True Notebooks: A Writer's Year at Juvenile Hall
By:
Mark Salzman
Buy it now at Amazon.com!
Lowest New Price: $6.74
List Price: $14.95
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Description:
In 1997 Mark Salzman, bestselling author Iron and Silk and Lying Awake, paid a reluctant visit to a writing class at L.A.’s Central Juvenile Hall, a lockup for violent teenage offenders, many of them charged with murder. What he found so moved and astonished him that he began to teach there regularly. In voices of indelible emotional presence, the boys write about what led them to crime and about the lives that stretch ahead of them behind bars. We see them coming to terms with their crime-ridden pasts and searching for a reason to believe in their future selves. Insightful, comic, honest and tragic, True Notebooks is an object lesson in the redemptive power of writing.
Publisher: Vintage
Release Date: 2004-08-31
Customer Review: 4 out of 5
A Lesson for Teachers - Mark Salzman molds this book in a way that allows many of his experiences at juvenile hall lead the way. But, he does this with his own author's eye. While the book is chronological, Salzman chooses which moments to portray that will give readers the larger picture of what he and other members of the facility were attempting to do. He does not shy away from his own mistakes, but he revels in his successes as well. For teachers in alternative environments, and even teachers who are simply looking for new inspiration, this book gives insight to many pedagogical options and pitfalls. Salzman asks questions about the purpose of teaching that all teachers should be asking themselves, regardless of where they are teaching their students. This book is a worthwhile read for writers and teachers alike.
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
Incredibly worthwhile! - I was assigned to read this book for my Honors English 10 class, and I must admitt, I was not too thrilled with this being chosen for me. This is nowhere near my type of book. I like to read suspense and thrillers with the occasional teen books (you have to admitt they're hilarious), so I thought this would either be a waste of time or a major let-down. To my surprise, I loved it!
I figured it had to have somewhat substantial writings done by these kids in juvie, but I never expected them to make such a profound impact on the way I envisioned freedom and justice.
The works that Salzman included that were written by the HROs (high-risk offenders) astonished me.
This book teaches a vital lesson to society and life in general with the only downfall I saw as beimg the kids don't always get that happy ending that you're hoping for, but hey, neither does life all the time...
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
Excellent - Very easy read, very informative on what its like for these juveniles who are caught up in our legal system. My words for review cannot describe how good of an account this is.
Customer Review: 5 out of 5
Another Keeper - Better him than me. I just finished reading this for my third time, which is my typical reaction to a Mark Salzman title. Look up everything he's ever written, read them all, enjoy the movie based on one of his books, and thank me. You just can't go wrong with this guy.
Looking at this book in particular, I devoured it like it was new to my bookshelf. I just couldn't stop myself. I had some work I was supposed to be doing and I just rescheduled. Yeah, it's good to be the boss. Even better to have such a great book to read. It's still a keeper.
Customer Review: 3 out of 5
I taught these kids for years... - I taught English to boys in Central Juvenile Hall in LA every day for years. This book refers to conducting a writer's workshop. This book is an interesting slice of life of a selective audience, not a view reflecting the broader population.
About 75-80% of the kids are not able to function above the 4th or 5th grade level. Many are not literate in any language. There are a few who are very articulate. These kids come from all walks of life.
If the purpose was to really communicate the writing of kids who are in juvenile hall, I think this book missed it. If the attempt was to share some writing of a few incarcerated kids who messed up, it is fine.
Of course, everyone wants to work with the responsive one. The saddest were the ones who had done so much glue that they couldn't even remember their birthdays...
--> Find out more about "True Notebooks: A Writer's Year at Juvenile Hall" at Amazon.com or Order Now
| 