Hillcrest Journal

the long version

Hillcrest Journal begins with the angry sentence: "This is stupid." So begins a nostalgic, thought-provoking, and bittersweet tale of love, self-discovery, and commitment in small town 1980’s America. Chad Wilson, starting his senior year of high school, is forced to move from his family farm to Hillcrest, a small town in Ironwood County, Minnesota. The troubled senior seeks to discover his true values in 1984 America: social, sexual, and moral. He questions everything around him as he is torn between his desires, his fears, and his convictions. His journal entries, awkward at first, become a moving account of a young man’s search for meaning. His journey leads to bitterness, confusion, temptation, and, ultimately, forgiveness. Throughout his struggle, his one enduring value is his utmost honesty—with himself and with his journal. " . . . skillfully told . . . very realistic . . . I recommend this book to parents who may have a hazy recollection of adolescence." -- Terry Campbell, West Concord Enterprise