Hearts in Atlantis

Synopsis

The classic collection of five deeply resonant, interconnected stories from No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author Stephen King, now with a new cover look.

'Although it's difficult to believe, the sixties are not fictional; they actually happened' (Author's Afterword)

Stephen King, whose first novel, Carrie, was published in 1974, the year before the last US troops withdrew from Vietnam, is the first hugely popular writer of the TV generation. Images from that war - and the protests against it - had flooded America's living rooms for a decade.

Hearts in Atlantis is composed of five linked stories set in the years from 1960 to 1999. Each story is deeply rooted in the sixties, and each is haunted by the Vietnam War.

Full of danger, full of suspense, most of all full of heart, Hearts in Atlantis will take some readers to a place they have never been...and others to a place they have never been able to completely leave.

Summary

Chapter 1: Low Men in Yellow Coats

* Summary: Bobby Garfield, a teenager living in Connecticut in 1960, encounters a mysterious organization known as the Low Men in Yellow Coats. They kidnap his neighbor, Ted Brautigan, and Bobby witnesses their sinister presence.
* Real-Life Example: The KKK or other extremist organizations that target individuals based on race, religion, or other beliefs.

Chapter 2: Hearts in Atlantis

* Summary: Bobby befriends John Sullivan, a middle-aged man who becomes his mentor. Sullivan is revealed to possess extraordinary abilities and is targeted by the Low Men.
* Real-Life Example: A teacher or mentor who provides guidance and support to a young person facing challenges.

Chapter 3: Blind Willie

* Summary: Bobby witnesses a concert by Blind Willie, a legendary blues singer who appears to have a connection to the Low Men.
* Real-Life Example: The power of music to connect people and evoke emotions, even in the face of adversity.

Chapter 4: City of Ice

* Summary: Bobby travels to New York City with Sullivan, where they are pursued by the Low Men. Bobby discovers that Sullivan is a psychic and that the organization is attempting to control his abilities.
* Real-Life Example: Government or corporate efforts to suppress or manipulate individuals with unconventional powers.

Chapter 5: The Phone Company

* Summary: Bobby learns more about the Low Men's operation and their connection to the Vietnam War. Sullivan's powers are tested, and Bobby witnesses the extent of his mentor's abilities.
* Real-Life Example: The influence of powerful organizations on government and society, and the sacrifices made by individuals to resist their control.

Chapter 6: Why We Fight

* Summary: Sullivan reveals his true nature and purpose. Bobby's world is shattered as he confronts the complexities of good and evil.
* Real-Life Example: The moral dilemmas faced by individuals caught between opposing forces or ideologies.

Chapter 7: Atlantis

* Summary: Bobby confronts the Low Men directly and discovers the true meaning of hearts in Atlantis. The past, present, and future collide as the boy is forced to make a choice that will determine his destiny.
* Real-Life Example: The transformative power of facing adversity and making choices that shape our lives.