Under the Apple Tree

**A moving tale of young love, family values, and growing up during wartime from bestselling author Dan Wakefield**

At the height of World War II, Artie Garber turns eleven years old in his hometown of Birney, Illinois. When his older brother, Roy, joins the US Marines, Artie is left to defend the home front—as well as Roy’s high school sweetheart, Shirley. Without the guidance of his beloved big brother, Artie resorts to reading advice in *Collier’s* on how to identify spies and search for German aircraft over the lush fields of Illinois. As Artie works to protect Shirley—a lost cause, despite the cheerleader’s best efforts—he must come to grips with his own burgeoning sexuality as he steps cautiously toward adulthood.

Rendered in stunning, peeled-back prose, *Under the Apple Tree* realistically depicts one boy’s loss of innocence and the devastating effects of war felt far beyond the battlefield.

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### Review

“Wakefield at his best—funny, sad, and outrageous.” —*The**Boston Sunday Globe*

“One of [Wakefield’s] best novels . . . how did he manage to work such magic?” —*The New York Times*

“Its lyrical yet incisive prose and masterly plotting evoke America during World War II with a reality and impact I have never before encountered in either fiction or reportage. For those old enough to remember how it was and those younger who want to know, this novel is a must.” —Agnes Nixon, creator of *All My Children*

### About the Author

Dan Wakefield (b. 1932) is the author of the bestselling novels *Going All the Way* and *Starting Over*, which were both adapted into feature films. His memoirs include *New York in the Fifties*, which was made into a documentary film of the same name, and *Returning: A Spiritual Journey*, praised by Bill Moyers as “one of the most important memoirs of the spirit I have ever read.” Wakefield created the NBC prime time series *James at 15*, and wrote the screenplay for *Going All the Way*, starring Ben Affleck. He edited and wrote the introduction for *Kurt Vonnegut Letters *as well as* If This Isn’t Nice, What Is?: Vonnegut’s Advice to the Young. *Visit Wakefield online at www.danwakefield.com and www.vonnegutsoldestlivingfriend.com.