Burning Desire For Banned Books: Music

Title:Go Ask Alice
Author:Anonymous
Publish Date:December 27, 2005 (1st 1971)
Publisher:Simon Pulse
Pages:224 pages
ISBN:1416914633
Classification:
Genre:
Age Range:Young Adult
Price:$9.99

Annotation: After being unknowingly turned on to LSD, the anonymous main character falls into a hole of destruction via drugs.

Summary: Written by an Anonymous author in diary form, this tale follows an innocent girls descent into a world of the hippie revolution and ultimately utter despair. It is generally questioned whether the book is a "true" account of a drug addict like it touts itself, or just a scare tactic created for the sole purpose of enlightening young readers to the horrors and ultimate death from a drug overdose in the late 1960s.

Evaluation: To me it is questionable how a teen will take this. It's intended to be a scare tactic or warning I think, but also reads as a vicarious and/or manual for partying with drugs and doing whatever the hell you want. Sounds like every teens dream. Furthermore it lacks the sophistication of a real teen "voice" and mirrors more of a interpretation of what adults think teens are. At any rate, it is entertaining and a classic controversial title. Ultimately if you take it with a grain of salt, it's quite a good read and has potential in actual worth or being able to have some bibliotherapeutic usefulness.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Romanticizing Drugs and the consequences

Reason this book was chosen: Widely controversial for everything from sex to drugs during the hippie days, Go Ask Alice, is a reference to the Jefferson Airplane song "White Rabbit". Grace Slick made the song on what she (and many others) thought were drug references in the classic book Alice In Wonderland.

Best Part of the Book? Getting this stuck in your head:

Title: The Perks of Being A Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
Publish Date: February 1, 1999
Publisher: MTV Books
Pages: 213
ISBN: 0671027344
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Range: Young Adult

Annotation: Perpetual Wallflower, Charlie, becomes unlikely friends with an eccentric and outgoing crowd. His friendship causes him to open up and experiment and ultimately face his introversion.

Summary: When Charlie enters his first year in high school he is a wallflower. He is the kind of kid that pictures himself in the books he reads and quietly watches others rather then becoming and experiencing what he reads and sees for himself. Making friends with both his teacher (who recognizes his intellectual depth by giving him books to read beyond his years) and schoolmates, Patrick and Samantha, Charlie begins to experience life on a new level, while simultaneously avoiding his creeping depression. This depression is a mystery to Charlie and he fights it throughout this instant cult classic until finally he has to face it.

Evaluation: This book is well written and simple, but complex in it's interpersonal relations. It reminds me of reading Catcher in the Rye for the first time and is authentic and unique. It's success in creating a wallflower tone as well as the characterization is endearing.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Molestation, Coming of Age, Becoming more Outgoing, Experiencing Life Rather then Watching It, Family Relationships, Romantic and Friendly Relationships

Reason this Book was Chosen: If I had a top Five YA book list this would be on it. It deals with many issues from coming of age and experimentation to molestation and healing. It's a charming and simple read.

Just for Fun.

Notable Music References from Perks:

Asleep by the Smiths