The Broken World

About the Book

The Broken World is the story of twelve-year-old Byrd Keane, growing up in rural New Mexico in the 1960s. Society is everywhere in crisis as his own family is torn apart by mental illness and the Vietnam War. From the last of the old outlaws to hippies in psychedelic school buses, from Hispanic rebellion to apocalyptic physicists who embrace the bomb, everyone is in confl ict; and the world around him is literally on the verge of burning down. Through it all, Byrd must not only survive but also fi nd his way toward a lasting freedom.

About the Author

Brent Hightower grew up in Placitas, New Mexico, in the 1960s, in a family of scientists and teachers. His extended family was deeply divided by the Vietnam War and steeped in the destructive legacy of the Irish diaspora. The spiritual, intellectual, and psychological chaos of his upbringing and a painstaking effort of reconstruction have defined his life. He lives with his wife, Lauren, and daughter, Maeve, in Hawaii.