Customer Reviews

All Grown Up And No Place To Go: Teenagers In Crisis, Revised Edition

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Elkind, David. (1984) . All Grown Up & No Place to Go. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.

Reviewed by: K.N.B. of SJC

Elkind's book discusses many of the issues that face adolescents each day. Even though the book was written in 1984, the topics Elkind discusses are still a concern for many children, parents and teachers. Now, fifteen years later, there are even more things that we all need to worry about. Some of the issues that Elkind covers are: substance abuse, sexual activity, suicide, crime, value systems, puberty, family structure, media, pregnancy, school systems, stress and peer pressure. He gives many examples for each concern. Some are fictional. Others are actual life experiences that have come out during interviews. Elkind writes about both Erik Erikson and Jean Piaget when he discusses what needs to be accomplished mentally in the teenage years. He briefly mentions different phases of life in terms that are easily understood. In fact, the entire book is easy to comprehend. Elkind really keeps the interest of the reader. His use of personal life experiences is truly captivating. Unfortunately, some of the stories are sad to read about. Growing up in the 80's myself, I was never aware of how common some of these issues were. This book makes me realize that the incidences that occur today occurred back then as well.

In All Grown Up and No Place to Go, David Elkind methodically maps out teenagehood for his readers in three parts. In the first section he details bodily and emotional changes that take place within the young person, illustrating his observations with popular young adult literature, interviews and personal experiences. In the second section he turns to the growing obstacles that face youth in these changing times. Finally, in the third and final section Elkind cleverly identifies the physical, social, emotional and familial results stress causes in the lives of young people growing up in America. Through categorizing and characterizing the differing types of stress the young person faces, Elkind addresses the differing reactions that result from differing typologies of personalities of young people and finally ends with a chapter suggesting possible suggestions to deal with the different kinds of stresses.
Through reading Elkind's summarization of the teen years the reader recalls the awkward years that he/she survived on the way to adulthood. From the physical to the emotional to the spiritual issues that mushroom in the lives of the adolescent, the reader is reminded and therefore able to empathize with the struggles teens face from within themselves as well as from outside influences. With this deeper level of understanding of the teenage world, Elkind's concept of the patchwork self does much to enlighten the readers as to behaviors they may identify in their own past as well as in the youth that populate the halls of high schools, youth centers and churches alike.

This book is a very thorough survey of the world of the modern teenager. It presents issues in broad strokes, but also colors delicately the lives of teenagers using experts and dialogue from situations of specific teenagers. This tome attempts to reconcile the mysterious chasm present in between the worlds of adulthood and adolescents. Without condemnation or judgment, the issues plaguing teenagers are presented with honesty and compassion. This book really speaks to the core of every person who has walked the uneasy paths of adolescence. In it, one will certainly find snapshots from their own lives. The candid experiences of adolescents prove to be the most significantly poignant moments in this book. The psychology and theory finds its rightful place at the service of real people, attempting to quell the tempestuous seas of crisis, into a calm sea of integrated people.

I was looking for a book to learn how to deal with the teenage crises facing our nation. This book showed a lot of negative views. It was very informative but usually showed only one point of view.