Customer Reviews

Gidget

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When my mother thrust Gidget at me about ten years ago, I shuddered. My only experience with the perky California teen was the movie (no dis intended to fans of the flick). Frederick Kohner's novel is a whole other ball of wax (board wax, natch!). While not particularly deep or philosophical, this novel is a delightful coming-of-age story.

Gidget's trials and tribulations convey all the horror, delight, confusion, and wonder of the teen years, from finding a pastime for which she has a passion (surfing), to the exultation, heartache (and, again, exultation) of her first real crush.

As Gidget takes the reader along on the magical summer of her fifteenth year, she also provides an in-depth tour of the California surf culture in the mid to late 1950s. Every sub-culture has its own lingo, and Kohner gives the reader a colorful, entertaining look at what has become an American Icon: the professional beach bum.

Each time I reread my faded, old copy of Gidget, I prayed that it would hold together for one more perusal. Imagine my delight when I found that it had been reissued! It may not be Shakespeare, but Kohner's "bitchen" novel is a classic of American pop culture!

I read this book when I was a teenager, and have hung on to it for 30 years! It is definitely one of my favorite "feel good" books. Gidget is the type of girl that every red blooded American teenage girl wants to be. She lives the kind of life that most of us dream about. The sand and surf of Malibu Beach come alive in this book. Moondoggie, and the other surfers are really fun to read about, and get to know. This book is recommended as a great summer read for teenagers, and adults. I am so glad to see that it has been released again for an entire new generation to read and enjoy. It is great fun!

It's true this is not a work of a profound and philosophical nature. On the other hand, it is a fun and quick read. The fact that it is at least loosely based on the life of Kathy Kohner and that it was written by her father, who picked up some ideas for the book by eavesdropping on her telephone conversations, only adds to the enjoyment. The beach culture/counterculture presented in this book ushered in not only the Gidget movies but also all of the beach-oriented movies from the early and mid-60s. It's easy enough for anyone who recalls being a teenager to identify with at least some of the teenage angst contained within Gidget. If you're looking for a light, sunny read on a dark winter's day or at any other time, give it a chance.

Frederick Kohner, a naturalized American has written one of the great American novels--no kidding--this puts Kohner in a class with James Fenimore Cooper and Herman Melville. It is the seminal story of how little Franzie Hofer (based on his daughter Kathy, the first member of his family born in the U.S.) stood up to the big boys and earned their respect--and in one case, his love. Gidget meets the gang, nearly drowns, learns to surf and learns to love. But this novel is not about plot; it's about language; consider the opening sentence: "I'm writing this down because I once heard that that when you're getting older you're liable to forget things and I'd sure be the most miserable woman in this world if I ever forgot what what happened this summer." The language is purposefully unbeautiful and painfully self conscious--it sets the tone for the entire novel; we love Gidget, not for her virtues, but for her faults. And love her we do--her pipsqueak philosophy, her 50's counter-culture vocabulary, her flaws, her faults--and of course her strange and disorienting use of language--If there's anything it's about, second after language, that would be what it's like to be fifteen years old. So here's to little Franzie--with the height of a garden gnome and the heart of a green beret, she towers over us all.

I never get tired of Gidget stories! This was a great book and I would recommend it highly. In fact, I plan to recommend it to my students this year. It's takes me back to high school and just wanting to be accepted. Even though I grew up in Denver, Colorado, which is far away from the ocean, I could relate to Gidget because of her size. I wish I could find some more Gidget stories to read.

This book is fantastic and sheds a different light on my misconceptions of Gidget just being guy crazy and not into surfing for surfing's sake. I particularly enjoyed the ending. What was really great about this book is that it is a fantastic coming of age novel about a little girl, who wanted to grow up too soon, (what teenager doesn't?). It must have been shocking when it first came out, and still, it's amazing anyone's father could write this book, knowing many of the intimate details of his daughters teenage romantic life.

When Gidget (Kathy Kohner) entered the all-male world of surfing as a 15 year old teenager in the summer of 1956, she was unknowingly making an early statement for Women's Lib and was opening up surfing to all those female surfers who followed her. This book is the entertaining story of this courageous young girl and should be recommended reading for teenage girls everywhere!

"OH, Gidget, Gidget, Gidget..."

The movie's great (the first will always be my favorite--Sandra Dee & James Darren are forever Gidget and Moondoggie in my eyes). But the book? Wow. Such detail. Such style!

How did Kohner do it? How did a German-born Hollywood screenwriter writing his first novel (about a girl's passion for surfing and surf bums and her transition from adolescense to womanhood) complete it in just six weeks!? Incredible! No doubt he's a superb writer and storyteller. He can write a delicious romance so wonderful that it puts most romance novelists to shame! I should know. I'm a passionate romance reader at heart.

The descriptions and dialogue are a hoot. I would burst out laughing and chuckling at some of the most witty lines imaginable. There are poignant ones, too--especially at the end with the Great Kahoona and Gidge--words of wisdom that got me misty-eyed.

The cover art's fantastic and the real photos of Gidget, her dad, and the crew is a real treat.

After having first seen "Gidget" years ago, I can't believe it's taken me this long to finally have read the book. Don't wait a second more! For teenage girls all over, this is the ultimate ride, a thrilling coming-of-age story during one girl's unforgettable summer that has inspired so many--then, now, forever.

Thank you, Kathy! Thanks loads!!! Without you this would have been lost only to memory.

I liked the TV show and was interested to read the original book. The book was very much as I expected and I enjoyed it. I also liked what was added by the real "Gidget".

A great coming of age story of a young girl. This classic was one of my favorites when I was young -- and now this new edition is great for the current young generation. It is full of great pictures of the original Gidget, too.