Two Guys from Verona

Two Guys from Verona follows Will Weiss and Joel Glick, childhood friends from Verona, New Jersey who reunite at their twenty-fifth high school reunion in 1992. The two men have taken drastically different paths since their teenage years in the late 1960s. Will has remained in their hometown working at his father's delicatessen, while Joel has become a successful venture capitalist in Manhattan. Their reunion triggers memories of their shared past and forces both men to examine their life choices and current circumstances. The narrative moves between 1992 and the Vietnam War era, exploring how historical events shaped the trajectory of both characters. Against the backdrop of suburban New Jersey, the story tracks their evolving relationship and individual struggles with family, career, and identity. The novel examines themes of social class in American suburbs, the long shadow of the Vietnam War on a generation, and the complex nature of male friendship. Through Will and Joel's story, Kaplan creates a portrait of how time and circumstance can both connect and divide people who share a common past.

Most readers found "Two Guys from Verona" to be an engaging portrayal of two high school friends whose lives take different paths in suburban New Jersey. Several reviews note its authentic depiction of class differences and small-town life in the 1990s. Readers appreciated: - Complex friendship dynamics - Detailed suburban New Jersey setting - Character development over 20-year span - Social commentary without preaching Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in middle sections - Some found the ending unsatisfying - Secondary characters lack depth Ratings: - Goodreads: 3.6/5 (87 ratings) - Amazon: 3.8/5 (24 ratings) One Amazon reviewer wrote: "Captures perfectly what it was like growing up in New Jersey in the 70s and 80s." A Goodreads reader noted: "The relationship between Will and Joel rings true, but the plot meanders too much in places." The book received minimal online reviews overall, with most discussion focused on its portrayal of class distinctions and suburban life.

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🌟 Though set in suburban New Jersey, the book's title cleverly references Shakespeare's "Two Gentlemen of Verona," drawing parallels between classical and modern tales of friendship. 🌟 Author James Kaplan spent significant time interviewing real high school classmates at their 25th reunion to capture authentic details for the novel's reunion scenes. 🌟 The story spans three decades, from 1968 to 1994, chronicling how the Vietnam War era shaped an entire generation of suburban Americans. 🌟 Kaplan wrote the acclaimed biography "Frank: The Voice" about Frank Sinatra, who, like the book's characters, was also from New Jersey and figured prominently in the state's cultural identity. 🌟 The fictional town of Verona in the novel is loosely based on Kaplan's hometown of Millburn, New Jersey, where he graduated from high school in 1969.