Books They Didn’t Tell Me About In Ninth Grade English

Youth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick Twisp
by C.D. Payne


Wow I thought I was a whirlpool of teenage angst and confusion. Nick has me majorly beat. Nick’s journey overflows with the joys and tragedies of teen chaos, and does so with a sense of humor. Is it worth reading? It’s good but not great. I’d save my cash and go see the movie first. If you like the movie read the book.

Numenon
by Sandy Nathan

One reviewer wrote that this book was like Harry Potter for adults. I loved it. It is a real world fantasy-adventure full of mystical twists and turns. Is it worth reading? YES


Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell
By Aldous Huxley


I ran across this while snooping through my father’s books. Huxley was way ahead of his time. In this book he argues that taking hallucinogens like mescaline and LSD to gain self and spiritual knowledge is a good thing. Huxley’s arguments are pretty convincing (remember, he’s not talking about taking this stuff as party favors). I was actually a little interested in hallucinogens, and then my old man ruined it by saying, “You can go to a lot neater places through meditation and you won’t have to put up with the side-effects that come with that crap.” He pointed to his head and said, “It’s all already in there. You don’t need drugs to pull it out. They’ll never give you the best you have anyway.” Thanks DAD!!! Well anyway, I started meditating. Is it worth reading? No. Go meditate.


Lady Chatterley’s Lover
By D.H. Lawrence

I decided I needed to start reading classics, so I raided my dad’s books again and came up with Lady Chatterley. By today’s standards this book is mild, but in its time it was so controversial that it was banned in many places. If you’re looking for a story full of passion without raunch, and great writing this is it. It is HOT, HOT, HOT in a very sensual way. Is it worth reading? OH YEAH