Knowles based the book on his own experiences at the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy, which he attended from 1942 until 1944. He attended the school both during the school year and during the summers, when he met other students from nearby prep schools. He used David Hackett, a student at Milton Academy, as the basis for the character Finny. He also based a crucial scene where Finny jumps from a high tree branch on a real event, in which students were initiated into a club by jumping from a tree branch into the river. In interviews, Knowles always noted that the pleasant experiences of the book reflected his real-life experiences at Exeter; the unpleasant experiences in the novel, he said, were the ones he invented.

The 1972 film version of A Separate Peace was shot at Phillips Exeter Academy, on which Devon is based.

1. Author: John Knowles
2. Publication Date: 1959
3. Narration: First person flashback
4. 1972: Film version
5. 2004: Showtime version
6. Sequel: Peace Breaks Out