▁class ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁are ▁gathered , ▁one ▁year ▁behind ▁schedule , ▁for ▁their ▁ 3 0 th ▁re union . ▁F oc using ▁on ▁a ▁dozen ▁characters ▁and ▁life ' s ▁p iv otal ▁moments ▁rather ▁than ▁on ▁a ▁linear ▁plot , ▁O ' B rien ▁follows ▁the ▁ensemble ▁cast ▁( which ▁includes ▁a ▁Vietnam ▁v et , ▁a ▁draft ▁dod ger , ▁a ▁minister , ▁a ▁big am ous ▁house w ife ▁and ▁a ▁manufact urer ▁of ▁m ops ) ▁for ▁whom ▁" the ▁world ▁had ▁wh itt led ▁itself ▁down ▁to ▁now ▁or ▁never ," ▁as ▁they ▁drink , ▁fl irt ▁and ▁rem in isce . ▁Inter sp ers ed ▁are ▁tales ▁of ▁other ▁moments ▁when ▁each ▁character ▁experienced ▁something ▁that ▁changed ▁him ▁or ▁her ▁forever . ▁J ump ing ▁across ▁dec ades , ▁O ' B rien ▁reve als ▁past ▁lov es ▁and ▁old ▁bet ray als ▁that ▁still ▁ha unt : ▁Dor othy ▁failed ▁to ▁follow ▁Billy ▁to ▁Canada ; ▁Spo ok ▁ham mer ed ▁out ▁a ▁" double ▁marriage "; ▁Ell ie ▁saw ▁her ▁lo ver ▁d rown ; ▁P au lette , ▁in ▁a ▁moment ▁of ▁des per ation , ▁dis g rac ed ▁herself ▁and ▁ru ined ▁her ▁career . ▁Com edy ▁and ▁path os ▁define ▁the ▁re union ▁days , ▁while ▁the ▁histor ies ▁often ▁dev ast ate . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁Tim ▁O ' B rien , ▁Author ▁ ▁Category : Nov els ▁by ▁Tim ▁O ' B