It’s 1968. War is raging in Vietnam, and American culture is changing at lightning speed. As a college freshman, Becky Norris is swept up by the anti-war movement, not to mention by her love affair with a young radical. Her sister, Susan, a sorority girl, takes a different tack, determined to hold on to the familiar. Back at home, their parents are bewildered and, at times, infuriated by the newly emerging culture. Relationships shift and strain as each family member rides the turbulent tides of change.
This novel is comprised of a series of stories, each told from a particular family member’s point of view. Together they create a portrait of white, middle-class life in the United States half a century ago. With humor and insight, “On the Carousel of Time” explores the interplay between cultural and individual transformation, the power of reconciliation, and the enduring nature of family love.