Comments on: Go Ask Alice by Anonymous (But Not Really Anonymous) http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/ Maw Books - book reviews, book recommendations, book lists, author interviews and more! Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:20:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: bree http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-22291 bree Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:39:05 +0000 http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-22291 this book I first read when I was 12 since then till now (29) I have read it atleast 10 times. I could relate easily back then as I was going through very similar problems & it really helped me to make better choices & maybe evan enjoy myself. Clearly the authur has done her research as the view from a young girl can be just as! I read it recently & being a mother now can see it differently (on the other side of the fence) & am greatful as I will very much try not to ignor the obvious problems that teens hide & are ashamed of. fake or not it resembles MANY real life stories evan down to the poetic writting skills (that are not that unlikely in a 14yr old girl believe it or not) All in all I will be giving my daughter this book when she becomes a teen! this book I first read when I was 12 since then till now (29) I have read it atleast 10 times. I could relate easily back then as I was going through very similar problems & it really helped me to make better choices & maybe evan enjoy myself. Clearly the authur has done her research as the view from a young girl can be just as! I read it recently & being a mother now can see it differently (on the other side of the fence) & am greatful as I will very much try not to ignor the obvious problems that teens hide & are ashamed of. fake or not it resembles MANY real life stories evan down to the poetic writting skills (that are not that unlikely in a 14yr old girl believe it or not) All in all I will be giving my daughter this book when she becomes a teen!

]]> By: Luis http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-18975 Luis Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:35:22 +0000 http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-18975 This book no matter on what of the fence you lie on this book is phenomenal. This story regardless real or not inspires people to look at what teenagers go though at a differnt angle and persective. It allows adults to see the world though a teenagers eyes and as a teenager that is very rare to see in books This book no matter on what of the fence you lie on this book is phenomenal.
This story regardless real or not inspires people to look at what teenagers go though at a differnt angle and persective. It allows adults to see the world though a teenagers eyes and as a teenager that is very rare to see in books

]]> By: Rin http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-16557 Rin Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:17:21 +0000 http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-16557 So, a couple of things... (Erika) I've personally never tripped on acid, but neither acid nor pot are physically addictive, like pills or heroin. Though I'm sure coming down would suck! Also, it usually takes quite a while for the long term effects, like drugs eating your brain, to come into play. Not always, but usually. However, I read this book when I was a teenager, like 15 years ago, and even though the book always stuck with me, as in, I remembered that I had read it, it didn't have any effect one way or the other as to whether I was going to experiment with drugs or not, and I read it when I was 13. I borrowed it from a pothead contemporary of mine, who swore up and down that it was a real diary, so I believed her, but even then I had doubts. So, I just re-read it today, and while I can appreciate how interesting of a story it is, I was like, no way is this for real. Like, when she walks in on her boyfriend, (whom she had sexual relations with) being intimate with his male roommate, a girl as sensitive as our Anonymous would have had a lot more to say than just, Oh! My boyfriend's a queer... I'm so naiive (not an exact quote, but you know what I mean haha). Plus she kept tripling up her words, even when she was all drugged-up, like "Great!Great!Great!" or "Bad!Bad!Bad!" Noone really says that!that!that! :) It was an entertaining read, but if it's been proven to be a fake, it shouldn't be allowed to say that it's real. And that she died. I mean, A Million Little Pieces boy had that whole apology thing in his, so should this book. Truth people! Anyway, oh, also (not trying to pick on Erika, but her post made me think), I think the author had to talk about how great her trips were because if she didn't, then we as readers would know she was lying! Why do drugs if not for the great escape... People don't do drugs b/c it doesn't feel good, ya know? The positive side of drugs was just used to perpetuate her lie. I think she probably interviewed people who had done drugs, and used their experiences to come up with what it's like ot be high. I think that b/c there was that part of the story where our sober lil was Anonymous interviewing her fellow Crazies in the Ward. Possibly a bit of a confession? Hmm... OK, I'll stop rambling now! I just finished a non-stop bookfest and I needed to discuss :) So, a couple of things… (Erika) I’ve personally never tripped on acid, but neither acid nor pot are physically addictive, like pills or heroin. Though I’m sure coming down would suck! Also, it usually takes quite a while for the long term effects, like drugs eating your brain, to come into play. Not always, but usually.
However, I read this book when I was a teenager, like 15 years ago, and even though the book always stuck with me, as in, I remembered that I had read it, it didn’t have any effect one way or the other as to whether I was going to experiment with drugs or not, and I read it when I was 13. I borrowed it from a pothead contemporary of mine, who swore up and down that it was a real diary, so I believed her, but even then I had doubts. So, I just re-read it today, and while I can appreciate how interesting of a story it is, I was like, no way is this for real. Like, when she walks in on her boyfriend, (whom she had sexual relations with) being intimate with his male roommate, a girl as sensitive as our Anonymous would have had a lot more to say than just, Oh! My boyfriend’s a queer… I’m so naiive (not an exact quote, but you know what I mean haha).
Plus she kept tripling up her words, even when she was all drugged-up, like “Great!Great!Great!” or “Bad!Bad!Bad!” Noone really says that!that!that! :)
It was an entertaining read, but if it’s been proven to be a fake, it shouldn’t be allowed to say that it’s real. And that she died. I mean, A Million Little Pieces boy had that whole apology thing in his, so should this book. Truth people!
Anyway, oh, also (not trying to pick on Erika, but her post made me think), I think the author had to talk about how great her trips were because if she didn’t, then we as readers would know she was lying! Why do drugs if not for the great escape… People don’t do drugs b/c it doesn’t feel good, ya know? The positive side of drugs was just used to perpetuate her lie. I think she probably interviewed people who had done drugs, and used their experiences to come up with what it’s like ot be high. I think that b/c there was that part of the story where our sober lil was Anonymous interviewing her fellow Crazies in the Ward. Possibly a bit of a confession? Hmm… OK, I’ll stop rambling now! I just finished a non-stop bookfest and I needed to discuss :)

]]> By: Erika http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-16274 Erika Sun, 26 Oct 2008 02:16:24 +0000 http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-16274 I read this book when I was 13. I'm only 14 now but it is a book that is supposed to scare you off drugs, even though it tempts(motivates, inspires?) you to try it. It doesn't sound like a teenager's point of view at all. I should know. Beatrice Sparks obviously wrote this book. She has a series of 'diaries'. Examples are Jays Journal, Annie's baby, Almost Lost, etc. I read this book when I was 13. I’m only 14 now but it is a book that is supposed to scare you off drugs, even though it tempts(motivates, inspires?) you to try it. It doesn’t sound like a teenager’s point of view at all. I should know.
Beatrice Sparks obviously wrote this book. She has a series of ‘diaries’. Examples are Jays Journal, Annie’s baby, Almost Lost, etc.

]]> By: Alena http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-16074 Alena Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:41:17 +0000 http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-16074 ok, so i'm 19 and i read the book and was like, woa (the only reason i read it was because we were assined to read one of the top 100 banned/contested books for an extra credit assignment in my writing class). however, if someone who was kinda bullheaded were to pick this up and read it, the discription and discussion on how good the trips were may be a bad thing. yes the events that happened around the drug use were bad but it was sounded as though the trips themselves were a positive event. there are many teens out there who would have that "it wont happen to me" effect and could possibly seek out the poetic and "exciting" effects of drugs. i agree with an age restriction but i would bump it up to 18, when teens are usually figuring out who they are and where they wanna go. also, what helped me confirm without a doubt that this book wasnt the real deal (besides the fact that her language improved as the book went on when usually drugs eat at your brain by that point) was that it never once talked about withdrawal. she was hitting it pretty hard and heavy and was able to put it down just like that without any sweat or tears? i dont think so. ive got some friends who have straightened out their lives and have opened up to me about a lot. i would see it being more effective to turn kids away from drugs if she had put that in the diary. thats just me though ok, so i’m 19 and i read the book and was like, woa (the only reason i read it was because we were assined to read one of the top 100 banned/contested books for an extra credit assignment in my writing class). however, if someone who was kinda bullheaded were to pick this up and read it, the discription and discussion on how good the trips were may be a bad thing. yes the events that happened around the drug use were bad but it was sounded as though the trips themselves were a positive event. there are many teens out there who would have that “it wont happen to me” effect and could possibly seek out the poetic and “exciting” effects of drugs. i agree with an age restriction but i would bump it up to 18, when teens are usually figuring out who they are and where they wanna go. also, what helped me confirm without a doubt that this book wasnt the real deal (besides the fact that her language improved as the book went on when usually drugs eat at your brain by that point) was that it never once talked about withdrawal. she was hitting it pretty hard and heavy and was able to put it down just like that without any sweat or tears? i dont think so. ive got some friends who have straightened out their lives and have opened up to me about a lot. i would see it being more effective to turn kids away from drugs if she had put that in the diary. thats just me though

]]> By: Saturday Review of Books: October 4, 2008 at Semicolon http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-14638 Saturday Review of Books: October 4, 2008 at Semicolon Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:00:02 +0000 http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-14638 [...] Turn of the Screw)49. Maw Books (How to Eat Fried Worms)50. Maw Books (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn)51. Maw Books (Go Ask Alice)52. Maw Books (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret)53. Maw Books (Of Mice and Men)54. Bonnie [...] [...] Turn of the Screw)49. Maw Books (How to Eat Fried Worms)50. Maw Books (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn)51. Maw Books (Go Ask Alice)52. Maw Books (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret)53. Maw Books (Of Mice and Men)54. Bonnie [...]

]]> By: Natasha Maw http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-13235 Natasha Maw Wed, 01 Oct 2008 03:36:39 +0000 http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-13235 Jupiter - Yeah, I wouldn't want a eleven year old read this one either. Maybe a 16 year old. Too bad about your teacher! SmallWorld - You were smarter than me, it took me at least a third of the book to realize that something was fishy. Chris - I remember that story. Softdrink - I've never read A Million Little Pieces, after the uproar I didn't want to. Jeane - I feel like the only person who didn't read this when they were a teenager! Lisa - She's written several books since then, I think the most recent wasn't that many years ago. Abbi - I also think the same thing could have been achieved by being honest up front and say that it was based upon a true story. Joy - I felt so sorry for this girl. Her boyfriend basically said go find a pimp and good luck to you on the streets! Grrr! CJHill - I wholeheartedly admit that I'm not being fair about the movie. I only watched the first five minutes, but I still don't want to watch it. Kim L - What's weird is that it's still being marketed as true. Doesn't seem to make sense. Ladytink_534 - I'm sure there a lot of duped people out there. Rebecca - It was very poetic, which is what lead me to not believe it. Jeanette - I was shocked the author was LDS. Very strange. She's in her '80's now. Ginger - Honestly, it's one that you could leave behind. Jupiter - Yeah, I wouldn’t want a eleven year old read this one either. Maybe a 16 year old. Too bad about your teacher!

SmallWorld - You were smarter than me, it took me at least a third of the book to realize that something was fishy.

Chris - I remember that story.

Softdrink - I’ve never read A Million Little Pieces, after the uproar I didn’t want to.

Jeane - I feel like the only person who didn’t read this when they were a teenager!

Lisa - She’s written several books since then, I think the most recent wasn’t that many years ago.

Abbi - I also think the same thing could have been achieved by being honest up front and say that it was based upon a true story.

Joy - I felt so sorry for this girl. Her boyfriend basically said go find a pimp and good luck to you on the streets! Grrr!

CJHill - I wholeheartedly admit that I’m not being fair about the movie. I only watched the first five minutes, but I still don’t want to watch it.

Kim L - What’s weird is that it’s still being marketed as true. Doesn’t seem to make sense.

Ladytink_534 - I’m sure there a lot of duped people out there.

Rebecca - It was very poetic, which is what lead me to not believe it.

Jeanette - I was shocked the author was LDS. Very strange. She’s in her ’80’s now.

Ginger - Honestly, it’s one that you could leave behind.

]]> By: Ginger http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-13189 Ginger Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:03:37 +0000 http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-13189 omg! i have been seeing this book every where thinking there is some invisible force pressuring me to read it! so i pick it up read the back/inside flap cover and then put it down and walk away. idk.. but it seems like there is also another invisible force pressuring me NOT to read it an now idk what i should do. sigh... i'm willing to try it but i'm not big on swearing and drugs and all that stuff so idk if i will read it... =$ omg! i have been seeing this book every where thinking there is some invisible force pressuring me to read it! so i pick it up read the back/inside flap cover and then put it down and walk away. idk.. but it seems like there is also another invisible force pressuring me NOT to read it an now idk what i should do. sigh… i’m willing to try it but i’m not big on swearing and drugs and all that stuff so idk if i will read it… =$

]]> By: Jeanette http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-13165 Jeanette Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:25:19 +0000 http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-13165 I am glad you found out so much about the background on this book and shared it. I am not surprised that it was not real but I am a little surprised to learn the real author was LDS. I read this book eons ago. I was probably too young and most of it probably went right over my head. I think I read it because my older sister read it. I am glad you found out so much about the background on this book and shared it. I am not surprised that it was not real but I am a little surprised to learn the real author was LDS.
I read this book eons ago. I was probably too young and most of it probably went right over my head. I think I read it because my older sister read it.

]]> By: Rebecca Reid http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-13147 Rebecca Reid Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:20:55 +0000 http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/29/go-ask-alice-by-anonymous-but-not-really-anonymous/#comment-13147 I loved this as a teenager, and while I suspected it wasn't a real diary, I loved the poetry in it. I loved this as a teenager, and while I suspected it wasn’t a real diary, I loved the poetry in it.

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