hausofben 's review for:

Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger

5.0

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When one of your best friends tells you to read a book, you listen. That is how I finally picked up Last Days of Summer after years of my friend telling me I would love it. She was right. I finished it in one sitting. The story is told through letters, telegrams, and newspaper clippings, making it feel like you uncover something personal and real. Set in the 1940s during World War II, it doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of the times; there are references to the Holocaust, Japanese internment camps, and the uncertainty that defined that era. But what stuck with me were the characters. Joey, a brilliant but lonely Jewish kid from Brooklyn, finds a surprising friendship with Charlie, a professional baseball player with a tough exterior but a good heart. Their bond becomes transformative, helping them grow in unexpected ways. It reminds us that sometimes, it’s the people we least expect who shape us the most. This book hit home for me because it mirrors my friendship with my dear friend Hannah, the kind that pushes you, makes you better, and helps you become a version of yourself you couldn’t reach alone.