The original classic story about growing up with drugs and sex and about learning to survive on the streets of New York--once again in print. An urban classic of coming of age.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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About the Author
Jim Carroll’s bestselling memoir The Basketball Diaries was first released in 1978 and adapted as a film in 1995. Carroll’s work includes several collections of poetry as well as a asecond memoir, Forces Entries: The Downtown Diaries 1971-1973. As the leader of The Jim Carroll Band he released three albums as well as several spoken word recordings. He died in New York City on September 11, 2009.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
For a teenage diary, this is extremely well written. Jim Carroll was clearly a gifted writer, and his diary brings the New York City streets of the mid-60's to life. His vivid descriptions of growing up as a street wise kid on the mean streets of the city clearly paint a picture of the period.
That said, this is was NOT a fun book to read. There is much about Carroll's life in this period that is not pretty. His growing dependency on drugs is readily apparent as the book progresses, as is his willingness to do almost anything to pay for his next fix. There are graphic descriptions of both the drug use and his sexual encounters, but even so there is a sense of honesty in the account that somehow seems to be redeeming. In the end, this is a powerful glimpse into a life on the streets.
That said, this is was NOT a fun book to read. There is much about Carroll's life in this period that is not pretty. His growing dependency on drugs is readily apparent as the book progresses, as is his willingness to do almost anything to pay for his next fix. There are graphic descriptions of both the drug use and his sexual encounters, but even so there is a sense of honesty in the account that somehow seems to be redeeming. In the end, this is a powerful glimpse into a life on the streets.
29 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I saw the movie before it came out and I liked it. I didn't know what I was missing. Now that I read the original source I know what a load of Disney-fied garbage I was watching. Instead of a tale about "the loss of innocence" this is a horrifying and hilarilious trip through Hell as Jim Carroll gets more and more into the hustling junkie lifestyle. While Catholic Boy is a great CD, Carroll would never write anything so raw and crazy again.
Most of my perspective comes from the movie so bear with me. In the movie, Leonardo tries heroin as part of his downward spiral and it really turns the movie dark. In the book, he tries heroin almost at the beginning and complains because he always thought that pot got you high. In the movie Leonardo is hitching rides on buses at the beginning and turning to nastier crimes later on. In the book Carroll is describing the best methods for purse snatching. In the movie, Leonardo hustles for tricks as one of the last signs that he's fallen from grace. In the book, Carroll complains about the gay johns who make him go to baseball games or want him to whip cats to death ("unfortunately for him I was in a cat-loving mood that day and whipped him instead"). In the movie there is a helpful friend who tries to get him off of drugs. That guy is fortunately absent in the book. In the movie there is a long sequence about the best friend with cancer. In the book, he's creeped out by the corpse but that's about it.
In essence, the movie serves up a rough-around-the-edges kid who gets into a bad situation that only gets worse. The book by contrast has Jim Carroll pure and malignant, snatching purses and shooting up without a care as to the consequences. He's a nasty little punk and he deserves most of what happens to him. This is probably why Carroll's later stuff isn't as popular. Much of what makes this book great is how repulsed and intrigued you are with the narrator. When Jim Carroll grew up, kicked the addiction and stopped being such a creep, it was great for him and anyone around him, but he lost the main voice and never replaced it with anything quite so compelling.
After you read this book you should check out with Patti Smith's early book of poetry, Please Kill Me about the New York punk scene in which Carroll featured prominently and Catholic Boy. YOu might also want to watch the movie as it isn't bad by DiCaprio standards, although pretty awful by the standards of the book.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By Ash Hibbert
Format:Paperback
This is a complete arc of drug use - from the narrator's first sniff of glue on a ferry as a thirteen year old to a late teenager in an apartment in one very bad state. At first humorous, the narrative increasingly becomes the story of a young adult's miserable descent into addiction. Though Carroll yearns to be pure and real, his writing is fluid from the first page through its deeply vivid, sensual and emotive descriptions. Frustration, fear, annoyance, contempt, and euphoria are all communicated through but a few phrases, and often the accounts require no commentary whatsoever.
Having seen and loved the film I was naturally comparing and contrasting the two throughout - unlike the film, however, there are no guardian angels in real life. Instead by the last pages of Basketball Diaries we see Carroll consciously having hit rock bottom. When I first saw the film I felt frustration because it seemed that to comment on the world of heroine-use one must be a heroine user. No other way seems to exist to enter that world deep enough and gain its inhabitant's trust. However, reading the book it became apparent that Carroll is simply one who likes looking into the things and people around him with more depth than most - and has the passion to put those insights onto paper.
In reading Basketball Diaries I developed enough contempt for Carroll to convince me never to follow the same path. His wit, intelligence and athleticism - all which he maintains while engaging various habits - meant however that I was also grudgingly admiring of him.
Having seen and loved the film I was naturally comparing and contrasting the two throughout - unlike the film, however, there are no guardian angels in real life. Instead by the last pages of Basketball Diaries we see Carroll consciously having hit rock bottom. When I first saw the film I felt frustration because it seemed that to comment on the world of heroine-use one must be a heroine user. No other way seems to exist to enter that world deep enough and gain its inhabitant's trust. However, reading the book it became apparent that Carroll is simply one who likes looking into the things and people around him with more depth than most - and has the passion to put those insights onto paper.
In reading Basketball Diaries I developed enough contempt for Carroll to convince me never to follow the same path. His wit, intelligence and athleticism - all which he maintains while engaging various habits - meant however that I was also grudgingly admiring of him.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
One OF The Best
Great easy read.....
For those that say the book has no plot or structure, keep in mind that this is a diary. These are daily diary entries of kid between the age of 13 to 15. Read more
For those that say the book has no plot or structure, keep in mind that this is a diary. These are daily diary entries of kid between the age of 13 to 15. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jorge Tamajon
3.0 out of 5 stars
Eh, ok book
i bought this book due to being so intrigued by the movie. I was thinking that the book would be better so i was very anxious to get it. Read more
Published 1 month ago by jdm0111
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great young writer
Great insight into someone's life experiences, especially reading about things youth dealt with at the time. Bought this for a extra credit assignment but would own it regardless
Published 1 month ago by T. Leatham
5.0 out of 5 stars
So much better than the movie
It's a great Book that shows a lot of insight on New York's Drug scene of the 60's, you won't like the movie as much after reading it. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Delaney
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars, it is very interesting and is one of those books that you don't want to put down. Read more
Published 2 months ago by JB
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome book, great condition
Bought used and it is in great condition. A must read for anyone who enjoyed the movie adaptation, or any of Jim Carroll's writtings and music. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Michael Smart
4.0 out of 5 stars
Together untogether dude
I had seen the movie and I wanted to see what the man was all about. For his life falling down all around him, he kept it together pretty good. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Agnes Martin
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bought as a gift, but much better than the movie.
I last read this book about 30 years ago, so my memory is a bit hazy (maybe cuz I read this book and thought Jim Carroll was a role model), but all that aside, it was a very... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Rebus Cannebus
5.0 out of 5 stars
Basketball Diaries
Purchased this book as a gift for a friend. They really enjoyed reading this. Said it was great from start to end.
Published 6 months ago by Pixie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for any age. Perfect for the teenage years.
I first read this book when I was maybe fourteen or fifteen. It was the sole text that inspired me to become a writer. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Shakey Jones
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