Philippe Besson

In the summer of 1985, on a scruffy resort island off the coast of France, six teenagers-five boys and one girl-band together for a final golden season before adulthood. Their days are drenched in sun and freedom, and their nights simmer with secrets, jealousy, and longing. Philippe is drawn to Nicolas, the quiet new boy who sees him in a way that no one else does. As their bond deepens, part of Nicolas remains unreachable-until a sudden tragedy brings their summer to a brutal end.

The Summer Boy is a lush and unforgettable autobiographical tale, capturing the ineffable summers of youth in amber. Celebrated novelist Philippe Besson has shaped his memories into an aching meditation on how one summer night-and one fierce connection-can echo across a lifetime.

The Summer Boy

Un soir d‘été

Linus Rogge

I don’t know how to speak to children. I always feel awkward around them. 

The three of us are together. A little bored, sure, but together. 

And now that it’s here, I can say: yes, it is good. It was worth dreaming about. 

I also felt like I was responsible for the souls in the car. 

I wonder why I’m feeling so nostalgic suddenly. Maybe I have a sixth sense that this blissful equilibrium is under threat. 

Ever since then, I have sought out balmy summer evenings—there is nothing like them to soothe the soul. 

The Summer Boy quotes

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