What do you think?
Rate this book
All Summer Long
At their 25th high school reunion, three old friends come up with the idea to hit the road for one more mellow, footloose summer in the sun. And so Ben, a divorced TV journalist, Ronnie, a high-powered CEO, and Michael, a high school English teacher, take leave of their families and jobs for a cross-country road trip to remember. Along the way, they see baseball games, state fairs, Elvis's Las Vegas hotel suite, and a convention of dental hygienists, and not only experience all of America in full bloom, but discover new truths about themselves. All Summer Long is a wise, funny, touching story you'll slurp down like a cold milkshake from the drive-in.
- GenresFiction
448 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1993
3 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Bob Greene
41 books52 followersRobert Bernard Greene, Jr., who writes as Bob Greene, is a journalist.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 5, 2024
This is the seventh or eighth time I've read this book. It's testament to how good it is. I basically read a novel once and move on. Bob Greene's stuff is so perfect that it's like reading it for the first time every time.
Here's the review I wrote from the last time I read it three years ago.
All Summer Long is one of the most beautifully written novels I've read in a long, long while. I offer it as my favorite work of fiction I've ever read, but I may be biased. I've been in news for more than three decades and I've been a huge Bob Greene fan ever since reading his columns in American Beat back in the early 1980s.
The premise of this one is simple: Three friends meet at their 25th high school reunion and decide to spend the summer together in one last grasp at youthfulness and immortality. They drive or fly around the country, almost aimless, yet they discover a lot about themselves and the true meaning of friendship.
Readers can relate with parts of each of the characters. There's Ronnie, the goofball who through marriage became a CEO of a Cleveland steel company and makes millions. Michael is an English teacher at the Ohio high school the three graduated from and is struggling financially on his teacher's salary. And there's Ben, the network television reporter who because of the wanderlust ways of his job is divorced and aware of his misgivings.
The three take off from Bristol, Ohio, which is a veiled reference to Bob's home town of Bexley, Ohio. They go to Chicago to see a Cubs' game and then onward. Michael meets his high school sweetheart in Kansas City. Ronnie makes friends with a dental hygienist in Atlanta who stays with them for part of the trip. Ronnie's dad becomes ill and the three scurry off to Florida to be with him in the hospital and Ben meets a graduate student summering there.
The insight provided by Ben, whom is the story's point of view, is priceless. There is a lot of analysis of life, of the way things used to be, of personalities and the meaning of friends. It truly is an amazing book.
Those who have read Bob's columns and other books over the years will obviously see that this book is semi-autobiographical. Many of Ben's ventures replicate those that Bob's written of over the years. I noticed a few things: When Michael meets his high school girlfriend, he talks about seeing her married name on a magazine subscription label. Bob wrote about meeting his old high school sweetie in a column years ago and noted the same thing.
When Ben writes about meeting Michael for the first time in kindergarten, it's when his nose begins bleeding. Michael tells the teacher, "Ben's hurt," and gets help. The same thing happened when Bob met his best friend, whom he writes about in And You Know You Should Be Glad. His friend sees Bob having a nosebleed in kindergarten and summons the teacher with, "Bob's hurt."
The book is long. My paperback copy is 437 pages. But it reads well. This last time was the fifth or sixth I've read it and each time I've enjoyed it tremendously. It's moving, it's insightful, it's well-written.
Like the summer itself, I found I was not looking forward to coming to the book ending when I came to that last page.
New stuff in 2024: I still correspond with Bob. He sent me an email on Memorial Day wishing me a happy summer and said he may read his All Summer Long. I thought it was a great idea as a way to kick off summer so I grabbed my copy (I own three: paperback, softback and hardback) and dove into it. As usual, I hate finishing this book. It's a journey I'd like to stay on. One of the problems with reading this book is when it's over, it's hard to find another book to read that compares. Each time I read it, I am impressed with various issues. This time, I was intrigued by a minor remembrance of "Ben" talking about a Bob Dylan album with a friend back in 1964. He wrote that it wasn't much of a conversation back then, but took on a significance later when reflecting back 30 years. I'm finding that in life as well. There's so much in here that we can relate to and enjoy.
Here's the review I wrote from the last time I read it three years ago.
All Summer Long is one of the most beautifully written novels I've read in a long, long while. I offer it as my favorite work of fiction I've ever read, but I may be biased. I've been in news for more than three decades and I've been a huge Bob Greene fan ever since reading his columns in American Beat back in the early 1980s.
The premise of this one is simple: Three friends meet at their 25th high school reunion and decide to spend the summer together in one last grasp at youthfulness and immortality. They drive or fly around the country, almost aimless, yet they discover a lot about themselves and the true meaning of friendship.
Readers can relate with parts of each of the characters. There's Ronnie, the goofball who through marriage became a CEO of a Cleveland steel company and makes millions. Michael is an English teacher at the Ohio high school the three graduated from and is struggling financially on his teacher's salary. And there's Ben, the network television reporter who because of the wanderlust ways of his job is divorced and aware of his misgivings.
The three take off from Bristol, Ohio, which is a veiled reference to Bob's home town of Bexley, Ohio. They go to Chicago to see a Cubs' game and then onward. Michael meets his high school sweetheart in Kansas City. Ronnie makes friends with a dental hygienist in Atlanta who stays with them for part of the trip. Ronnie's dad becomes ill and the three scurry off to Florida to be with him in the hospital and Ben meets a graduate student summering there.
The insight provided by Ben, whom is the story's point of view, is priceless. There is a lot of analysis of life, of the way things used to be, of personalities and the meaning of friends. It truly is an amazing book.
Those who have read Bob's columns and other books over the years will obviously see that this book is semi-autobiographical. Many of Ben's ventures replicate those that Bob's written of over the years. I noticed a few things: When Michael meets his high school girlfriend, he talks about seeing her married name on a magazine subscription label. Bob wrote about meeting his old high school sweetie in a column years ago and noted the same thing.
When Ben writes about meeting Michael for the first time in kindergarten, it's when his nose begins bleeding. Michael tells the teacher, "Ben's hurt," and gets help. The same thing happened when Bob met his best friend, whom he writes about in And You Know You Should Be Glad. His friend sees Bob having a nosebleed in kindergarten and summons the teacher with, "Bob's hurt."
The book is long. My paperback copy is 437 pages. But it reads well. This last time was the fifth or sixth I've read it and each time I've enjoyed it tremendously. It's moving, it's insightful, it's well-written.
Like the summer itself, I found I was not looking forward to coming to the book ending when I came to that last page.
New stuff in 2024: I still correspond with Bob. He sent me an email on Memorial Day wishing me a happy summer and said he may read his All Summer Long. I thought it was a great idea as a way to kick off summer so I grabbed my copy (I own three: paperback, softback and hardback) and dove into it. As usual, I hate finishing this book. It's a journey I'd like to stay on. One of the problems with reading this book is when it's over, it's hard to find another book to read that compares. Each time I read it, I am impressed with various issues. This time, I was intrigued by a minor remembrance of "Ben" talking about a Bob Dylan album with a friend back in 1964. He wrote that it wasn't much of a conversation back then, but took on a significance later when reflecting back 30 years. I'm finding that in life as well. There's so much in here that we can relate to and enjoy.
September 17, 2021
I've loved Greene's nonfiction, but this novel was a slog. It should have been half as long. One of the three main characters is insufferable. After about the millionth long childhood memory, I was like, yes, I get it, I see what you're doing. There are a few things I enjoyed. The Litany of Adult Experiences is absolutely relatable. But it could have easily been a novella. Disappointing.
September 3, 2023
I recently shared a list of my favorite adult fiction and non-fiction books with two friends. In reading down through the list of titles, this one stood out as one that might not be appropriate to their tastes. It's no longer available in my library system so I ordered a used copy and reread it. I was right - Jennifer, scratch this one off the your list! Katie, I doubt you'd enjoy it as much as I do.
I originally read this novel over 30 years ago. I can see why it particularly appealed to me - it's my era. The three fictional friends who take a summer-long road trip graduated from high school in 1965, two years before I did. The music, the cultural and historical references are familiar to me. It made me wish that I had friends from that time of my life, women who had known me when I was young and thin.
I looked up Bob Greene to see what he's been doing over the years and read a few reviews of his writing. He's been criticized as being overly sentimental, and I thought, that figures - I like that in a story!
I originally read this novel over 30 years ago. I can see why it particularly appealed to me - it's my era. The three fictional friends who take a summer-long road trip graduated from high school in 1965, two years before I did. The music, the cultural and historical references are familiar to me. It made me wish that I had friends from that time of my life, women who had known me when I was young and thin.
I looked up Bob Greene to see what he's been doing over the years and read a few reviews of his writing. He's been criticized as being overly sentimental, and I thought, that figures - I like that in a story!
July 14, 2009
Maybe you needed to have been raised in the MidWest---or maybe you just need to imagine. Bob Greene, Jr., has written so many wonderful books. "Duty"--the man who won the war--about Paul Tibbetts who was the pilot of the Enola Gay which dropped the bomb on Hiroshima---a wonderful story. Or some of Greene's fiction--right now, I am reading All Summer Long, and keeping Brent awake as I laugh outloud at this novel. Bob is 4 yrs younger than me, and 6 yrs younger than Brent--so close---and all raised in the Midwest---------it's a wonderful story!
May 30, 2025
This is a nostalgic rating. This has been a weird comfort read for me since the 90s. Is it actually a 5 star book? Probably not. But it makes me feel happy.
February 4, 2021
Bob Greene's book "Cheeseburgers" was a paperback that I remembered was entertaining and it was back in the time when the Chicago Tribune's columnist was the media darling contributing to "American Beat" in Esquire, was syndicated in hundreds of papers, on Oprah and talkshows constantly, on ABC News Nightline doing his human interest pieces of Americana at large. At the top of is game, he was also writing books that became best-sellers with a commercial knack for mining quirky off-the-beaten path newsy bits that were funny and tugged nostalgically at one's heart strings. His career that quickly marked itself as a "brand"--think Norman Rockwell--he'd refer to popular, identifiable celebrities like himself even as achieving "logo status." It started with his unassuming, likeable, Midwestern roots as an Ohioan from a small town where as yearbook editor, no kidding, his instinct for plainspoken journalism took him to Northwestern in Chicago where he started after graduation with the Sun-Times, quickly earning wunderkind status, then snatched up as a conspicuous budding young prospect by the Trib. His notariety got him lots of talktime on Chicago radio, upping his game with facetime on TV super-station WGN. So when I found a copy of "All Summer Long" (1993) at the used bookstore, knowing what I knew, I thought why not? a tangibly entertaining read that would be a serendipitous trip across country of three high school hometown buddies in their 40s; midlife-crisis-inspired "boomer cruising" grabbing what anecdotal thrills they could on the fly and that I could relate to down memory lane. That, in a nutshell, is it. Not literature, per se, but an autobiographical fiction of Greene who narrates the journey in diary fashion as Ben Kroeger (dumb, a grocery store?) and the "way-back machine" --if youre of an age like myself and the characters who watched the cartoon--is essentially a glimpse of a more-innocent childhood, jumbled together existentially with the conundra of what it means to becoming an adult; what they kiddingly make a running joke of called the "Legacy of Adult Experience." Toward, the end of their summer journey, and Greene's running commentary, I wondered why the real Greene was no longer heard from, nor visible, nor still enjoying celebrity "logo" appeal of his much-venerated Reader's Digest-type of homespun colloquial journalism. And that's where the book suddenly became meaningful in its prophetic downfall of its high-roller character, Ronnie, who is bankrolling much of the joy-ride as a CEO of a global company started by his wife's father. And then, suddenly, the wealth and stature that he is married into is gone, being fired by the board while he's gone. Ben similarly discovers a rude awakening awaiting his return after Labor Day: a major network reorg (strategy to compete with CNN) and reassignment to Europe's bureau in London. The mid-life rugs being pulled out from under them, coincides with Greene's own as it turns out; a dinner date back in September of 1988, with a teenager who, though in high school and who is of legal consensual age, ends in an act of moral indiscretion by Greene who is in his forties and very married. Flash-forward to a 1 1/2 page email sent anonymously to the Tribune's newsworthy "tips" department in September 2002, some follow-up of due-dilligence, like jumping on a hand-grenade to prevent further damage, reveals substantiated incriminating details about the affair where Greene, himself, gets the FBI involved (it's not blackmail which would've earned sympathy points for him) and it quickly becomes news at the Trib, page one: Bob Greene, with his toupee still spinning around on the top of his head, is out! Once you put facts and fiction together, the book becomes so ironically prophetic, that you really begin to feel sorry for Brother Bob. Obama has been quoted to attributing the humanistic value of empathy that is acquired by reading fiction. So much truth to that. Especially, here, once you get used to being inside Greene's head and intimately glimpsing the world he grew up in. Seems like a genuinely nice guy, and an honorable example of a decent human being who tries to do the right thing. Mostly. It's just that the frailties we all suffer, the indiscretions that we momentarily fall victim to, we should be careful to give benefit of the doubt where due. And to not be so judgemental--even of those perched so impossibly high on our pop-culture pedestals who fall so far. This is a feel-good book. Not a prize-winner. And it's funny, mostly, until you understand it more deeply. Then it shows the truer story. Which is is sad.
July 5, 2017
This work of fiction, published 24 years ago, brought back memories of a shorter summer road trip with two childhood friends over a decade ago.
Though we didn't travel as much mileage or confront life-changing moments as the book's protagonists, it felt as close to home as a novel could, despite the fact the novel's characters grew up in a small mid-western town, while my friends and I are products of a a major urban center.
Greene's writing is captivating, entertaining, warm and funny, as the narrative often detours to childhood memories before the road trip resumes.
Though we didn't travel as much mileage or confront life-changing moments as the book's protagonists, it felt as close to home as a novel could, despite the fact the novel's characters grew up in a small mid-western town, while my friends and I are products of a a major urban center.
Greene's writing is captivating, entertaining, warm and funny, as the narrative often detours to childhood memories before the road trip resumes.
June 10, 2020
This was an easy, enjoyable, nostolgic summer read. At times the book dragged though. Too much detail or stream-of-conscious writing sometimes. (Thus 3 stars instead of 4). I wonder how much of it is autobiographical. The author's reflections on the past and the different experiences that shape the person he has become is quite engaging. It was difficult for me to understand the male-to-male friendship relationship ~ so different than the female-t0-female relationships I have experienced and read about! The ending was satisfying without being "too perfect".
February 25, 2023
This book was a love hate thing for me. It ended with a love, so 4 stars. Parts of it either were dragging or irritating. Sometimes I would think, "you have all Summer to do what ever you want and that's what you did???" 😉
October 31, 2017
I picked this up from my shelf thinking that it was a book I had not read. It turned out to be one that I forgot, and after 60 pages or so I found out why. It's back on the shelf.
September 10, 2025
An easy to read book. I enjoyed their adventures.
June 23, 2008
I've read this one several times and always get a little more out of each reading. The author has the same love of summer that I do and takes you back to youth and sunshine with every page. Even though the main characters are male, he makes them seem so real, you imagine you have already met them.
What adult wouldnt want to run away from jobs and responsibility for the summer--much like we did every summer as kids. These guys make it a reality, and its amazing to ride along with them. Its not all fun and games as adult problems and past troubles are travelling with them.
The author has a way of bringing the reader right into the story. I feel like I've been to 'Bexley' many times thru the books on these 4 guys.
What adult wouldnt want to run away from jobs and responsibility for the summer--much like we did every summer as kids. These guys make it a reality, and its amazing to ride along with them. Its not all fun and games as adult problems and past troubles are travelling with them.
The author has a way of bringing the reader right into the story. I feel like I've been to 'Bexley' many times thru the books on these 4 guys.
July 8, 2008
I had high hopes for this book- I read a lot of "chick" books, so I thought a man's viewpoint would be interesting and informative. It turned out to be rather boring. This book was about twice as long as it needed to be- descriptions went on and on, and there were SO many childhood memories. I felt that not only did I get to know the characters, I got past the honeymoon phase and into boredom. There were a few twists and turns, but none of them completely surprising. I liked some of the phrasing and language- but it was just winding and boring. Kind of like traveling a country road that just meanders along, never really getting anywhere fantastic, but not completely void of niceties either. Not the read I had hoped, but perhaps something that fits the way a man thinks and remembers.
September 7, 2010
I picked this book to read over labor day weekend to reflect on my summer. Incidently, this guy just got back from his high school reunion and was all nostalgic; I wanted to see what similarities there were between boys and girls post reunion. I guess not a lot. I can't imagine traveling three months to nowhere with anybody. And I never did really figure out their reason for going, but of course, they discover who they are and who they really want to be when they get home, so it all works out. I enjoyed the story but didn't gain anything from it.
May 2, 2012
I stumbled upon Bob Greene's All Summer Long a couple of years ago when I read his "Hang Time" book about Michael Jordan. The subject matter of several friends putting everything aside for a Summer and roadtriping around the country has always been appealing to me and this story didn't disappoint. Although this is a fictional account, you really feel as if the author is recanting a journey that he actually took. I found myself really wanting to do something like this someday as well. I highly recommend this book. (originally posted on Amazon.com)
January 12, 2013
A great story of friendship, adventure, looking back and growing up. Three men, who have been friends since high school, embark on a summer long adventure. Leaving behind work and family, the three men visit a variety of locations, find love and companionship, and grapple with the life's realities butting in an ideal summer vacation.
July 31, 2015
Bob Greene is a favorite author of mine, especially BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOl and better, yet DUTY. But ALL SUMMER LONG will appeal to ALL guys between the ages of 40 and 60 years of age. Three best friends from school head out on an all-summer-long "road trip" 25 years after graduation. A great book about life-long friendship told by an expert story teller
March 24, 2010
ok, it was nice...not WOW or i-can't-put-this-down-good, but nice just the same. not necessarily one i would recommend, but as a bob greene fan I'm glad i read it. premise...3 high scholl buds spend an adult summer together.
October 9, 2011
I really liked this author. He is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune. I will read more of him. This book tells the story of three best friends who got together for their 25th High School reunion. They decide to take off for the summer and go on a trip. A nostalgic book.
December 12, 2011
This is a charming novel that could easily be autobiographical in origin.
It starts out being a book that partners old friends and long drives to relive lost summers and turns into a book that teaches the characters more about each other, themselves and their friendship.
It starts out being a book that partners old friends and long drives to relive lost summers and turns into a book that teaches the characters more about each other, themselves and their friendship.
Read
January 29, 2016This is one of my all time favorite books. I absolutely love the story about these three childhood friends taking the summer off to just drive around and reminisce while observing life around them.
I can't see doing this with my best friends, but I very much enjoy Bob Greene's story.
I can't see doing this with my best friends, but I very much enjoy Bob Greene's story.
November 14, 2010
This book surprised me. I expected a light comedy, silliness and instead got quiet, thoughtful wisdom.
January 8, 2011
One of my all-time favorite books. Read this out loud to my husband on a road trip long ago. We both loved it.
July 24, 2010
Bob's first novel. I kept trying to fit stories of his real life into this novel. Love that Bob!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews