Supurb SF/Fantasy novel of the if-this-goes-on type about age segregation and what has been called "the seven ages of man."

Decades before the story's start a large island or island continent(Australia?)which was formerly divided into parts known as East, West, North and South (contemporary world regionalism?)was redevided into four called Youthstate, Twostate, Midway and Oldstate.

Young couples typically meet in hippy Youthstate, then are migrated to Twostate as children start to arrive and sexual relationships are formalized with marriage. After being reared in nuclear families there the children go off to college in Youthstate and parents to Midway. Finally, grandparents and the single elderly "retire" to isolation in Oldstate until death... From there we have a picqueresque journey from state to state, picking up a few more individuals from each one, in an attempt to reconnect the peoples of the states as individuals and at the same time deal with social disruptions and threats this process creates.

Obviously this is not a typical action novel, more a novel of character if anything, yet there is enough action and character individuality to make it a reasonably good read, unlike so much utopinan fiction of both past and present.

it is a good book that has an interesting adventure. two boys run away from home and go up to the top of great mountain. at the top there is a old man, which they think is a creature, that helps the boys realize more about life. the man sends them down the wrong side of the mountain into what they call "old state", thats where all the old people live. the boys see and learn things that they never imagined. the boys do make it home but not before the mountain is put into its original state. hope you enjoy the book as much as i did. s/a : f/17

This novel is a soothing and comforting story of farm family in Maine. The main character is Jen Shaw, a young woman lving with her family in a small community during the 1920's, I think.

This book is the Waltons meet Ethan Frome, depicting a year in the life of a family that more and more face the modern world of air planes, college educations, and city life.

The characaters are sympathetic, strong and human. The chronicle of farm living's chores, rituals, and tasks are fascinating.

This is one of my favorite books. I have re-read it many times and always find something new to admire about it. Mrs. Carroll knows this life and it shows-her characters really live on the page. Jen Shaw and especially her father Mark are beautifully drawn. Mark may seem almost emotionless, but one comes to understand that he loves his children and farm too deeply to express by mere words. This is a way of life that may no longer exist, but I'm so glad that it was chronicled. Mrs. Carroll was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for "ATET" but lost to Pearl Buck's "The Good Earth". Her books are all written from her heart about the Maine she knew so well, and are worth checking out if you can find them. Youll be glad you did.

I have read this book as part of a seminar being conducted by the Maine Humanities Council and Margaret Chase Smith Library. We will discuss the book at our April 1999 meeting. What a delight to read about people during the time of the early 20s, and people who still exist in parts of Maine today. Some things never change, thank God . Most Maine-iacs can relate to the life of the Shaw family and no doubt can link to people in a certain place. I understand that the book was made into a movie by Warner Bros. in 1934. I wonder if it is available in a video?