“A WONDERFUL NOVEL . . . Tyler’s eye and ear for familial give and take is unerring, her humanity irresistible. You’ll want to turn back to the first chapter the moment you finish the last.” – People (Page-Turner of the Week) “STUNNING . . . ‘Once upon a time,’ the story begins, ‘there was a woman who discovered she had turned into the wrong person.’ . . . With Rebecca Davitch, Tyler has created a character who is brave enough to look back on her life and to imagine herself making different kinds of choices. Brave enough to wonder what honesty looks like, whether there is ever really a single distillation of self that is unshakable and true. . . . Anne Tyler has a talent for spinning out characters . . . who go on living long after their stories end.” –The Baltimore Sun “Her characters endear themselves to the reader with their candor and their wit and their simple decency. . . . The charm of an Anne Tyler novel lies in the clarity of her prose and the wisdom of her observations.” –The Washington Post Book World “RESEMBLES JANE AUSTEN’S PERSUASION IN THAT IT’S A NOVEL ABOUT SECOND CHANCES . . . The tension that keeps the narrative alive is our desire for Rebecca to get the recognition and respect that we know she deserves from her family, and from herself. It’s always good to have a character to root for.” –San Jose Mercury News “Maybe there’s something glorious to be said, after all, for companionship, common cause, and sanctuary. And what there is to say, Anne Tyler has been saying for decades, with gravity and grace.” –The New York Times Book Review

Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler is a captivating novel that explores the themes of identity, family, and the passage of time. The book is part of the Ballantine Reader's Circle series and is available in large paperback format. The story follows the life of a woman named Rebecca Davitch, who is struggling to come to terms with her identity and the choices she has made in her life. As she reflects on her past and tries to make sense of her present, Rebecca must confront the difficult truths about herself and her family. With its richly drawn characters and poignant storytelling, Back When We Were Grownups is a must-read for fans of contemporary fiction.