Ethereal

Set primarily in 1983 in rural                                                               

Mississippi, this historical novel is

about a white 17-year old boy, Aeamon

Lee Mistral, and his African-American

friend, Jo-Nathan Markum, who are

brash, daring, and determined. They

grow up together in caring families

without the material symbols of a

class-conscious era. After a summer

of adventure in Memphis and a trip

down the Mississippi River on a riverboat,

their indomitable spirit causes

them to make bold decisions about

their future in an uncertain and

competitive world. They are encouraged

by an equally strong, and mysterious

woman who befriends them. To increase

their life chances, one attempts to make

the football team at the University of

Mississippi, and the other joins the

United States Marine Corps. Dealing

with both triumph and tragedy is their

ongoing challenge.