The Vinyl Underground

By Rob Rufus

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Paperback$11.99Add Paperback to cart
Ebook$9.99

Dig it.

During the tumultuous year of 1968, four teens are drawn together: Ronnie Bingham, who is grieving his brother’s death in Vietnam; Milo, Ronnie’s bookish best friend; “Ramrod,” a star athlete who is secretly avoiding the draft; and Hana, the new girl, a half-Japanese badass rock-n-roller whose presence doesn’t sit well with their segregated high school.

The four outcasts find sanctuary in “The Vinyl Underground,” a record club where they spin music, joke, debate, and escape the stifling norms of their small southern town. But Ronnie’s eighteenth birthday is looming. Together, they hatch a plan to keep Ronnie from being drafted. But when a horrific act of racial-charged violence rocks the gang to their core, they decide it’s time for an epic act of rebellion.

About the Author

Rob Rufus is an author, musician, screenwriter, and activist. His literary debut, Die Young With Me (Touchtone 2016) received the American Library Association’s Alex Award and was named one of The Best Books of The Year by Hudson Booksellers. It is currently being developed for the screen. Rob lives in East Nashville, Tennessee. Catch him on the road, or find out more at www.robrufus.net.

  • Paperback ISBN: 9781635830507
  • Ebook ISBN: 9781635830514
  • Reading Age: from 14 to 18 years
  • Interest Age: from 14 to 18 years
  • Paperback dimensions: 5.25 x 8 in
  • Publication date: Mar 10, 2020
  • Rights/Sales territory: Worldwide
  • Format: Paperback | Ebook
  • Pages: 336
  • Imprint: Flux
  • Subjects:
    YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Social Themes / Prejudice & Racism
    YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Historical / United States / 20th Century
    YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Coming of Age

Reviews of The Vinyl Underground:

“A novel about grand ideals and hard lessons.” —Kirkus Reviews


"This book fuses these events in American history with a defiant rock-and-roll edge that will keep readers engrossed to the very end." —Booklist


“Big topics include alienation, grief, patriotism, racism, generational clashes, and the question of what heroism really is. Recommended.”—School Library Connection


“Highly recommended, unforgettable historical fiction.” —Historical Novels Society


"Rufus skillfully uses period details to recreate the cultural atmosphere of 1968."—Chapter16.org

Awards received by The Vinyl Underground:

A 2020 Junior Library Guild Selection


Moonbeam Awards Gold Medalist (Young Adult Fiction – Historical/Cultural)

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