Books By Brown/Our Time on the River

				Our Time on the River 1968. Steve"s older brother has just broken the news that he"s quit college to enlist in the army. Before David departs for Vietnam in September, their father decides to send the brothers on a canoe trip down the Susquehanna River. Steve knows that David isn"t happy about the plan, and he"s not looking forward to being trapped with his swaggering, tough-guy brother either. "Look out for each other!" is the last thing they hear Dad shout as they round a bend out of sight, David in the rear, controlling the canoe. At first narrow and quiet as a stream, the river soon grows wider and more complicated, carrying the boys through gritty small-town America on a journey that pushes their adversarial relationship into new territory. There is no map or guide for this trip: just two brothers going forward, navigating the twists and turns of the river, learning to fight for each other. In this lyrical first novel, Don Brown tells the powerful story of two brothers coming of age in a challenging time. READ CHAPTER ONE

"Based on an actual trip the author took down the Susquehanna River in 1967, this first novel follows two brothers who canoe for two weeks together from Cooperstown, New York, to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, before the older brother, David, is sent to Vietnam. David has dropped out of college to enlist, a decision that dredges up painful family memories of their uncle's death and their father's injury during World War II. The trip downstream is fairly easy despite bugs, rain, and the occasional racist warmonger, and it helps the brothers get to know one another and themselves better. It also helps them better understand humanity, both its compassionate and dark sides. Through the younger brother's immediate first-person narrative, Brown paints an interesting, accurate portrait of 1960s' life and culture. The lyrical descriptions clearly acknowledge the power and underlying tension of the river, the countryside, and the times, as well as the polarity created by the war. While not dramatic historical fiction, this is a satisfying read, with the river journey offering a microcosm of society at that time." Booklist Steven's older brother, David, has a few short weeks at home before he ships out for Vietnam. Mindful of the uncertain future, their father insists that the two boys spend some time together on a canoe trip, just as he and David had done years before. David is uninterested and openly hostile to the younger boy as they embark down the Susquehanna River. Steven remains unruffled as his moody sibling seems distant and preoccupied. The brothers contend with little more than insects, a wet sleeping bag, and rural scenery in an uneventful beginning that gains momentum as they paddle. They meet girls, carny workers, and story-filled veterans, peripheral characters who react in different ways to the combat-bound teen. Steven absorbs every nuance and patiently cares for David when he gets drunk and later rescues him from drowning. David returns the favor when Steven seriously cuts himself. The canoe trip is clearly just a vehicle for the bonding of these two young men at a crucial point in their lives. Prosaic writing does not hinder the narrative but strengthens Steven's voice, that of a 14-year-old boy keenly aware that his brother might soon die in a war. Readers who enjoy the style of Gary Paulsen's The Beet Fields (Delacorte, 2000) will find a thoughtful choice here." School Library Journal

Ruth Law Thrills a Nation / Alice Ramsey's Grand Adventure / One Giant Leap / Rare Treasure / Uncommon Traveler / A Voice from the Wilderness / Across a Dark & Wild Sea / Far Beyond the Garden Gate / Mack Made Movies / American Boy / Our Time on the River / Odd Boy Out / Kid Blink Beats The World / The Good Lion