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dlberglund 's review for:
True Notebooks: A Writer's Year at Juvenile Hall
by Mark Salzman
This definitely isn't for all young adults, but I read it with a group of kids who had mostly been to juvenile hall themselves. They could see me as Mark Salzman, and themselves as the kids in the book. They cracked up when we read parts aloud, including the curse words.
I'd still say there is an undercurrent that this is mostly a book about a white writer going to juvenile hall to gather stories to write about. Some of the kids/students are pretty memorable, some have tragic stories to tell, and some could do something with their writing. Reading this book requires the right context, in some ways. I had a very clear parallel going on in my life, which made it more meaningful. I also had several built-in critics to read it with me and help me make heads and tails of it. A good read, though not for everyone.
I'd still say there is an undercurrent that this is mostly a book about a white writer going to juvenile hall to gather stories to write about. Some of the kids/students are pretty memorable, some have tragic stories to tell, and some could do something with their writing. Reading this book requires the right context, in some ways. I had a very clear parallel going on in my life, which made it more meaningful. I also had several built-in critics to read it with me and help me make heads and tails of it. A good read, though not for everyone.