9 November 2010

Ever read a book and have it stay with you over the years?

For me it was "Go Ask Alice".. which I read when I was 11 or 12 yrs of age.

Id love to know if you  have read it. AND if there is a book which has stayed with you, affected you in some way, if so, share it here with everyone. Thanks



Go Ask Alice

The torture and hell of adolescence has rarely been captured as clearly as it is in this classic diary by an anonymous, addicted teen. Lonely, awkward, and under extreme pressure from her "perfect" parents, "Anonymous" swings madly between optimism and despair. When one of her new friends spikes her drink with LSD, this diarist begins a frightening journey into darkness. The drugs take the edge off her loneliness and self-hate, but they also turn her life into a nightmare of exalting highs and excruciating lows. Although there is still some question as to whether this diary is real or fictional, there is no question that it has made a profound impact on millions of readers during the more than 25 years it has been in print. Despite a few dated references to hippies and some expired slang, Go Ask Alice still offers a jolting chronicle of a teenager's life spinning out of control.


35 comments:

  1. idk. it seems like it would be a substantial and powerful read.

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  2. The story that has stayed with me is "The Chrysalids" by John Wyndham - because it deals with a post-nuclear war society, an urge for conformism within society and religion, and how a few 'mutants' were able to contact other 'mutants' far away and escape the persecution to live in freedom!

    It is a cracking read!

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  3. The name sounds familiar.. but no bells were ringing when I read your description Paul, so I googled the blurb. Ive not read the book, but sounds as though it could be worth reading. Perhaps a bit heavier than what I normally would choose to read. Ive not read for so long now.. probably three years.. I just cant seem to concentrate.. I used to totally emerse myself in the books I read. Hoping that one day that passion to read will return.

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  4. OMG... I was just talking about this book to two of my friends on here a few weeks ago...I read it as a young girl too and when I decided to read the Twilight books I came across it again in Barnes and Noble and bought it.......another one that I read as a teen was one my father had read when he was a teen called "Ritchie"...about an adolescent boy on drugs who turns violent and is actually killed by his father during a family argument.....very powerful reads.....

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  5. I didn't find it heavy... But more and more compelling every page I read - it was a book I could actually see playing out in my mind as a Hollywood movie - it was that vivid!

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  6. Hey Cass.. it's a haunting story yes? I got to about the last 10 pages and, oh no, a page was missing. I had to wait till the next day and borrow another book from the public library lol

    I was sorting through my books, to take many of them to a second hand book store many years ago and ended up sitting on the floor, books spread all around me.. and re read alot of the book again.. I think re-reading it as a mother made me "feel" the book differently from when I read it as a 12 year old.

    Ive recommeded it to many people and their kids over the years.

    Thanks for Mentioning "Richie".. Id like to check it out.

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  7. The other "classic" in my eyes is the love story "Goodbye Mickey Mouse" by Len Deighton - a major departure for him away from spy stories. This one actually had me in tears in the last couple of pages as I realised what had actually happened!

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  8. There is a series of three books I can not bring myself to read. Although my friend has them and has told me I can borrow them at any time.



    A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive is Dave Pelzer's autobiographical account of child abuse by an alcoholic mother, Catherine Roerva. It was published on September 1, 1995.

    Surviving a childhood of not only severe abuse by his mother, but the apparent apathy to his plight by his father, Pelzer suffered one of the most severe documented cases of child abuse in California history.

    His web site

    http://www.davepelzer.com/

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  9. Thanks Paul. I just "googled" that also. I think I will recommend that to Glenn, he would really enjoy reading that.

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  10. yep, The Power Of One, by Bryce Courtenay.. and The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough, and they are both still on my bookshelf. I've tried to get my kids to read both, but they just arent interested. They have no taste in literature.

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  11. Replay.... by Ken Grimwood....

    If you could start your life ALLLLL over again... knowing what you know NOW.... what changes would you make? Would they make you happier? And... what if you could start your life all over again, time after time? What would you take from your past experiences?

    I think about that book a lot when I make decisions... yep, it stayed with me...

    Go ask Alice... when she's ten feet tallllllllll. Never had the pleasure. I'll keep an eye out for it!

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  12. hey there angie.... nope, didn't read 'go ask alice' as a youth (or adult) but have heard many references to it over the years, either by friends who'd read it or in articles about powerful/meaningful books...

    as a kid around 12 or so, as you were when you read 'alice' i remember certain movies more than books, such as 'sounder' and 'poppi' having a lasting feel to 'em to this day... a bit older, say 15 or so, certain books such as 'catcher in the rye' and 'manchild in the promised land' affected me, in that way that i can still feel how it felt reading them so long ago...

    and as per mimer's mentioning some of the lyrics... my guess is that since airplane's song is based on lsd and alice in wonderland, the writer of the book is referring to their song? as to the 'one pill makes you' and 'feed your head'' and 'go ask alice' lyrics bidness.. tho, maybe not... dunno... is that mentioned in the book at all? at any rate, here's da tune..

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  13. The Power of One.. Ive seen the movie.. very deep. I hadn't realised it was based on a true story whilst watching the movie. Nath my eldest son read it when he was around 11yrs and loved it. Bryce Courtney is an amazing writer. Have you read the three book series, The Potato Factory, Thomo & Hawk and Solomons Song.. I really enjoyed those books the most out of any Bryce Courtney books I have read. Although, I saw an interview he gave about the book he wrote about his deceased son (from memory his son was a hemophiliac and died of Aids due to a blood transfusion he received. I think that book would be amazing.. but much too depressing for me to read.

    There are many books.. that I am interested in .. but too sad so Ive stayed away.


    I know of The Thorn Birds, Lyn, but I dont believe I have ever read it.

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  14. hmm.. MImi, this sounds like a great book. May suggest it to Glenn also. And perhaps Nathan would enjoy it during his Christmas break from studying.

    Leaves some real thought provoking questions.

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  15. Howdy Dave(id).. I will have to check those out on Google as they definately dont ring any bells here.

    Did you ever read, To Kill a Mocking Bird?

    I was looking at the list of prohibited reading material for Libraries and Schools some months back.. so many of the classics were included in that list.. such a shame.

    As Ive said in the past .. one of the films that stayed with me for many years as been American History X.. Both my kids found that moving also.

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  16. OH and by the way Dave(id).. much prefer Disturbed to the clip you posted above lol

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  17. I've several" 'The Red Circle ' and 'A day in the life of Ivan Denisovich' by Solzhenystsyn. For short stories'Flowers for Algernon' it was worked in to Charly with Cliff Robertson and 'The Children of Night' by Frederik Pohl (it was the first story) that made a big impression

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  18. Scintillator G'day, I have to google all of these as I have not heard of them or the author. But right now Im off to clean my car so I will have to get back to you on these..

    Thanks for participating. Its great to get different ideas from people sometimes it points a person in a different direction than that they would normally take.

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  19. I have read that book Angie and a great read it was. I have also read the Chrysalids, The Power of One and Thorn Birds...loved 'em all. Would love to read Mims book she mentioned...sounds interesting and have always wanted to read Catcher In The Rye, out of curiosity. I love to read...give me just about anything, but I prefer real life adventures, history or bios.

    A couple I would recommend.....A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry...A novel about life in India during the 70's....and The Posionwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver...Also a novel about a family who moves from Georgia to the Congo as missionaries in 1959. Also a wonderful read...The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls....a true story about a family who move from town to town with very unusual, nutty parents and the crazy life they lead......and another one..The Diary of Evelyn Lau....much like Go Ask Alice...only different...lol

    I could go on and on and on and on...but will stop here....I guess I can't count to a couple...lol....

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  20. Yes, I have read "Go Ask Alice" and it was very powerful. For me, years ago it was "Trinity" by Leon Uris, a fictional account of a family from Northern Ireland... lately though, "Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson - a factual, well researched account of the 1893 World's Fair held in Chicago. Awesome stuff, reads like a novel, but all the dialogue in there is from diaries, letters, journals and the like, and he puts together a compelling page turner - chronicling side by side the Herculean task of putting together the World's Fair, and the story of a deranged psychopath who was probably this country's first serial killer, who used the World's Fair to attract and prey upon unsuspecting women. Amazing work of history, and all factual

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  21. Good book that I read back in the 70s -- The Vicar of Christ by Walter Murphy. It a novel told in three parts by a different narrator in each part. The first part deals with the lead character as a war hero in the Korean War. The second part deals with the lead character as Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court. The third part deals with the lead character as Pope. Yes, the lead character and how he gets these positions is somewhat unrealistic, but the duties of Chief Justice and Pope allowed the author to raise issues of theology and social justice in an interesting way that didn't appear "preachy."

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  22. Oh, oh, oh...yes I just finished reading "Devil in the White City" too...what a great book. I love architecture so that part of the book was very interesting to me and the side story of the gaseous serial killer was compelling as well. Thanks for the reminder Tom.

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  23. my pleasure... whatever I have, I love to share... and it was too good not to share

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  24. Good, good book...great movie too..

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  25. This was a really good book...and the mini-series was excellent too....

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  26. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Uris

    Personally, for me, I don't think the book would hold my attention too long. I'd find it alot of work. But Ive since learned from a comment Cass made on your page that you love History..so .. there you go. The Aurthor, Leon Uris has a very interesting life. Failing English three times and then bcoming a published author and play write .. with his books made into movies.. talk about achievement!

    Thanks for participating Tom I will have to check out the other books you have mentioned also.

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  27. Hi tmess and its really nice to hear from you again ( I was only listening to your song choice you left on my other blog a couple of days ago)

    The format of "The Vicar of Christ", three sections, three different Narrator's, sounds very appealing. I think Glenn may enjoy reading this. Im not sold on it yet, I will read some more about it on Google.

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  28. G'day Helen. I think I have alot of reading to do to catch up with you. Didn't you say that your Dad had an extensive library in his study?? Perhaps his love of books was passed down through the genes.??

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  29. I forgot to mention Helen, that I have an Aunty who seems to have read many books which relate to Africa so I will definately pass these titles on to her. Thank you..

    Oh yeah.. got your bags packed yet??

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  30. Oh yeah, brilliant book, Gregers!

    Mine would be Catch 22

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  31. Hello !

    Do You like it the music ?

    Have a wonderful NEW WEEK !
    It's a my song, I'm the songwriter!

    Üdv: László

    Here is the english songtext!

    CHILLY WINDS (HIDEG SZÉL)

    Chilly winds are rustling on my door
    There's a twilight in my room.
    An old song is playing from Adamo,
    Saying farwell to you.

    Remembrance of the good old days
    Already has gone away,
    I'm in pain of delusion,
    But I'm still in love with you.

    After all these hours have gone away
    Rememberances fly away
    I don't want you to love any more, still
    Have been waiting for you.

    Chilly winds are rustling on my door
    There's a twilight in my room.
    An old song is playing from Adamo,
    Saying farwell to you.

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  32. excellent book... anything by Wyndham is a good read...

    i guess the book i read years ago that i still read every couple of years... and still kinda speaks to me... Mission by Patrick Tilley... or The Unlikely Ones by Mary Brown...

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