I similarly have read a Separate Peace several times. The first time as a 14 year old at Philips Exeter which is the school Knowles modeled the Devon school after.
I couldn’t walk down a set of marble stairs without a moments pause and a bit of reflection thinking of Phineas. The next book I read was Slaughter House Five. Two books that embedded a great deal of self awareness in a young person.
And so it goes…