The Last Reunion

Friendships will be tested when five women come together at a New Year's Eve party after decades apart, in this thrilling story based on a brave group of WWII servicewomen, by the bestselling author of The Silk House Burma, 1945. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy: in search of adventure, attached to the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle. Assigned to run a mobile canteen, they become embroiled in life-threatening battles of their own. Oxford, 1976. A woman steals several rare Japanese netsuke from a museum. Despite the offer of a considerable reward, these tiny, exquisitely detailed carvings are never seen again. London and Galway, 1999. On the eve of the new millennium, Olivia, assistant to an art dealer, and Beatrix, an elderly widow who wishes to sell her late husband's collection of Japanese art, travel to a party deep in the Irish countryside, where secrets kept for more than fifty years are spilled. Inspired by the heroic women who served in the 'forgotten war' in Burma, The Last Reunion is a heartbreaking love story and mystery by the international bestselling author of The Botanist's Daughter and The Silk House. 'This is very good commercial historical fiction, well-crafted and well-informed. It pulls no punches about wartime violence, and Kayte Nunn has some thoughtful points to make about the nature and endurance of women's friendships' Sydney Morning Herald 'Absolutely magnificent. Includes all of my favourite things: art, female friendship and courageous women discovering their true heart and soul against a backdrop of war' NATASHA LESTER 'Evocative writing from the horrors of war and the deep life scars derived from it, melded with real tenderness, a cleverly worked and beguiling plot and memorable characters, render this book as quite simply, a superlative read - and the twist in the tale, perfect' Christopher Bantick, Weekly Times 'Several things are true about Kayte Nunn's novels: you will laugh, you will cry, you will learn something, and you'll be reluctant to leave her characters behind. This is all especially true of The Last Reunion, an uplifting story about the power of love, memory and determination that moves between World War II and the recent past' SOPHIE GREEN 'I couldn't put it down. Fascinating. I love the empowerment that these ladies gain' FIONA PALMER

Murder brings terror to the tiny town of Pine Ridge, Washington. Amy, the murder victim is one of the girls returning for the class reunion. The sheriff realizes, at the scene of the murder, this is a death so hideous, it must be solved quickly for the peace of mind of all the people in his county. He knows his old high school buddy, Dain Barlow, a trained Los Angeles Homicide Detective, returning home for the reunion, is just the person he needs to make sure this crime will come to a successful conclusion, so he enlists his help. The sheriff, the only Indian boy in the class which is returning for the reunion, suddenly begins to have headaches and black outs. Consulting a doctor he is stunned to discover he has an inoperable brain tumor. He is unaware the savage, Chief Looking Glass, a direct ancestor of long years ago, is taking over during his fugues.

The hilarious and heartwarming new novel from the author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe Wisconsin, 1941 – With all the men off to war, Fritzi and her sisters must learn men’s work and the All-Girl Filling Station is born, complete with neat little caps, short skirts, and roller-skates. Their peace doesn’t last long though: skilled women are needed to fly planes for the war effort... Alabama, 2005 – Mrs Sookie Earle has just married off the last of her daughters and is looking forward to putting her feet up. But then one day a package arrives. Its contents knock Sookie sideways, propelling her back to the 1940s, and four irrepressible sisters whose wartime adventures force them to reimagine who they are, and what they are capable of. ‘Flagg is a writer of great warmth and wisdom... A richly imagined family saga’ The Times ‘Wonderful... A warm, funny riff on family and identity' Daily Mail

Some members of the Oak Ridge High Class of 1952 share their stories and memories of growing up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and also share some "whatever happened to" stories.

Unlock the more straightforward side of Reunion with this concise and insightful summary and analysis! This engaging summary presents an analysis of Reunion by Fred Uhlman, which begins its story in pre-war Germany and developing against the background of Hitler’s rise to power. It tells the story of two teenagers, Hans and Conrad, whose profound friendship is pulled apart by the Nazi regime and its toxic ideas. The heartbreaking novella explores the nature of friendship and the humanity in the face of atrocity. It is Uhlman's most famous work, earning him critical acclaim thanks to its realistic portrayal of a childhood living under Hitler's regime. Find out everything you need to know about Reunion in a fraction of the time! This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you: • A complete plot summary • Character studies • Key themes and symbols • Questions for further reflection Why choose BrightSummaries.com? Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you in your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time. See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!

Twenty years after their college graduation, four Radcliffe girls return to their Harvard class reunion with mixed emotions and curiosity. It is the first time they have met since their hopeful student years, when each of them had wonderful dreams of becoming wives, mothers, and successful career women. But much has changed since the fifties, and the former classmates’ lives have been altered by events none of them could have foreseen. Humorous, heartwarming, often poignant and nostalgic, Class Reunion captures the spirit of the fifties brilliantly in contrast to the changing world the four girls have embraced, often with straightforward and pithy commentary on the social conventions of the past.

How do three sisters write a single suicide note? This is the riddle the Alter sisters--Lady, Vee and Delph--pose at the outset of this darkly funny novel as they finalize their plans to collectively end their lives on New Year’s Eve, 1999. Their reasons are not theirs alone, and they prove that the sins of the father are indeed visited upon the children, even to the third and fourth generations. The Jewish Alter family has been haunted by suicide ever since the sisters’ great-grandfather, the Nobel Prize–winning chemist Lenz Alter, developed the first poison gas used in warfare and also the lethal agent used in the gas chambers of the Third Reich. Lenz and his wife, Iris, their son Richard and his children, Rose, Violet and Dahlie, all took their own lives. Now Dahlie’s children are the only ones remaining. Lady, Vee and Delph love one another fiercely and protect one another from the shadows of the past through a shared sense of dark, deeply brilliant humour. As they gather in the Upper West Side apartment in which they were raised to close the circle of the Alter curse, an epic and achingly human tale--inspired in part by the true story of Fritz Haber, Nobel Prize winner and inventor of mustard gas--unfolds. Part wry memoir, part unflinching eulogy for those who have gone before, this is an intensely personal but profound commentary on the events of the 20th century. As one of the characters remarks, “Too bad Lenz Alter didn’t invent Prozac instead of chlorine gas; that probably would have saved them all.” Judith Claire Mitchell’s epic narrative captures three unforgettable characters--and their haunted family--within one brutally witty, achingly human voice.

Burma, 1945. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy: in search of adventure, attached to the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle. Assigned to run a mobile canteen, navigating treacherous roads and dodging hostile gunfire, they become embroiled in life-threatening battles of their own. Oxford, 1976. A woman slips into a museum and steals several rare Japanese netsuke, including the famed fox-girl. Despite the offer of a considerable reward, these tiny, exquisitely detailed carvings are never seen again.London and Galway, 1999. On the eve of the new millennium, Olivia, assistant to an art dealer, meets Beatrix, an elderly widow who wishes to sell her late husband's collection of Japanese art. Olivia travels with Beatrix to a New Year's Eve party, deep in the Irish countryside, where friendships will be tested as secrets kept for more than fifty years are spilled.Inspired by the heroic women who served in the 'forgotten war' in Burma, The Last Reunion is a heartbreaking love story and mystery by the international bestselling author of The Botanist's Daughter and The Silk House.'This is very good commercial historical fiction, well-crafted and well-informed. It pulls no punches about wartime violence, and Kayte Nunn has some thoughtful points to make about the nature and endurance of women's friendships' Sydney Morning Herald'I couldn't put it down. Fascinating. I love the empowerment that these ladies gain' FIONA PALMER'Absolutely magnificent. Includes all of my favourite things: art, female friendship and courageous women discovering their true heart and soul against a backdrop of war' NATASHA LESTER'Evocative writing from the horrors of war and the deep life scars derived from it, melded with real tenderness, a cleverly worked and beguiling plot and memorable characters, render this book as quite simply, a superlative read - and the twist in the tale, perfect' Christopher Bantick, Weekly Times'Several things are true about Kayte Nunn's novels: you will laugh, you will cry, you will learn something, and you'll be reluctant to leave her characters behind. This is all especially true of The Last Reunion, an uplifting story about the power of love, memory and determination that moves between World War II and the recent past.' SOPHIE GREEN