- Main Characters
-
Paul Hughes
–
main character, narrator -
Gina Coulter
–
Paul’s closest female friend, his first teenage lover -
Kendall Payton
–
Paul’s friend and second teenage lover -
Susan MacLean
–
Paul’s first lover, advisor, role model, and friend -
Stacy Kenner
–
Paul’s friend and former lover, student at the University of
South Carolina - The Hughes Family
- Atlanta, GA
-
David
–
airline pilot, former Navy pilot, father of Paul and Erin -
Beth
–
housewife, mother of Paul and Erin -
Paul
–
main character, narrator -
Erin
–
Paul’s sister - The MacLean Family
- The Pines, SC
- Jack – deceased, Navy pilot, father of Kirk and Doug (killed over Vietnam in 1968)
-
Susan
–
housewife, widow, owner of The Pines, mother of Kirk and
Doug -
Kirk
–
Navy Ensign (US Naval Academy graduate) -
Doug
–
student at Rice University - The Coulter Family
- Charleston, SC, and then Atlanta, GA (’79–present)
-
Chris
–
television producer, father of Kara, Gina, and Leah -
Elizabeth
–
housewife, mother of Kara, Gina, and Leah -
Kara
–
student at College of Charleston -
Gina
–
Paul’s first girlfriend -
Leah
–
Erin Hughes’s best friend - The Payton Family
- Chattanooga, TN
-
Adam
–
police officer, father of Kendall and Drew -
Melissa
–
housewife, mother of Kendall and Drew -
Kendall
–
Paul’s friend and second girlfriend, student at the University
of Tennessee -
Drew
–
Kendall’s brother - The Eriksson Family
- Charlotte, NC
- John – businessman, Manfred’s father
- Ingrid – housewife, Manfred’s mother
-
Manfred
–
Paul’s best friend at camp, Jenny Jordan’s former boyfriend,
Maureen Sullivan’s current boyfriend - The Jordan Family
- Atlanta, GA
- John – corporate attorney
- Jessica – housewife, former model
-
Jenny
–
Manfred’s former girlfriend, Mark Zachary’s current girlfriend - Jill – Erin Hughes’s friend, Drew Payton’s former girlfriend, Todd Zachary’s current girlfriend
- Jackie – age 13
- John Jr. – age 12
- The Raeford Family
- Augusta, GA
-
Dennis
–
civil engineer, father of Linette and Barry -
Elaine
–
registered nurse, mother of Linette and Barry - Linette – age 7
- Barry “Boo” – age 5
- The Sullivan Family
- Charlotte, NC
- Edward – businessman, father of Maureen and Sean
- Deirdre – housewife, mother of Maureen and Sean
-
Maureen
–
Manfred Eriksson’s girlfriend -
Sean
–
Maureen’s brother - The Zachary Family
- Atlanta, GA
- Brad – attorney, father of Mark and Todd
- Allison – housewife, mother of Mark and Todd
- Mark – Jenny Jordan’s boyfriend, Paul’s antagonist
- Todd – Jill Jordan’s boyfriend
- The Delozier Family
- Spartanburg, SC
-
Dwight
–
general contractor, father of Trish and Jonathon - Karen – housewife, mother of Trish and Jonathon
- Trish – Erin Hughes’s friend
- Jonathon – age 12
- The Dunbars
- Greenville, SC
- Stan – businessman
- Terri – teacher
- The Brocks
- Norm – retired, “Normandy”
- Dee – retired
- The Tharp Family
- Tom – father of Thomas and Theresa
- Myra – mother of Thomas and Theresa
- Thomas – Theresa’s twin brother
- Theresa – Thomas’s twin sister
- The Eaker Family
- Brent – father
- Debora – mother
- Two sons
- The Ferguson Family
- Lon – father
- Betty – mother
- Son & daughter
- The Gartner Family
- Bobby – father
- Sandra – mother
- Son & two daughters
- The Nolan Family
- Kevin – father of Alan and Clara
- Leigh – mother of Alan and Clara
- Alan – age 11
- Clara – age 8
- The Sterling Family
- Aaron – father
- Sara – mother
- Three daughters
- People from camp
- Douglas York – Susan’s father, camp founder (died 1970)
- Marilyn York – Susan’s mother (died 1960)
- Jeremiah “Gunny” Kershaw – US Marine Corps veteran, year-round resident, handles reservations and other Pines business
- Bernard “Bernie” Kestrel – owned the house with The Room (died 1979)
- Louise Kestrel – “Aunt Louise,” Bernie’s first wife (committed suicide in 1959)
- Alice Kestrel – Bernie’s mistress, then his second wife (died 1976)
- Gregory Kestrel – Bernie’s son, Susan’s first lover
- Bill & Emily – older couple with a movie projector
- People in town
- Mr. McMasters – hardware store owner
- Mike McMasters – owner’s son
- Mr. & Mrs. Johnson – trailer park owners
- Bill Goodwin – Susan’s accountant
- Jason Goodwin – Bill’s son, grad student at the University of South Carolina, Stacy’s boyfriend
- Donald Sebastian – jeweler
- Friends from high school (’78–’81)
- Scott Anderson – Paul’s best friend at school, 145-pound wrestler
-
Shannon Ellsworth
–
Scott’s girlfriend - Kelly Duchesne – Paul’s friend
- Livy Phelps – Kelly’s girlfriend (’79–’81)
- Scotty Taylor – Paul’s friend (family moved away, summer of ’79)
-
Amy Lassiter
–
Paul’s former girlfriend - Tony Malone – Paul’s friend, then antagonist
- Becky Leonardi – Tony’s girlfriend, Amy Lassiter’s friend
- Bruce Bollinger – 185-pound wrestler (graduated in ’79)
- Mike Gee – Paul’s friend, 167-pound wrestler (family moved from Dublin, OH)
- Debbie Aldridge – Mike’s girlfriend
-
Heather Wellesley
–
Gina’s best friend in Atlanta (’79–’81) -
Lisa McGrath
–
Gina’s best friend in Charleston (’78–’79) - Joey Annecchiarico – Joey “Whatshisname,” Gina’s ???, Lisa’s boyfriend
- Wendy, Margaret, and Sonya – Gina’s other friends in Charleston
- Other people at high school (’78–’81)
- Coach Simmons – wrestling coach
- Coach Nagle – basketball coach
- Alonso “Doc” Rivera – heavyweight wrestler (graduated in ’80)
- Veronica Osborn – Doc’s girlfriend
- Eric Greene – JV 185-pound wrestler (’79–’80), varsity heavyweight wrestler (’80–’81)
- Sandy Victor – 155-pound wrestler
- Donny Lester – 105-pound wrestler
- Conner Micks – Heather Wellesley’s prom date in ’81
- Chuck Wellesley – Heather’s older brother (graduated in ’80)
- Emmett Carstairs – rival 167-pound (’78–’79) and 185-pound wrestler (’79–’80)
- Pete Yeager – rival 185-pound wrestler
- People from Europe (Summer ’81)
- Ramesh & Arundhati Narayan – Gina’s grandparents
-
Annika van der Meer
–
Paul’s lover -
Sofie Roemer
–
Annika’s friend - Tomás José Hidalgo y Díaz – Gina’s lover
-
Mia Sørensen
–
Annika’s friend - Niels Olsen – Mia’s boyfriend
- People from UTK (’79–’81)
-
Abby Evans
–
Kendall’s roommate - Toni Starnes – Kendall’s suitemate (’79–’80), ΔΔΔ sorority member
- Bridget Jameson – Kendall’s suitemate (’79–’80), ΔΔΔ sorority member
- Other people
- Steve Easterbrook – architect on the Coulters’ house
- Nathan Wei – attorney, executor of the dead person’s estate
- Randy – Stacy’s abusive (ex-?) husband
- Leon – Randy’s friend, killed in a liquor store hold-up
- Little Steve – Randy’s friend



