In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume

In 1952, 3 plane crashes devastated the town of Elizabeth, New Jersey.  The community mourns for the lost but moves forward.  Having lived in Elizabeth at the time, Blume channeled her firsthand experience into Miri Ammerman, a wise and eccentric teenager coping with peer pressure and first love.  The novel begins with Miri flying back to her hometown for the 35th memorial of the victims and ends in the '80s, following up on how the characters develop.  We traveled back in time where Blume painted a vivid depiction of the '50s.  The story has many subplots, besides the mother and daughter relationship of Miri and Rusty, Blume weaves in a host of characters, exploring the non-traditional themes of love and family, philosophical and existential queries and the nuances of living day-to-day.  As Miri points out, "Life is a series of unlikely events... adding up to a rich and complicated whole."