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Original Essays | December 12, 2009

Alexander McCall Smith: IMG The Courage of Others

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I have recently written a novel about life in England during the Second World War. I felt some concern before I tackled this theme — the War... Continue »
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7 Beaverton Children's Young Adult- General
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25 Local Warehouse Children's- Humor
7 Remote Warehouse Children's Young Adult- Social Issue Fiction- Depression and Mental Illn
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It's Kind of a Funny Story

by Ned Vizzini

It's Kind of a Funny Story Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Like many ambitious New York City teenagers, Craig Gilner sees entry into Manhattan's Executive Pre-Professional High School as the ticket to his future. Determined to succeed at life-which means getting into the right high school to get into the right college to get the right job-Craig studies night and day to ace the entrance exam, and does. That's when things start to get crazy.

At his new school, Craig realizes that he isn't brilliant compared to the other kids; he's just average, and maybe not even that. He soon sees his once-perfect future crumbling away. The stress becomes unbearable and Craig stops eating and sleeping-until, one night, he nearly kills himself.

Craig's suicidal episode gets him checked into a mental hospital, where his new neighbors include a transsexual sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio. There, isolated from the crushing pressures of school and friends, Craig is finally able to confront the sources of his anxiety.

Ned Vizzini, who himself spent time in a psychiatric hospital, has created a remarkably moving tale about the sometimes unexpected road to happiness. For a novel about depression, it's definitely a funny story.

Synopsis:

The author of "Be More Chill" takes a poignant look at teenage depression in this remarkably moving and authentic picture of the physicality, the despair, and even the hilarity of depression.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 2 comments:
Waffle Face, August 25, 2007 (view all comments by Waffle Face)
This book personally taught me something about being grateful for life. This fifteen year old boy is taking the pressure of reaching for the 'perfect' life basically, school [period]. So he gets depressed about, well everything in general. Then he goes to the psychiatric hospital [he called the suicide hot line, and it was busy] so he checked himself in. And here's the best part... he finds out he has nothing to be depressed about. Other people didn't have a family, didn't have a home, didn't live in a rich neighborhood, didn't have all that he had. He met people who truly had nothing to lose, so they didn't have to bother pretending to be someone else. It really helped him out, as it did for me.
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Kya, July 16, 2007 (view all comments by Kya)
The introduction to this book is not the book's strong point, I'm sad to admit. But don't let that turn you off. Once you get over Vizzini's extremely detailed and honest description of this troubled teenaged boy's life, you will find yourself caught up in an astounding story. Through the eyes of this clinically depressed boy, you will see the world in an entirely different way. And once the setting moves to the Psych Ward, a seemingly odd place for our protagonist to find a love interest, you will be even more hooked than before. It is a very realistic description of a Psych Ward and the characters put into it really touch your heart. You'll find yourself donating money to a local Psych Ward in your town's hospital. And when people ask why you chose the Psych Ward of all things to support, you'll merely respond with: "Well, it's kind of a funny story..."
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780786851973
Author:
Vizzini, Ned
Publisher:
Miramax Books
Author:
Tk
Subject:
Humorous Stories
Subject:
General Juvenile Fiction
Subject:
Depression, mental
Subject:
Mental Illness
Subject:
New york (n.y.)
Publication Date:
May 2007
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Pages:
444
Dimensions:
8.14x5.68x.94 in. 1.06 lbs.
Age Level:
13-17
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