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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by: Stephen Chbosky

List Price: $14.00

Amazon.com's Price: $11.20

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Used Price: $6.75
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Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780671027346
ISBN: 0671027344
Label: MTV
Manufacturer: MTV
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 224
Publication Date: February 01, 1999
Publisher: MTV
Reading Level: Young Adult
Sales Rank: 1273
Studio: MTV

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Editorial Review:

Product Description:
Standing on the fringes of life...

offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.

Amazon.com Review:
What is most notable about this funny, touching, memorable first novel from Stephen Chbosky is the resounding accuracy with which the author captures the voice of a boy teetering on the brink of adulthood. Charlie is a freshman. And while's he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. He's a wallflower--shy and introspective, and intelligent beyond his years, if not very savvy in the social arts. We learn about Charlie through the letters he writes to someone of undisclosed name, age, and gender, a stylistic technique that adds to the heart-wrenching earnestness saturating this teen's story. Charlie encounters the same struggles that many kids face in high school--how to make friends, the intensity of a crush, family tensions, a first relationship, exploring sexuality, experimenting with drugs--but he must also deal with his best friend's recent suicide. Charlie's letters take on the intimate feel of a journal as he shares his day-to-day thoughts and feelings:

I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at the teachers and wonder why they're here. If they like their jobs. Or us. And I wonder how smart they were when they were fifteen. Not in a mean way. In a curious way. It's like looking at all the students and wondering who's had their heart broken that day, and how they are able to cope with having three quizzes and a book report due on top of that. Or wondering who did the heart breaking. And wondering why.

With the help of a teacher who recognizes his wisdom and intuition, and his two friends, seniors Samantha and Patrick, Charlie mostly manages to avoid the depression he feels creeping up like kudzu. When it all becomes too much, after a shocking realization about his beloved late Aunt Helen, Charlie retreats from reality for awhile. But he makes it back in due time, ready to face his sophomore year and all that it may bring. Charlie, sincerely searching for that feeling of 'being infinite,' is a kindred spirit to the generation that's been slapped with the label X. --Brangien Davis

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- Zzzzzz...
I'm not sure why the reviews on this site are so positive. I thought this was fairly boring and seemed to be somewhat of a copy of 'Catcher in the Rye' (which is over-rated in the first place). I think if I was still in high school I would have liked this more but having read these types of stories I was fairly bored with this. Recommended for readers of Young Adult books only.

Rating:

- Thoughtful coming-of-age story
The Perks of Being a Wallflower tells the story of Charlie, an awkward and introspective high school freshman. The book is comprised of a series of letters that Charlie writes to an unknown recipient, relating the news of his life, the friendships with a group of seniors, his complex relationship with his family and his bond with a teacher who believes Charlie is special.

This is a wonderful coming-of-age tale. It's such a cliche to compare every tale of a misfit boy to The Catcher in the Rye, but Charlie's alienation and struggle to find himself are every bit as compelling as in the classic stories of troubled youth, like Catcher. Chbosky's writing style is honest and straightforward. Charlie's desires and inadequacies are palpable. I highly recommend this intelligent and moving novel.

Rating:

- Pretty good.
exactly what i wanted, in great condition.
and super cheap!

but it was a little late on shipping...

Rating:

- Freakin' Awesome
This book is amazing. It's full of weird things, comedy, and of course some serious stuff. It has changed people's life but it my not change yours. I would recommend this to people 14 yrs. old and up. Also, anyone who has felt alone, scared, or just hasn't been able to fit in anywhere. What it's about is a boy named Charlie (that's not his real name. He doesn't use real ones) who is scared about going into high school. He meets a few people like Patrick and Sam. The story is full of suspense and comedy. It's is great.

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