Summertime Blues

"Summertime Blues" by B. R. Fleming follows the coming-of-age story of Peter Bennings during the '60's as he weaves his way through high school and the sturm und drang of the teenage years. The novel simultaneously traces the “British invasion” and the emergence of the relatively new genre of music, Rock and Roll, and the impact of that music on Peter’s journey of discovery. Peter’s universal appeal, though, rests in his quest for answers to the ubiquitous questions about girls and sex and dating and parental restrictions that no one will help answer: “She told me everything I’d ever want to know about the lake, and I wished that someone would teach me how to talk with girls.” With disappointment and the shattering of his dreams, Peter escapes into music, booze, and sexual adventures. Being a faithful archetype of the coming-of-age story, the question, then, follows, What does Peter learn from this journey? The '60's are sometimes referred to as a "simpler time," but that simplicity rests only in technological terms. As J. D. Salinger infamously created a complex and tragic character in Holden Caulfield, so too does B. R. Fleming create in Peter a complex character searching for himself and for the answers to his life questions. Peter's journey will surely evoke memories for many teens today who can relate to Peter's conflict with the absurdities of dealing with adults. And for those who recall the shift in music during the '60's, Peter's adventures as a musician will revive the music associated with the era.