Shannon will be joined in conversation by Christopher Hebert, UTK creative writing faculty member and author of ANGELS OF DETROIT. This free virtual event takes place on October 8th @ 7pm (Eastern) on Zoom, send an RSVP to RSVP@unionavebooks.com to attend. Please include the the title of the book THE BROTHER YEARS in the subject line. We will send the zoom link the day of the event. 

Purchase THE BROTHER YEARS here: https://unionavebooks.indielite.org/book/9781524748647

DESCRIPTION

From 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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SHANNON BURKE is the author of the novels Safelight, Into the Savage Country, and Black Flies, a New York Times Notable Book. He has also worked on several film projects, including Syriana, and is the co-creator of the 2020 Netflix hit Outer Banks. He lives in Knoxville, Tennessee.

CHRISTOPHER HEBERT is the author of the novels Angels of Detroit and The Boiling Season. He is also co-editor of Stories of Nation: Fictions, Politics, and the American Experience. His short fiction and nonfiction have appeared in such publications as the Guardian, Narrative, Interview, and the Millions. Currently he lives in Knoxville, TN, where he is Assistant Professor of English at the University of Tennessee.