That Was Then, This is Now by S.E. Hinton

Some friendships feel like they’ll last forever. And then, one day, you realize the person standing beside you has become someone you barely recognize.

From S. E. Hinton, the author of the internationally bestselling The Outsiders, comes another unforgettable classic. That Was Then, This Is Now is a moving portrait of the bond between best friends Bryon and Mark, and the quiet, aching tensions that grow between them as boyhood gives way to the hard choices of the adult world.

This is a story about loyalty. About growing up. About that bittersweet moment when the path you’re walking splits from the one your best friend takes. Hinton writes with the same raw honesty that made The Outsiders a touchstone for generations of readers.

“A mature, disciplined novel which excites a response in the reader . . . Hard to forget.”—The New York Times

A perfect companion novel to The Outsiders, this one earns its place on the same shelf. Whether you’re revisiting Hinton after all these years or discovering her for the very first time, it’s a book that stays with you long after the final page.

We love handing this one to teen readers and grown-ups alike. It’s short, powerful, and unafraid to sit with the tough stuff—friendship, family, and the choices that shape who we become.

Pull up a chair. Let the sea air drift in. This is a story worth lingering over.

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