{"product_id":"the-top-of-the-world","title":"The Top of the World","description":"\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\" cellspacing=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"productDetailSmallElements\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBiographical Note\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEthan Joella teaches English and psychology at the University of Delaware. He is the author of \n\u003ci\u003eA Little Hope\u003c\/i\u003e, which was a Read with Jenna Bonus Selection; \n\u003ci\u003eA Quiet Life\u003c\/i\u003e; \n\u003ci\u003eThe Same Bright Stars\u003c\/i\u003e; and \n\u003ci\u003e The Top of the World\u003c\/i\u003e. He lives in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, with his wife and two daughters.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eThe Same Bright Stars\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"A gentle story of one man's attempt to come to terms with his past and his present... Readers will savor the hours they spend in the company of Jack Schmidt and his friends.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--\u003ci\u003eBookPage\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"Joella turns his trademark empathy to the precarious life of a restaurateur and is unfailingly kind to his narrator, contrasting the precariousness of his business and the fragility of aging with the excitement of an unexpected relationship. Fans of Jennifer Close's \n\u003ci\u003eMarrying the Ketchups\u003c\/i\u003e and Mary Beth Keane's \n\u003ci\u003e The Half Moon\u003c\/i\u003e will enjoy...\" \n\u003cb\u003e--\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"A warm novel about possibilities in midlife and the power of community.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--\u003ci\u003ePeople\u003c\/i\u003e's Most Anticipated Summer Books\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"Colorful... Those in search of a feel-good summer tale will find what they're looking for.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--\u003ci\u003ePublisher's Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"Joella again unfolds a story that illuminates the connections among people... There's so much to love about this gentle domestic drama... Both Joella and his protagonist show that nice guys sometimes finish first. About as dear as a novel can be.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"I recognized and rooted for all the wonderful small-town characters in this moving story about a man at a crossroads in his life. Ethan Joella skillfully explores how grief shapes us, and he captures those perfect moments of human connection we all crave.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--Tracey Lange, author of \u003ci\u003eWe Are the Brennans \u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"Ethan Joella writes with wisdom and emotional precision about the ache to feel alive and the unexpected ways relationships comfort, devastate and transform us. Absorbing, tender and filled with heart, The Same Bright Stars moved me with its unwavering hope.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--Hanna Halperin, author of \u003ci\u003eI Could Live Here Forever \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"With his signature heart, hopefulness and hard-won wisdom, Ethan Joella more than delivers in The Same Bright Stars. Readers will laugh, cry, and dream alongside the earnest, sentimental Jack and his instantly lovable, warm-hearted community of Rehoboth Beach natives, a town that sparkles to life from the very first page. With his story of family, grief, legacy, and perseverance, Joella has crafted a sensational summer read. I will forever feel lucky to read (and yes, unabashedly weep over!) anything Joella. writes.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--Becky Chalsen, author of\u003ci\u003e Kismet \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eThe Top of the World\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \" \n\u003ci\u003eDirty Dancing\u003c\/i\u003e meets \n\u003ci\u003eThe Fault in Our Stars\u003c\/i\u003e in this tender novel about sibling bonds, found family, and the kindness of strangers.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--\u003ci\u003eThe Boston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"[Written] with grace and insight... characters are exceedingly likable and devoted to each other... the preponderance of touching moments allow the story to soar... A captivating and tragic tale about living to the fullest before a young life is extinguished.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--\u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e (starred review)\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"In addition to evocative scenes of languid days and warm nights lit by fireflies, Joella has created appealing characters who easily evoke empathy.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--\u003ci\u003eBookPage\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"I loved following the moving story of Maggie and Chip, two characters I won't be forgetting anytime soon. \n\u003ci\u003eThe Top of the World\u003c\/i\u003e is a pleasure to read from start to finish.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--Liz Moore, author of \u003ci\u003eThe God of the Woods\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"An immensely affecting novel about living with zeal and approaching life's end on one's own terms, \n\u003ci\u003eThe Top of the World \u003c\/i\u003egifted me both courage and comfort.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--Megha Majumdar, author of \u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Guardian and a Thief \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eand \u003ci\u003eA Burning\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"Wise, kind-hearted, and propulsive, this elegiac novel is exactly what I want in a book right now. \n\u003ci\u003e The Top of the World\u003c\/i\u003e is Ethan Joella at the top of his game.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--J. Ryan Stradal, author of \u003ci\u003eSaturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \" \n\u003ci\u003eThe Top of the World\u003c\/i\u003e is a deeply moving novel of loss and legacy. Set in the picturesque landscape of a Poconos resort, Ethan Joella gives us a heartfelt story about what it truly means to live life to the fullest, the healing connection of found family, and the power of being remembered.\" \n\u003cb\u003e--Allison Larkin, author of \u003ci\u003eThe People We Keep\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eHome of the American Circus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher Marketing\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eA heartbreaking, life-affirming new novel by Ethan Joella--author of the Read with Jenna Bonus Pick \u003ci\u003eA Little Hope\u003c\/i\u003e--about a young woman searching for answers about her brother's last days.\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eJune 1975. Maggie Bishop has just graduated high school, the future hers to embrace--but she's still reeling from the death of her older brother, Chip. A devastating diagnosis the summer before prompted Chip to leave home for a few months, never revealing where he went. Maggie's search for clues leads her to The Red Maple Inn, a mountaintop resort in the Poconos. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e At the Red Maple, Maggie is welcomed into a tight-knit community. As she unravels secrets about her brother's final days, she begins to connect with the people he loved, and whose lives he touched. Through the warmth of strangers, Maggie begins to heal and is able to help others cope with loss. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Set in a nostalgic resort town over two transformative summers, this dual-narrative novel explores sibling relationships, coming of age, and the quiet power of human connection. Perfect for fans of emotional storytelling and small-town summer books, \n\u003ci\u003eThe Top of the World\u003c\/i\u003e is a timeless story about memory, grief, second chances, and hope.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/span\u003e 04\/20\/2026 (EAN 9781668024621, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/span\u003e 05\/01\/2026 (EAN 9781668024621, Hardcover) - *Starred Review\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContributor Bio:\u003c\/strong\u003eJoella, Ethan\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEthan Joella teaches English and psychology at the University of Delaware. He is the author of \n\u003ci\u003eA Little Hope\u003c\/i\u003e, which was a Read with Jenna Bonus Selection; \n\u003ci\u003eA Quiet Life\u003c\/i\u003e; \n\u003ci\u003eThe Same Bright Stars\u003c\/i\u003e; and \n\u003ci\u003e The Top of the World\u003c\/i\u003e. He lives in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, with his wife and two daughters.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n","brand":"Scribner Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51496271413526,"sku":"9781668024621","price":33.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0857\/9910\/8886\/files\/9781668024621.jpg?v=1783058754","url":"https:\/\/lusper.myshopify.com\/products\/the-top-of-the-world","provider":"Lusperbooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}