Five Summers - Robert Shinfield

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Résumé :

Craig, Shane and Snide come from very different backgrounds but have one thing in common - they are all misfits. Drawn together by a mutual bond of exclusion, the boys form an unholy partnership known simply as 'Craig's Gang.' Five Summers follows the fortunes of the three boys as they plunder their way through their teenage years in the vague hope of one day emerging as fully fledged adults.

1976 - With a disused air raid shelter acting as their den, the boys friendship is unshakable. That is until Viktor turns up. The appearance of this Polish vagrant with a story to tell sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to tear the gang apart.

1977 - When Craig embraces the emerging punk rock scene, he decides to form his own band with Shane and Snide. Mocked by a group of girls who hear them rehearsing, Craig decides that his bandmates need to attend a real punk rock gig to 'learn how to play.' To fund this, the boys start up a car wash round, but find that running your own business is not as simple as they at first thought.

1978 - The boys have finally discovered girls and with a series of house parties coming up, they all fancy their chances. Shane, boosted by the income from his Saturday job, goes for suave and sophisticated. Craig tries the more direct approach, whilst Snide keeps his fingers crossed and hopes that he might just get lucky.

1979 - When Snide's dad walks out, Mum arranges a caravanning holiday for the three boys to soften the blow. However, it soon becomes apparent that Craig's drinking is getting out of hand. And despite everyone's best efforts to keep him on the straight and narrow, he goes one step too far - with dramatic (and unexpected) consequences.

1980 - It's exam time and with the boys about to leave school, everything in their lives looks set to change. However, as Snide finally gets himself a girlfriend, Shane is still intent on the boys 'doing stuff together.' With Craig's stepdad insisting he gets a job as soon as exams are over though, what does the future now hold for 'Craig's Gang?'