Teen Angst? Naaah . . . A Quasi-autobiography (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "Yesterday, on a strange, sudden urge, I hooked up my old Nintendo..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Ned Vizzini, East Fourth Street (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Of this autobiographical account of coming of age as a teenager in New York City, PW said, "Readers will likely laugh at 19-year-old Vizzini's awkward antics. He shows a real talent for self-deprecating humor." Ages 12-up. (Aug.)
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up-The author, who is described as being a little on the geeky side and not too suave with girls, recorded his high school experiences between the ages of 15 and 18. These essays, originally published in the New York Press and New York Times Magazine, now appear in this compilation. Vignettes do not necessarily lend themselves to a straightforward plot, so the fiercely intelligent and introspective Vizzini concentrates on style rather than action. His wonderfully sardonic voice, like Daniel Pinkwater's in The Education of Robert Nifkin (Farrar, 1998), suggests a wisdom beyond his years. "The teen world is full of second prizes. Nobody wants to hurt our self-esteem." His timely scenarios include a Nintendo obsession, Magic cards, a visit to ABC's The View, and singular incidents with marijuana and alcohol. Echoing The Wonder Years, Vizzini's adult self comments on his high school self by way of sidebars, which sometimes include Web addresses for more information. He comments on his lame attempt to sleep with his girlfriend during his senior year, "I felt so bad about being high-pressure that I became no-pressure, never discussing it, never bringing it up." Black-and-white cartoons interspersed throughout the text give the book a "zine" feel. This surefire title is bright, insightful, and thoroughly charming.
Laura Glaser, Euless Junior High School, TX
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Laurel Leaf (August 13, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044023767X
• ISBN-13: 978-0440237679
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #280,041 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't Let The Yellow Cover Fool You, August 28, 2000

By	George P. (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Teen Angst? Naaah: A Quasi-Autobiography (Paperback)

Inside the hideous yellow cover you will find a treasure trove of insightful wit on painful reality. Best of all, there's no poetic garbage about protagonist Ned "becoming a man" as there is in every other movie, tele-movie, and Wonder Years episode about High School. Instead Ned Vizzini chooses to focus on real life as a New York Teen, and all the comedy, stress, and, yes, maturation (no matter how slight)that comes with it. With the yellow cover, you won't exactly achieve the brooding intellectual look in the halls, but you could always gift-wrap it with dark wrapping paper, or better yet, wrap it in a Subway map to show the book's true NYC colors.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Teen Angst?, April 23, 2005

By	Sandra (Brooklyn, New York) - See all my reviews

I read this book the summer before I started high school at Stuyvesant in Manhattan, which happens to be the school that Ned went to (go Stuy!). His book was very accurate and insightful about the school, and I was able to relate to some things he felt. Even though he graduated when I was still in elementary school, things have stayed the same. Things like the Magic Card gang on the 6th floor are still real for my grade. It was a funny read and I literally couldn't put it down until I finished.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Laugh Out Loud. Guaranteed., February 21, 2005

By	Abby Smithson (Haverford, PA) - See all my reviews

Ok, this is definitely a laugh-out-loud kind of book, and it's the first I have ever come across where I actually did so at least ten times. If you want a deep, thought-provoking story, go for something else. But if you want a book to read when your favorite TV show isn't on, this is the best fill-in. It's quick and hilarious.