As 1969 turns to 1970 on Long Island in New York, nerdy high school writer Sammy Stein crashes a New Year's Eve party that changes his life forever. In What Sammy Knew, David Laskin tells an aching story about loss of innocence, infused with sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll.
Sammy attempts to increase his social standing by crashing the party at a popular kid's house; there he bumps into Richard, a childhood friend now living in Manhattan. Richard insists they do bong hits and introduces Sammy to gorgeous and out-of-his-league Kimmy Goodman. The unlikely pair share outrage at their parents' oppression of their Black housekeepers. Finding Sammy a kindred spirit, Kimmy promptly takes his virginity. All is well with the young couple until Kimmy gets into a heated argument with Sammy's father over the treatment of Sammy's housekeeper. Already a budding activist, Kimmy encourages Sammy to leave their mundane existence on Long Island, escape to New York City and help the Black Panthers change the world. Richard agrees to let the two crash at his place in the city. At the first protest they attend, Kimmy mounts the stage and impresses the organizers while Sammy is shaken by a dangerous encounter with police. When he realizes Kimmy is willing to commit violence for what she believes in, Sammy must decide how far he'll go to be with her.
Coming-of-age stories tend to wallow in familiarity, but Laskin adroitly integrates heartache, rock 'n' roll and violence, and references enough fist-pumping songs of the era, to kick this one up a notch. --Paul Dinh-McCrillis, freelance reviewer