A relection of the uncertainties of youth...
586583
Each story is simply told, yet sharp in its ability to describe a young girl's emotions.  Although somewhat disconnected throughout the novel, the individual chapters are satisfactorily brought together at the conclusion  when the theme of hope (in Spanish, esperanza) ties the vignettes together  and foreshadows Eperanza's future.
3159786
I enjoyed this book. I liked the improbability of it, the use of at least 10 literary cliches, and the vagueness of a modern post apocalyptic society. I like it because at the core is a teenager who, like all of us, is struggling to make meaning. It felt true even if the story itself had way too much distance from reality. I felt the way this character felt as a teenager. As a teacher and mother, I have seen this character in the face of many teenagers trying to make sense of the world. The title is perfect. We are all made up of our past, but for each of us,  this is how we live now-
2261787
With each new generation there are changes in the social and cultural mores.  Moreover, the perceptions of the parents of the new generations are often pessimistic regarding the prospects for stability and longevity of those social and cultural mores. Ben Sasse provides a well-written history of the factors associated with such changes. Advances in technology, growth in personal wealth, and parental employment patterns, have combined to create a current generation of young adults with juvenile attitudes, i.e. not having the attitudes toward personal, communal, and national responsibility of the current adult population.  He fears for the democratic future of society, culture, and the nation.  A good read for students of cultural health, parenting, and predictions of the American future.
4673425
This book paints a very bleak picture of a girls' world in 21st century America. No doubt things aren't great (and worse) for many girls today, but reading this book you'd think that nearly every girl or young woman in this country is about to have her life ruined through drugs, prostitution/sexual abuse, and/or violence. I don't see evidence to justify that sort of alarmism.

That doesn't mean, of course, that the topics in this book aren't good matter for thought: They are, and several of the many sources referenced in this book are certainly interesting, and worthy of consideration to adjust some of my habits in raising our daughters.

However, over and over again, the book makes the mistake of presenting abductive reasoning as if it had the strength of deductive reasoning. I.e., the author introduces an issue X in girls' lives, usually with some statistics indicating that it's a significant issue, then tells a horrible story of that issue resulting in the worst possible outcome, then posits a possible reason R for X, and then goes on to treat the eradication of R as *the main* solution for issue X.  Typically, evidence of R being a significant contributor to issue X is left out, or some unconvincing statistics (and worse graphs) are presented to justify an alarmist position toward various products and practices (plastic bottles, gymnastics, coed classes, atheism, etc.).

Part of the problem here is what is known as "Simpson's Paradox" or the "Yule-Simpson effect": Statistics about subgroups of the population seem to indicate one conclusion, but if you look at the complete statistics, the opposite can be true. It very unintuitive, but it's definitely worth reading up on that effect, because it results in all kinds of publications to mislead (accidentally or not) their readers about the causes of various issues of our age.

So, overall, I wouldn't recommend this book other than perhaps as a list of topics (short) and references. It's "easy reading" in a sense, but I found it to be a lot of work to separate what's right with what appears to be simple superstition (despite being used to reviewing papers for publications in peer-reviewed journals; admittedly for a different field altogether).
4262073
"The Catcher in the Rye" is a three day snapshot into the life of an evolving teenager who is overwhelmed with the challenges of life.  It depicts a frustrated and confused boy, nearly a man, who is at that pivotal point in his life where he must decide to either enter adulthood and participate in society, or turn his back towards society and live exclusively in his own mind.

Holden Caulfield has just been expelled from school for failing his classes and decides to wander around New York instead of tell his parents the news.  The reason he failed isn't that he's not capable of passing his classes --he is a very intelligent boy -- but that he doesn't want to pass them.  He is frustrated at everyone around him, particularly the "phoniness" he observes in their interactions with each other.  Holden is an extremely perceptive teenager who criticizes nearly everything he comes in contact with.  At first, I chuckled at his observations and I could easily relate to them as my own, however, as this consistently critical attitude continued to play out throughout the story, I found myself becoming more and more annoyed with them.  I started to realize that this boy was dealing with more than just some minor annoyances in his life, but that he was dealing with depression, loneliness, and a debilitating outlook on life.  He was a loner, and the more he chose to listen to his "inner voice"; as opposed to his teachers and mentors that try to help throughout; the lonelier and more isolated he becomes.

There are many issues that Holden is dealing with in this book from his confusion as to "why are people the way they are?", to his desire to just give up and isolate himself from humanity, to the distress he feels at the loss of his beloved brother, to his longing to preserve his sister's innocence so she won't have to face the realities of life.  As the books progresses, I found myself feeling more and more sympathetic towards Holden.  I began to understand his frustration and anxiety about leaving adolescence and entering the surreal world of adulthood.  Towards the end of the book, there are several moments where you realize he knows the severity of his decision; the decision either to find out who he is (find out "what size mind he has" as one of his teachers said), or to fall into oblivion, never to be heard from again.

There is no wonder why "The Catcher in the Rye" is one of the most read books of our time.  This little book packs inside some of life's most important lessons and is told in assessable and relatable terms.  For anyone that finds themselves frustrated with life and/or people from time to time, or for anyone who hasn't quite "found" themselves yet, then this is a book you will surely treasure.
2197922
good story but disappointed at some of the Youthful thought processes and difficulty to set priorities. Otherwise it was ok.
4154640
As I read this book I found myself with a bunch of almost random thoughts, and I'm going to put them down here in no particular order.

As a hobby I run a small community theater. When we announce a play I am invariably asked if it is suitable for high school kids. I've never known how to answer. As this book clearly proves, the kids have all heard and said the famous 'F' word. But does this mommy (or daddy) want to admit it. If it's said by an actor, what does the kid think? What does the parent think? Would it be OK for each of them if they were by themselves but embarassing if they were together?

I remember Martin Luther Kings 'I Have a Dream' speech where he said his dream was that 'little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and while girls and walk togeather as sisters and brothers.' Of the young authors of this book, one appears to be black, the others white, and no big deal is made of it. Dr. King's dream seems to have come to pass, at least here with these kids.

I don't think that growing up has ever been easy. Certainly not as easy as we parents think it should be. I'm glad that these kids made it through high school, their experiments with sex, drugs, and alcohol formed part of their personality. Now they are all off to college. I think they all have survived what New York City could throw at them. They will do well in their future lives.

Do I recommend this book. Yes. To parents, yes, it will give you some idea of what your kids are really going through. To kids, yes, it will let them know that they are not alone in experiencing their own problems. And while New York is different, here in small town Nevada we have drugs, underage drinking, teen pregnancies. New York may be different, but the people are about the same.
3834615
A very interesting book which todays youth could benefit from. Tackles the idea of all or nothing thinking quite well and might improve some peoples philosophy of life.
4607410
Many of us older Christians have quite a bit of trouble understanding the younger generations.  Church and God are not as important in their lives s they are in our lives.  Our churches are dying, and no one knows why.  This book examines what young people really are thinking about Christianity being a Christian, going to church, and spirituality.  Those views have changed from even a decade ago.  It is an informative book on what Christians are thought of today.
2293704
It's about love and loneliness, hate and despair.  It's about youth trying to find themselves when life gets in the way and changes their paths.  It's about terror and fear and catastrophic loss.  Hug your loved ones.  Call your friends and tell them how much you care.
252401
Jonah, aged 12, is selected to be a receptacle for a futuristic society's memories in this book for young readers. Lowry's portrayal of a "perfect" society, with assigned jobs, clothes, spouses, and children, is as frightening as it is interesting. Its frank discussion of sexuality, infanticide, and suicide are perhaps a little dark, but a reader mature enough to work through Lowry's language should be able to deal with these parts of The Giver.

Lowry's concoction is honest and hard-hitting. It is definitely a dark look into a possible future. It's important for the new generation to embrace the idea of individuality for the betterment of a whole society.
1688943
I picked this book up thinking it was about something else. As much as I didn't like where the character was going (very realistic) I couldn't put it down. It is well written from the perspective of an adolescent, but gave me the chills that some children take this road or one like it. I, too, was reminded of my own desire for independence at that age, and the willingness to go to whatever means to achieve it.
2107113
Our family is going through something very similar.  There's reassurance in the experience unflichingly shared here: the worries about money, the issues of dignity, the fear, the inseparable parents forced to redefine relationships as one mentally slips away.  I read the book in an evening and then slept well, knowing that what we are experiencing is weirdly normal.
3619154
Alex and Brett Harris are two teenagers seeking to stir a generation of youth out of complacency.

A few years ago, they began a website called "The Rebelution" intended to challenge teenagers to rebel against the low expectations for youth in American society. Their book, Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations (Multnomah, 2008) challenges young people to reclaim their teenage years by applying themselves to significant challenges.

The rebellion advocated in this book is not directed to parents or youth leaders. Instead, it is a rebellion against the general perception of teenagers in America today. The Harris brothers do not believe teens should waste their youth on parties and games. Instead, teens should apply themselves to substantive tasks during their youth. The teenage years are not a holding tank between childhood and adulthood. They are a launching pad for the rest of life.

The Harris brothers make their case by pointing out how the idea of "teenager" has not always been around. For thousands of years, the transition from child to adult took place quickly during the early teen years. Today, the period of adolescence has led to a society that expects very little from teens. Society (and the church) caters to young people, expecting little to nothing in return.

The Harris brothers encourage teenagers to do five different kinds of hard things:

Things that take you out of your comfort zone.
Things that go beyond what is expected or required.
Things that are too big for you to do alone.
Things that do not pay off immediately.
Things that go against the crowd.
The best part of Do Hard Things is the inclusion of illustrations that demonstrate the possibility of doing hard things during the time of adolescence. Many teens are doing significant things, and these stories are told in the book.

I can relate to Alex and Brett. My parents did not let me or my siblings waste our teenage years. They encouraged us to be involved in activities and ministries that they knew would form our character. My father hired me at the family-run print shop as an Office Manager when I was just 16. People wondered, "Isn't he a little young?" Dad didn't pay attention to my age. He believed I could do well. He set the bar high, and then he told me he was proud when I rose to tthe challenge.

A few years later, God led me to become a missionary to Romania. Some people think that my purchase of a one-way ticket to Romania at the age of 19 was hard. Perhaps, for some. But the high expectations I had grown up with made that purchase not seem so hard after all.

I hope Alex and Brett's book and website will start a movement. We need to be challenged. Parents need to raise the bar for their teenagers. Teens need to make the best of their youth. Do Hard Things is a start in the right direction.
285140
If the youth are reading this, I am frightened of how shallow they will grow up to be.
1401088
Eight years ago, John Palfrey and Urs Gasser wrote the first edition of this book at a time when widespread panic surrounding social media and new technologies. With fresh eyes, they return to these issues to once again ask: How do we effectively protect our children, as well as the interests of others, while allowing those same young people enough room to figure things out on their own? This is an age-old question that, in many ways, has nothing to do with technology but for which technology makes all the more important.  After all, the internet mirrors and magnifies the good, bad, and ugly of everyday life.

The revised version of Born Digital highlights how little has changed about the core issues that John and Urs have analyzed. Sure, the tools have changed - and will continue to change. Instagram may be the new Facebook, but tomorrows social apps will make Snapchat look like Myspace. Theres also little doubt that the issues that they attempted to map are so much more visible now that many technologies that were once only used by youth are now mainstream, while esoteric battles over privacy have become front page news because of Snowden. But many of the issues that youth face today are fundamental, shaped and redefined through technology, which often makes the issue so much more visible to so many more people.

They make it very clear (complete with a drawing!) of how important it is to support young people through a host of other actors in their world. Hillary Clintons notion that it takes a village could not be more true today.  And yet, all too often, when we look at young peoples engagement with technology, we obsess over creating restrictions, filters, and/or laws that will address any concern that we might have. In this way, we let the technology distract us from the fundamental challenges that young people face - and the fundamental need for community that would help them.

Many young people face serious and significant challenges.  Anxiety about access to education, student debt, and opportunities for employment are real, furthered along by rising inequality, which in turn feeds fanaticism and anomie. Young people want a space of their own at a time when their mobility is heavily restricted and their opportunities to be civic participants are extremely limited. Mental health issues are widespread and we have little in the way of a social safety net to truly support young people. Theyre feeling pressure in all sorts of different directions, at a time when they're obsessively trying to find their place in this world.

Technology makes all of this extraordinarily visible. What makes this book fascinating to read is the grounded approach with which John and Urs tackle each issue, untangling the different issues and offering a better frame in which to think. There will be no silver bullet solution and we all need to start engaging with the complexity if we really want to make young people's lives better.

I have been lucky to have had the opportunity to debate these issues with them for years. And while Im humbled that they acknowledge my work as helping them work through these issues, I have to say the same in reverse. Im writing this review because I feel as though this book is an essential read for parents and policymakers trying to make sense of young people who are trying to grow up in a time and place where technology is pervasive. It helps ground the conversation in important ways.

-- danah boyd, author of&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/It-s-Complicated-The-Social-Lives-of-Networked-Teens/dp/0300166311/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens</a>
4545677
The author is looking at writing a novel about a young man's journey in the late 50 60s. I could relate to the real life situations he encounters but some of his conclusions I could not agree with. We all see things differently.