After Woodstock a Poignant Exploration of Friendship and Divergence

Those who came of age in the ’60s and ’70s and those still wrestling with the materialism of modern life will find comfort and kindred spirits in this new book.

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, April 7, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In the swirling haze of the 1969 Woodstock music festival, Howard Reiss and his best friend joined the throng of half a million pot-smoking, music-loving, tie-dye-wearing young people in what would come to be known as the defining emblem of the counterculture generation.

Those three days and one enduring friendship also served as the inspiration for Reiss’ latest book, After Woodstock, a fictional account in which Reiss explores how two individuals, though set on different courses, manage to maintain a bond rooted in their shared history.

Best friends since they met in preschool at age 2, Jack and Bryan matured into high schoolers with big plans. Jack talked about getting his doctorate in math and computer technology and creating the first android robot. Bryan dreamed about becoming a big-time lawyer with a penthouse in the city and a house in the Hamptons.

The summer of 1969 was momentous, with the culmination of Jack and Bryan’s high school graduation set against pivotal events such as the Stonewall Riots in New York City, man’s first step on the moon, the Chappaquiddick incident and the Manson family murders, all under the grim shadow of the Vietnam War. Amid this tumultuous backdrop, the opportunity to escape to a three-day concert in the Catskills was irresistible to Jack and Bryan.

But those three days of peace, love and music marked a turning point, particularly for Jack. His trajectory took a drastic turn post-Woodstock, diverging significantly from the path he had once envisioned. After Woodstock meticulously traces the unfolding of Jack's and Bryan's lives — told through letters they exchanged — as they navigated their friendship over the next 50 years.

Through After Woodstock, Reiss captures not only the spirit of an era but also the essence of enduring friendship. His story is a poignant reminder that while life's paths may diverge, the ties that bind true friends can transcend even the most profound differences.

About the Author
Howard Reiss graduated from high school in 1969 — just a few months prior to Woodstock. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Columbia Law School, Reiss co-founded a soup kitchen in Nyack, New York, and is an award-winning author with 13 other novels. For more information, please visit www.howardreiss.com, or connect with the author on X (@HoRoRe), Instagram (howardreiss) and LinkedIn (howard-reiss-a37b1510/).

After Woodstock
Publisher: Krance Publishing
ISBN-13: ‎ 979-8986428444
Available from https://www.amazon.com/After-Woodstock-Howard-Reiss/dp/B0DJF8F646

Trish Stevens
Ascot Media Group, Inc.
+1 832-334-2733
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