Autobiography of us

About this book

Rebecca and her beautiful, reckless friend Alex dream of lives beyond their mothers' narrow expectations. Their struggle to define themselves against the backdrop of an American cultural revolution unites them, until one sweltering summer evening, when a single act of betrayal changes everything. In the patrician neighborhood of Pasadena, California, appearance is everything--the gardens are pristine, the wide avenues sun drenched and tree lined, the community stuck stubbornly in the past. But when the beautiful, outspoken Alex Carrington walks into Rebecca Madden's homeroom in 1958, a powerful friendship begins to shift the course of both girls' lives. Together, they dream of escaping the confines of their world and discovering a life beyond their mothers' narrow expectations. In each other's company, a new vision of the future takes root. Summer 1965. The Vietnam War. Civil rights. Women's liberation. Even Pasadena has begun to feel the effects of the revolution sweeping the country. At college, the girls' relationship undergoes a similar strain: Alex, determined to build a career as an actress, veers into dangerous territory, while studious Rebecca retreats to her textbooks and the solace of a secret all her own> And then one sweltering summer evening, a single act of betrayal claims the two things that mean the most to Rebecca: Alex's friendship and her own grand plans. Years later--after marrying and moving across the country--Rebecca is unable to shake the memory of her old friend. When a chance encounter brings the two women together again, it becomes clear just how intricately their lives are entwined.