dancerjodi (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dancerjodi) wrote2001-08-12 10:03 am
dancerjodi) wrote2001-08-12 10:03 am
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The perks of being a Wallflower
I picked up this book last night by Stephen Chbosky; its on the summer reading lists for a lot of the local High Schools but was recently removed from the Newton list after a parent read a bit of it and found passages about gay sex, masturbation and bestiality.
Its been described as a Modern Day "The Catcher in the Rye" or "A Separate Peace" - both books that I loved when I was assigned to read them in HS over the summer. I read 74 pages of this one to B out loud last night and then we had a discussion about differences in HS's, the classic books of curriculum (or lack thereof in Everett's case) and the reasons for reading/learning.
I think I like "The perks of being a wallflower" because Charlie's group of friends is similar to the one that I used to run with. And his parent's are similar to mine . . . a Mom that stays quiet, watches TV and reads magazines all the time and a Dad that is supportive of the family, outgoing sometimes but mostly focused on going to work (that's how he was back then).
Mix tapes come up in the book a lot (you remember the days of mix tapes?). One was described as such:
"I spent all night working on it, and I hope Patrick likes it as much as I do. Especially the second side. I hope its the kind of second side that he can listen to whenever he drives alone and feel like he belongs to something whenever he's sad. I hope it can be that for him. I had an amazing feeling when I finally held the tape in my hand. I thought to myself that in the palm of my hand, there was this one tape that had all of these memories and feelings and great joy and sadness. Right there in the palm of my hand. And I thought about how many people have loved those songs. And how many people got through a lot of bad times because of those songs. And how many people enjoyed good times with those songs. And how much those songs really mean. I think it would be great to have written one of those songs. I bet if I wrote one of them, I would be very proud. I hope the people who wrote those songs are happy. I hope that they feel its enough. I really do because they've made me happy. And I'm only one person".
So if you like coming-of-age stories and reminiscing about "glory-days" (as the protagonist describes) and you're able to find it, pick it up!
Its been described as a Modern Day "The Catcher in the Rye" or "A Separate Peace" - both books that I loved when I was assigned to read them in HS over the summer. I read 74 pages of this one to B out loud last night and then we had a discussion about differences in HS's, the classic books of curriculum (or lack thereof in Everett's case) and the reasons for reading/learning.
I think I like "The perks of being a wallflower" because Charlie's group of friends is similar to the one that I used to run with. And his parent's are similar to mine . . . a Mom that stays quiet, watches TV and reads magazines all the time and a Dad that is supportive of the family, outgoing sometimes but mostly focused on going to work (that's how he was back then).
Mix tapes come up in the book a lot (you remember the days of mix tapes?). One was described as such:
"I spent all night working on it, and I hope Patrick likes it as much as I do. Especially the second side. I hope its the kind of second side that he can listen to whenever he drives alone and feel like he belongs to something whenever he's sad. I hope it can be that for him. I had an amazing feeling when I finally held the tape in my hand. I thought to myself that in the palm of my hand, there was this one tape that had all of these memories and feelings and great joy and sadness. Right there in the palm of my hand. And I thought about how many people have loved those songs. And how many people got through a lot of bad times because of those songs. And how many people enjoyed good times with those songs. And how much those songs really mean. I think it would be great to have written one of those songs. I bet if I wrote one of them, I would be very proud. I hope the people who wrote those songs are happy. I hope that they feel its enough. I really do because they've made me happy. And I'm only one person".
So if you like coming-of-age stories and reminiscing about "glory-days" (as the protagonist describes) and you're able to find it, pick it up!
no subject
The book
I had a difficult time finding it (but did get it eventually in the regular fiction section of Barnes and Noble (I got the last copy)! I bet there's a lot of people running out to get it, curious about what the City of Newton doesn't like about it.
But they are still reading it at Waltham HS - go progressive and diverse city! :)
And by the way, you're sneaky getting a new LJ :) I'm glad that I found it!
Re: The book
I wrote about it in 'innocenti' before I deleted it at last! I wasn't sneaky at all!
no subject
I went to Newton North... by the time I graduated they were already changing all the things that made it a great school. So while news like this pisses me off, it doesn't surprise me... my high school used to be a place that was unique because it celebrated giving kids freedom and flexibility. My favorite teachers, and the ones that taught me the most, were the unconventional ones, who gave us amazing books to read and unusal projects, etc... now they're making my alma mater boring, inadequate, standard high school fare, and that's just really sad. :(
and they wonder why that school used to be in the top ten in public high schools in the country, and now doesn't even crack the top 300. grrr.
Newton
They also interviewed someone working at the New England Mobile Book Fair (god, I love that place!) saying that they can't keep them on the shelves now they are so popular. . . irony at its best!
Anyway I like it a lot - its making me want to re-read some of those HS classics because I'm sure I would appreciate them a lot more now.
no subject
I'll have to add it to my reading list.....