Peace Breaks Out

Peace Breaks Out
Author	John Knowles
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Novel
Publisher	Bantam Books
Publication date	March 1981
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages	178 pp (paperback edition)
ISBN	ISBN 0-03-056908-7 (hardback edition) & ISBN 0-553-27574-7 (paperback edition)
OCLC	6555306
Dewey Decimal	813/.54 19
LC Class	PS3561.N68 P4

Peace Breaks Out (1981) is a novel by American author John Knowles, better known for A Separate Peace (1959). The books share the setting of the Devon preparatory school, probably a reference to Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire, which Knowles attended in his youth.

Plot introduction

This book follows the story of Pete Hallam as he returns to the school and becomes a history teacher as well as a coach. It is a story of the aftermath of World War II and the loss of innocence of young men. It starts by Pete Hallam returning to the school he graduated from, war-torn and emotionally scarred. He now is a teacher at Devon School and detects a subtle but deep hate between two members of the class in the first session alone.

Characters in "Peace Breaks Out"

• Pete Hallam – the school teacher and main character. He's quite intelligent.