The Gunners

(Paperback, Main)

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Description

What's the point in friends, if you can't share your secrets

The Gunners used to be inseparable. A gang of latchkey kids, they took their name from the doorbell of the abandoned house they played in as children - and drank in as teenagers. Together they navigated the difficult journey from childhood to adolescence and learnt their first vital lessons about becoming adults; Mikey, Sam, Lynn, Alice, Jimmy and Sally are more like a family than just friends.

One day, Sally suddenly stopped speaking to them and wouldn't explain why. Years later, Sally's suicide forces the Gunners back together for her funeral. All of them have secrets they are reluctant to share, secrets which mean they must reassess their happy memories and finally be honest about the reasons Sally left.

This is a generous and poignant novel about the difficulty - and the joy - of being a true friend.

Reviews

Insightful and endearing, this is a lovely look at friendship and human fragility. * Psychologies *
Compassionate and unexpectedly funny * Elle *
Kauffman so convincingly renders the affection between them that you accept each character's foibles as readily as they do one another's ... There's so much generosity and spirit and humour * The New York Times *
Beautifully wrought ... Engrossing ... Kauffman is interested in the muddiness of love-how it can be selfish and desperate, even cruel * Oprah magazine *
I recommend you read every single thing Rebecca Kauffman writesstart with this beautiful novel, and start now -- Julie Buntin, author of Marlena
Perceptive, funny, and endearing ... Reminiscent of The Big Chill and St. Elmo's Fire, this remarkable novel is just as satisfying * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *
Praise for Another Place You've Never Been: "Kauffman's compassion for her lonely characters is evident..." * Kirkus Review *
Praise for Another Place You've Never Been: "A fascinating portrait of a modern, tragic heroine, and a lens into our own darkest, most hopeful places." * Fiction Advocate *
Praise for Another Place You've Never Been: "An accomplished debut - at times emotionally gritty but always emotionally true." * Library Journal starred review *

Author Bio

Rebecca Kauffman is originally from rural northeastern Ohio. She studied Classical Violin Performance at the Manhattan School of Music before receiving an MFA in Creative Writing from NYU. Her novel Another Place You've Never Been is published by Soft Skull Press. Rebecca has worked both in restaurants and as a teacher. She currently lives in Virginia.