McMullen Circle

Heather Newton's McMullen Circle weaves together twelve linked stories set at the McMullen Boarding School in the late 1960s. Compelling characters—from the headmaster's restless wife to a troubled chemistry teacher and a stoic cafeteria worker—grapple with race, war, and personal longing. As integration dawns and the Vietnam War looms, the residents of Tonola Falls discover that heroism resides not just in grand gestures, but in the everyday acts of empathy and resilience.

What does it take for a young African American girl to assert her right to attend the all-white private school? How does a community balance tradition with progress? With fierce emotion and rich irony, McMullen Circle explores the hidden depths of ordinary lives on the cusp of transformation. Perfect for readers of Southern literary fiction and character-driven stories.