When We Were Young
- ISBN-10
- 1598587579
- ISBN-13
- 9781598587579
- Series
- When We Were Young
- Pages
- 176
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2008-10
- Publisher
- Dog Ear Publishing
- Author
- Jason Jepson
Description
When We Were Young is an intense, and often humorous fictional narrative following the life of Jonah, a young man from a small town in Virginia, who experiences his first taste of freedom in the real world. Told in a first-person narrative, the reader is allowed access to all of Jonah's thoughts and feelings. The work begins with Jonah in high school, shortly after the Columbine massacre. Because of the way he looks-shaved head, nontraditional-type clothing-Jonah is worried about being labeled as a troublemaker and being suspended from school. After the massacre, Jonah somehow feels more comfortable because, in this tense environment, everyone is suddenly being listened to, even those who look or act differently. Although the book opens when the main character is in his last year of high school, he is just beginning to "find" himself. Similar to Kerouac's On The Road, the reader follows the character through high school graduation, a trip to New York City, the summer between high school and college, and into the first semester of college and beyond. Jonah, and the reader as well, experience love and loss, long drunken nights, success and failure. When Jonah's friends move on-to college, marriage, kids, etc.-the reader wonders if Jonah ever will. When We Were Youngeffectively captures the emotions of a character who feels stifled by his surroundings in a small, conservative, southern town. When We Were Young takes the reader on a journey unique to Jonah, but a rite experienced by all generations. Jason Jepson was born in Charleston, West Virginia, in 1980. He moved to Roanoke Virginia, where he spent most of his growing-up years in a "Leave it to Beaver" home-two parents and one annoying but loyal older brother. After high school, Jepson attended college before joining the United States Army. He was trained at Fort Knox as a cavalry scout-19 Delta. He received an honorable discharge from the military in 2004. Jepson has always enjoyed writing and has kept a journal going since the seventh grade. These journals have been the inspiration for much of his writing. Jepson also enjoys writing poetry and short stories. A couple of his poems have been published in literary magazines. His poem entitled "Nephew" was written about his nephew, Reid. Jepson currently lives in Richmond Virginia with his cat, Malcolm Cat, named after Malcolm X. Most of the events in When We Were Youngare fictionalized experiences from the author's life.
Get the book
Other editions
Similar books
-
When We Were Young: A Novel
By Karen KingsburyRyan looked shocked. “I can't believe it. Why didn't they tell us sooner?” “I guess they didn't know what to say.” Kari lifted her eyes to the night sky. “What would that be like, documenting every moment and outing, every emotion and ...
-
We Heard It When We Were Young
By Chuy RenteriaBut Chuy Renteria and his friends grew up in the space between these news stories, where a more complicated West Liberty awaits.
-
When We Were Young
By Jaclyn GoldisThree generations of women come together in this page-turning debut full of family secrets, heart-wrenching drama, and the promise of second chances.
-
When We Were Young: New Perspectives on the Art of the Child
By Jonathan Fineberg"Jonathan Fineberg captures in words the reality, delight, and imagination of children's art. He is a visionary, as are so many of the artists he cites in this important book."—Agnes Gund, President Emerita, Museum of Modern Art
-
When We Were Young and Unafraid
By Sarah TreemTHE STORY: In the early 1970s, before Roe v.
-
When We Were Young & Brave: A Novel
By Hazel GaynorInspired by true events, When We Were Young and Brave is an unforgettable novel about impossible choices and unimaginable hardship, and the life-changing bonds formed between a young girl and her teacher in a remote corner of a terrible war ...
-
Something to Live for
By Richard RoperPreviously published as How Not to Die Alone Smart, darkly funny, and life-affirming, for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, Something to Live For is the bighearted debut novel we all need, a story about love, loneliness, and the ...
-
Poems from When We Were Very Young
By A. A. MilneA contemporary master of the nursery tale brings her unique imagination to a beloved classic.
-
When We Were Young: Two Centuries of Children's Book Illustration
By William FeaverWhen We Were Young: Two Centuries of Children's Book Illustration
-
When We Were Alone
By David A. RobertsonWhen We Were Alone won the 2017 Governor General's Literary Award in the Young People's Literature (Illustrated Books) category, and was nominated for the TD Canadian's Children's Literature Award.