The fighting during World War II may be overseas, but to James and Anne Langer, the battle is in the Hampton home of his father, suffering from a severe stroke. Anne is irate with her spouse for having an affair with one of his students. To retaliate, Anne starts her own passionate fling with a soldier stationed nearby. Her oldest son, Rennie is missing somewhere in the Pacific. her youngest son Jay is falling apart as he watches his world collapse.

When Rennie returns from the war, he seems like a shell of his former self. Even his beloved spouse who gave birth while he was MIA, cannot snap him out of his melancholy. Anne knows that she must patch up her own relationships if she is going to help her son recover from his severe case of battle fatigue.

A WORLD AWAY is a brilliant look inside the minds of people who stayed home during the big war. The story line is crisp and interesting, but it is the deep tour of each individualÆs psyche that makes Stewart OÆNanÆs relationship drama into a compelling piece that will bring kudos the author.