Sunday, November 22, 2009

Some Books Are... Important

Apparently I read books by Courtney Summers before parent-teacher conferences. This was never something I planned, but I read Cracked Up To Be last spring before portfolio conferences and here it is, the night before I spend 10 hours telling parents all about their kiddos, and I'm curled up with an ARC of Some Girls Are.

I stopped a third of the way into the book and sent her an e-mail: "I find myself terrified to stop reading & equally terrified to continue." Then I paced the NTB for a full 30 seconds before picking up the book again.

When I came up for air the second time (it had gotten dark out and I needed to turn on the lights) I realized why this book is like a punch in the gut.

Courtney's writing is honest. It's vivid and so tangible it seems like you can reach out and touch the characters' pain. Or maybe their pain reawakens an echo of your own. High school isn't pretty, it isn't easy… no matter how pretty the students are or how easy Those Few make it seem.

As I immersed myself in Some Girls Are I couldn't escape connecting with the characters or seeing strains of myself in them – all those things that mean the book is well-written and absorbing. But, if you think seeing yourself in these characters is a good thing, you haven't read the book yet.

Which is not to say anything bad about the book – it's gorgeous and brilliant in its realism. Summers is, as always, my hero in her ability to show the things I'd rather not look at, think about, reflect on. She's genius at it.

Thank God for her.

Read it…

…And remember those times in high school when making it from your locker to homeroom was too exhausting. Not because you were up late studying, but because you didn't know what you'd find there.

Remember the time in bio freshman year when you flipped through a friend's FiveStar organizer to write her a note and found the "Things I hate about Tiffany" list. And because you were too busy remembering how to make your lungs function, you just shut it and velcroed the tab across the cover and never read it, or confronted her, or did anything but feel guilty and wonder who else had seen it.

Remember the times when you weren't the victim but the tormentor, because the guy you crushed on liked someone else, so it felt like your right to hate her. More than right, it was your duty. What's so great about her? Did you hear…?

We were or are or will be part of that system. And as I turned pages and saw myself in those words, I marveled that any of us make it out unscathed. I wonder how deep the marks go.

And as I sat there wondering, my e-mail blinked with a new message. It was from My Court, the one of my high school days, not the one who authored this book. My Court had stumbled upon a blog I'd written back in April about life and high school and such.

Her comment made me smile. Made me remember the day we spent throwing handfuls of loose glitter at my bedroom ceiling, while laughing so hard we couldn't stand up, and singing lines from "I'll back you up" when we caught our breaths again. Some of the glitter stuck to the clouds we'd painted, but most of it ended up on us. We went out to dinner like that, giggling as we shook our heads and freed cascades of hair and sparkles.

It is a perfect memory. High school has those, too.

And on the nights when I used to lay on my bed staring up at the ceiling wondering what my future held and how I'd ever get there, I could see those clouds and smile.

High school is hard. High school is painful. But if you're really, really lucky, you don't just graduate with scars and marks, but with those perfect memories and friends who can look you in the eye and sing comfortably out of key:

Do what you will, always
Walk where you like, your steps
Do as you please, I'll back you up

THAT is what I wish for all real-life Reginas, Lizs, Michaels, Jeanettes, Martas, and even the Karas and Annas. I want everyone to have someone who sees them with glitter in their, hair, paint on their face, in old, ratty clothing and suggests they go out to eat at the most teen-frequented restaurant in town. And I want them all to agree without hesitation– because they want to – because they're loved, respected, accepted, and safe.

Everyone deserves that. If I could bottle it up and distribute it with hugs, I would.

Since I can't… I'll do the next best thing: tell you to read Some Girls Are (release date January, 5, 2010) and let it change you.

14 comments:

  1. I think you put it all into words so much better than I could have ever dreamed. You've summed up the essence of what SGA is all about. Well done Tiffany!

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  2. This post made me want to:
    - call my HS friends
    - give YOU a hug
    - remember these things when I go to work at my HS tomorrow
    - and of course, READ SGA!

    :)

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  3. Such a great post about SGA. Makes me want to read it all over again. :)

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  4. I KNOW as soon as SGA comes out on January 5th, I'm going to lock myself in and read it ALL over again. It's so cool to see each person I know read it and have the same reaction I did. Your blog has already made this abundantly clear, but I'll just re-state:

    SOME GIRLS ARE is an important book!!!!

    And *hugs* for you, T. <3

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  5. Irish - it's a book to talk about a book... which we will next week! So psyched to see you - let's tag team St.Matt about 12/6, he can't resist us both.

    Tiffany E - Wait 'til you read it. I hope you can hold your breath for 246 pages, because you'll need to.

    Scottopher - I KNOW... I am so tempted to start again at page 1... except I'm not ready yet. Maybe after a few days of THE POKY LITTLE PUPPY.

    Em - *hugs* right back at you! So. Important. I'm still head-shaking in awe. <3

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  6. Just <3

    THANK. YOU.

    so much.

    You are so wonderful!!!!

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  7. Courtney - <3 and shouts of THANK YOU & wonderful right back at you! (It's like a much more uplifting version of I'm rubber, you're glue...)

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  8. Tiffany - yes! I'm all for tag teaming St Matt!! He'll never resist our cuteness & persistence. lol Can't wait to talk books with you in person.

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  9. Beautifully, beautifully said. ~*~

    I also, cannot wait to read it again...(need to improve my lung capacity first)

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  10. Tye - It was beautifully, beautifully written! (but you know this). I need to rest up before re-reading too!

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  11. Fantastic review. You have made me even more desperate to read this book.

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  12. Alexa - Thanks! I wish I could make it come out sooner... I can't wait to hear your thoughts after reading.

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  13. SGA is amazing! I had a lot of the same feelings when I read it - so intense, so good, and so honest.

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  14. Suzie - I think it's actually your ARC I read... so it must be imbued with extra ~*~!

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