Reading this book was a total experience for me. I had read it and reread it and read it again when I was much younger, probably 14 or 15, but now, at almost 21, I had a completely different take on it. It's an anonymous diary of a drug-addicted teen in the 70's. It chronicles her roller coaster of a life, her battle with drugs and social pressures as she runs away from home and lands herself in a mental hospital. As soon as I picked the book up I was a little turned off by the author's overly-cheery disposition and outdated language. It took me a minute to realize that this is an OLD BOOK. That hadn't even occurred to me when I read it years ago but I think that's mostly because, back then, I was reading it for the thrill of reading something about mysterious drugs and the secret concept of sex. I was so caught up in feeling devious for reading such mature content that I wasn't even noticing how outdated it all was.
Which isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it at all...because I really did! It was hard to get through because I am so much older but once I did I felt that I was worthwhile. It tells a lot about a world that I certainly don't know much about at all. Like I've said before, I always appreciate any insight into the world of struggling teens because those are the kids I'm aiming to help as a teacher. I think this diary is most successful because it shows a girl who is brought up by a LOVING family in a GOOD home in a SAFE neighborhood. So many of the other journals or books like this that I've read have become cliche in the way they portray the poor, abused kid growing up in a cardboard box getting addicted to drugs. Well- as harsh as I'm sounding- DUH! What seems more pertinent for the kinds of kids I've encountered is for them to see that other privileged suburban kids can fall victim to drugs and promiscuity too. This is a girl who has everything going for her but she still suffers at the hands of peer pressure and addicting drugs.
I would NEVER assign this book. It's just too inappropriate as a school book. However, I think that kids will always be fascinated by book and journals like these. Like "angst", reading books like this is a phase that a lot of kids just have to go through. They have to feel devious and alone for a time in their youth or they'll never learn or grow up. Therefore, I would hope that all my students get exposed to things like this. Yes, it's scary and mature but so is Junior High and High School and the only way I made it through was reading about people who had it worse and seeing how much worse it could be for me.
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I know we already talked about this book, a bit, via email. But, I think this is a really strong piece of writing about it, Carrie.
I think you are insightful in a variety of ways, and I was impressed as I read this.
I liked your comments about realizing it was an OLD BOOK, and realizing that you did not see that during your first read of it because the "content" was so compelling.
I was also interested by your comments about family background, and the fact that this story portrays a kid from a middle class background.
I don't know, you just write well and thoughtfully here, and I was very interested in your take on the book.
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