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A review by sdoncolo
Bad Kid: A Memoir by David Crabb
5.0
BAD KID is so good. This book is very funny in spots. I was trying not to laugh out loud on the airplane yesterday, like this: "It was a sad time made sadder by my leaving, and we all couldn't have been happier to feel so sad about it. If you ever want to see goth kids step up to the plate and own their brand, just give them a reason to say good-bye."
I cruised through it so fast -- but it's also well-constructed. The beginning reads like David Sedaris or that type of humorous writing, which is not my favorite, but as it hits its stride, Crabb continues telling funny stories, but they point to meaning. Toward the end, for instance, he asks, "How could two such bad kids be good for anyone, let alone each other?"
He illustrates really well why certain kids want to join up with alternative culture, and illuminates what it's like to experience learning that he's gay in the environment where he was. Most of all, he takes the story ultimately to a satisfying place that isn't cheesy and also doesn't leave you wondering how/whether he turned out all right.
UPDATED: Upping to 5 stars because I can't stop thinking about it; I keep telling others about it; I'm so contented with how Crabb portrays the subculture I was part of; and my 14-year-old (who tore through it in half a day) also loved it.
I cruised through it so fast -- but it's also well-constructed. The beginning reads like David Sedaris or that type of humorous writing, which is not my favorite, but as it hits its stride, Crabb continues telling funny stories, but they point to meaning. Toward the end, for instance, he asks, "How could two such bad kids be good for anyone, let alone each other?"
He illustrates really well why certain kids want to join up with alternative culture, and illuminates what it's like to experience learning that he's gay in the environment where he was. Most of all, he takes the story ultimately to a satisfying place that isn't cheesy and also doesn't leave you wondering how/whether he turned out all right.
UPDATED: Upping to 5 stars because I can't stop thinking about it; I keep telling others about it; I'm so contented with how Crabb portrays the subculture I was part of; and my 14-year-old (who tore through it in half a day) also loved it.