Customer Reviews

I Trissy

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I remember reading this book as a little girl and not being able to put it down. In fact, the copy that I had was so tattered that I had to tape the cover together--I read it that often. I found the book to be a real pleasure. THe story is told from Trissy's point of view, as we are readers of her diary, which is typed on a typewriter given to her by her father. Complete with typos and spelling mistakes that really makes you feel as though you are reading the diary of a young girl, I, Trissy is a fabulous read for young readers.

"I, Trissy" was one of those books I remember reading all the way through in a day when I was about 12 because I just couldn't put it down. It's in the "1970s adolescent problem novel" genre, but unlike a lot of those books, this one is sarcastic and hilarious all the way through. The narrator, Trissy, writes the book as a series of diary entries typed on the typewriter she receives as a gift. This book is particularly interesting because of Trissy's use of the typewriter, including the way she sometimes resorts to punctuation, spacing, all caps etc. to get her point across when words alone aren't enough. If Trissy were living in the 2000s instead of the 70s, she'd be typing this in her Livejournal or Facebook blog, or on Instant Messenger to her friends, probably in pretty much the same format she uses to type on the paper - using spacing, caps and exclamation points to communicate feelings, and so on. Although "I, Trissy" predates the Internet and blogging by a couple of decades, the author had the concept down way ahead of its time.

Trissy's parents' marriage is breaking up, and Trissy documents their separation, their arguments, and her mother's interest in a new man with sarcastic humor. In addition to documenting events as they happen, she works through her own emotions, for instance by composing a funny fairy-tale version of the whole situation where her father is the king and she is the princess who lives happily ever after. At times, Trissy's entries take on the quality of modern poetry as she uses punctuation, spacing, caps and everything else available in addition to words. Trissy also has to deal with the usual school dramas involving her school friends and another girl that she doesn't like. By the end, Trissy has seemingly adjusted to all the changes (and has switched over to writing longhand entries in a new diary that she just got as a gift). This book is a great read and hopefully will come into print, as I think a lot of young people today could relate if they saw that Trissy used her typewriter just like an online blog.

Back in the day, people used typewriters, and Trissy receives her first typewriter. Her story is told from the things that come out of her typewriter, whether it be random thoughts, creative fiction based on her tumultuous family life, or writing assignments for school. I like the creative way that the story is told. So many times, these diary type stories read very dry, but this one, together with the typewriter script, makes the reader feel as if he or she is reading the papers left on Trissy's desk every night.

I am pleased with the service, and love the book. I was the editor who bought Norma Fox Mazer's first children's book,

I, Trissy, and was so sad when she passed away recently. I couldn't find my copy of the book, but thanks to you, found

a used copy on Amazon. Thanks so much!

Barbara Seuling