SEYMOUR SWEDE LEVOV - A LEGENDARY HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE, A DEVOTED FAMILY MAN, A HARD WORKER, THE PROSPEROUS INHERITER OF HIS FATHER S NEWARK GLOVE FACTORY - COMES OF AGE IN THRIVING, TRIUMPHANT POST-WAR AMERICA. BUT EVERYTHING HE LOVES IS LOST WHEN THE COUNTRY BEGINS TO RUN AMOK IN THE TURBULENT 1960S. AMERICAN PASTORAL IS THE STORY OF A FORTUNATE AMERICAN S RISE AND FALL - OF A STRONG, CONFIDENT MASTER OF SOCIAL EQUILIBRIUM OVERWHELMED BY THE FORCES OF SOCIAL DISORDER.