Customer Reviews

Zen And The Art Of Faking It

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Author Jordan Sonnenblick has done it again. ZEN AND THE ART OF FAKING IT gets the up and downs and total frustration of being a teen just right.

San Lee's life has been full of new towns and new schools, but this one upsets him more than all of the others combined. This time, instead of having his dad uproot the family in search of his latest scheme, it is just San and his mother because his dad is in prison.

Not particularly successful at anything in the past, San has frequently used negative behavior to get attention. Being Oriental and adopted by a white couple has not always made things easy. Now with his father serving time for his shady business dealings, San finds himself feeling the need to get things right this time.

Faced with not only a new school and trying to fit in, but also with Wednesday night phone calls from a convict father he never wants to talk to again, San is ready to try just about anything. With his mother working long hours to make ends meet, he decides he needs a gimmick to win some friends and positively influence some people. Thanks to his new social studies teacher, the door to Zen Buddhism opens wide.

San's well-worn clothes and tattered sandals become a great disguise as he steps into his role as the Zen expert of the eighth grade. With help from the local library, the perfect "meditation" rock right outside school, and his new friend, Woody, San fools everyone into believing his Buddhist philosophy. Although he seems to be fitting in and gaining popularity, he worries that faking it may make him like the father he has learned to detest.

Sonnenblick uses his humorous, straight-forward style to grab readers on page one, and whisk them into San's world. There are crazy antics, a touch of romance, family frustrations, and quite a bit of Buddhist information packed into this fast-paced read. If you haven't read Sonnenblick's other books, be sure to check out Drums, Girls, And Dangerous Pie and Notes From The Midnight Driver.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"

You know how some people are just naturally hilarious? Jordan Sonnenblick is one of those people. ZEN is an awesome book, containing most excellent dialogue and a plot that will keep you up very late, reading until your eyes hurt to find out what happens next.

This is the story of San Lee, new kid, who's trying to fit in by...well, not exactly being himself. We love San right from the start. Like the rest of us, he has baggage to deal with and family issues and someone special in his life he's trying to impress, and we're sympathetic to his struggles. You'll love how San changes as his confidence grows. And the Zen bits are really fun.

Read it. Love it. Pass it on.

I have to say I loved this book. It was so great and well written. It may seem odd but I am in my late 30's and I got this book and just had to giggle and loved it. It is enjoyable for every generation and brought back the angst of junior high and trying to fit in and made me realize that it never really fades. The author does an incredible job telling a story and captivating the characters. I highly recommend this book to readers/listeners of all ages.

Jordan Sonnenblick did a wonderful job of representing a teenager's state of mind in his book, Zen and the Art of Faking It. This humorous fiction book shows how teens cope with events happening at school and home. An eighth grader named San has done a lot of moving around in his life due to his father's lack of telling the truth and ending up in jail. When San and his mom moved to Pennsylvania, San sees this as an opportunity to start his life over again. On the first day of school, he saw a girl singing in the cafeteria at lunch; it was love at first sight. He suddenly had a mad crush on that girl, named Woody. Right away he started adjusting himself to her likings and ended up becoming a fake "Zen" artist. San and Woody have many secrets between them that they are scared to admit, but with a little help of Buddhism, they just might be able to work out their problems.

San is a teenage boy who is afraid to tell the truth, but doesn't want to hurt people in the process of lying. He is compassionate and just wants to impress Woody without hurting his reputation while doing so. I really enjoyed San's character because I think he shows the average middle school student, and the changes and problems they are faced with. I also believe he is very mature and can handle situations in positive ways, even though he still has a long way to go. Woody is a singer, guitar player, basketball star, and volunteer who might intimidate San a little, but really she is just trying to get over her hardships at home with her family and find a best friend who will just listen to her.

This hilarious book is perfect for middle school students to read, and it will even help you understand your teenage love life a little bit better! This book was so much fun to read, and I never wanted to put it down because it has so much suspense and characters you are secretly cheering for to come up on top. I highly recommend it to all teens who love fiction, and even those who don't!

A glorious book witch had me crying, laughing, and cheering for San and Woody (Emily) . A great book that I could not but down.

zen is so hilarious. this book has a little of everything,romance, adventure, council to how to be cool, or so zen thinks:).it is so funny i practically creeped out my cat laughing so much.
:D :D:D

From what I can remember about Jr. High...it's right on the money. All the feelings of inadequacy, funny moments that save the day, that first deep crush on someone.
The author takes all this in with a great story about being yourself, once you learn who that is!

Awesome Book!!!!! If you ever think your boring and consider lying you seriously need to consider reading this book! It will make think twice about what you say before you say it. it holds your interest all the way to the end. I finished it in 1 day, because i couldn't put it down.

I read ZEN AND THE ART OF FAKING IT when it first came out and as a writer I conked myself in the head and said, "Why didn't I think of that?" ZEN is absolutely brilliant in its simplicity. Packed with humorous antics, a fast-paced plot and really likable characters, ZEN is sure to please!

Looking forward to Sonnenblick's next!

Title: Zen and the Art of Faking it Rating: ººººº
Author: Jordan Sonnenblick ISBN: 978-0-439-83707-1
Genre: Humor 264 Pages

San Lee, also known as "The Zen Master," is a fourteen year old teenager that has moved to a new school from Houston, Texas. His dad is, well, not much of a dad. San is staying with his mom in Pennsylvania, A.K.A Nowheresville, while his dad is back in jail in Pennsylvania. His parents are very poor, and now without his dad, his mom cannot afford anything extra for San. She can barely pay for the calls to Pennsylvania for San to talk to his dad, food, and a house to live in.
Now San is at a new school and never seems to blend in. He decides that blending in is impossible, so maybe it is time for him to stand out. In school, he is studying Buddhism, which he had already studied back in Houston. He decides to learn more and become a secret "Zen Master." He believes this might make him stand out.
He finally gets the courage to meet this girl, Woody, in his Social Studies class hoping to make some friends. Lee finds out that this girl is perfect for him; not just in a friendly way. He tries his hardest every night, even sometimes getting himself in trouble, to find ways to "invent" a new past for himself to make himself stand out to her.
While in school, San notices this one guy who is always starring him down because of him looking at Woody. Lee is confused and thinks the guy might like her, but actually he is her step-brother, Peter. Peter thinks San is going to hurt Woody; maybe in a psychological way, or physical way. Peter doesn't like San and tries to ruin his and Woody's friendship every chance he gets.
Every morning San and Woody meet at this one rock, while San tries to meditate. During their time there, sometimes discussions go farther than they are supposed too. Woody's past is like San's. They both are missing a parent; Woody's Mom left her, and San's Dad is in jail. Will this make them become closer and fall in love forever or make them fight, argue, and never talk again?
San made this "new past" for himself and kept it from Woody. He doesn't want her to know about himself and his whole new thing with Zen Buddhism, earthy attachments, and meditating, so throughout the story many lies were told to Woody. San starts to feel like his dad; a liar. Will the lies all spill out onto the floor eventually, or will Woody never know? Read this book and find out!
This book was great! I could never seem to put it down even though it was eleven o'clock on a school night. Every chapter ended with a cliff hanger, leaving you hanging on the edge thinking "what is going to happen next?" It makes you think, "What would it be like if I was in this position?" Also, this book is full of humor, making me bust out laughing many times!
The author, Jordan Sonnenblick, has always been fascinated by Zen Buddhism and the practice of meditation. He has never been able to experience it due to a lifelong inability to sit still and be quiet. This book is just one single book, not a series, but Sonnenblick has written several other books; Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie, and Notes from the Midnight Driver, both of which have garnered starred reviews and even some fan mail from people. He lives with his wife and two half-wiggly, half-calm kids in Pennsylvania.
Sonnenblick is a very good writer, and stars in the use of flashbacks, pace, humor dialogue, and visual imagery. The book flows smoothly, is very funny, and the way he describes objects makes you actually see them in your mind. In my opinion, people who are outgoing and love the genre of humor would fall in love with this book! This is a great book to read, and I promise that if this book is your style, you will never put it down. I highly recommend reading Zen and the Art of Faking it.

Reviewed by: Katelin Evans
Zen And The Art Of Faking It