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Marijane Meaker

Shockproof Sydney Skate Paperback – December 1, 1990

by Marijane Meaker (Author)

4.3 12 ratings

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When seventeen-year-old Sydney Skate and his lesbian mother both fall in love with a girl from Bryn Mawr, he is ready to jump ship to live with his father, a swimming pool salesman in Doylestown, Pennsylvania

Print length

256 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Plume
Publication date

December 1, 1990
Dimensions

10.36 x 0.67 x 5.7 inches
ISBN-10

0452265398
ISBN-13

978-0452265394
See all details

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sydney finds himself in a quandary when the girl he loves and his mother, a lesbian, develop crushes on each other. "Meaker has written a very funny novel about our current preoccupation with sex and what it is doing to us," remarked PW.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Plume; First Edition (1 in number line) (December 1, 1990)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0452265398
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0452265394
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10.36 x 0.67 x 5.7 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,159,010 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #14,451 in LGBTQ+ Genre Fiction (Books)
- #29,392 in Family Saga Fiction
- #175,700 in American Literature (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.3 12 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5

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Lynda M. Breeze

Best book ever

Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2016

Verified Purchase

I discovered this book when I was a teenager in the 70's. I never could get the book out of my mind. I had given all my finds to a favorite nun who would read them return them to me with her advise. I remember the reviews were mixed. I read the book & was in love. I as an avid reader & as a child finished our library's selection of childrens' books in a few months. Then the Liberian guided me through the adult selections beginning w/ the classics. No book left such an impression on me. Little did I realize what a landmark book this was or how beloved by people other than I. I was so happy to purchase this book. It was a visit from a dear friend. I like Sidney had a mother who spoke in code. I would get comfy under the kitchen table & enjoy the gossip sessions w/ stories of "pg" & losses of "pg." if only my mother realized at 5 I broke her code & figured out her stories. What was so shameful about pregnant? O well she was strict Catolic in the 50's. Thank you Sidney for such a delightful, ground breaking book.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Hyena

I'm finding it difficult to decide whether I enjoyed this book or completely disliked it

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2014

I'm finding it difficult to decide whether I enjoyed this book or completely disliked it. One thing for sure is that it has stuck with me. Shockproof is an unlikeable character. His range of affectations is limited; he's sarcastic and selfish; he's obsessed with the mating habits of animals (an obvious symbol of his own sexual dysfunctions); and he possesses a latent hatred for women. But his weird, awkward hookups (and hangups) with some of the girls/women in his life make him more interesting. The author successfully climbed into the mind of an emotionally crippled 17 year old boy.

The most interesting character is Shep, the mother of Sydney. She's successful, ambitious, intelligent, and complex but afraid to come out to her son in regards to her sexuality. Her life is a secret. If it wasn't for her presence, I would have lost interest very quickly as many of the characters are either stupid, melodramatic, mean-spirited, wayward or all of the above.

Open this book knowing that most of the characters are annoying and, in some cases, unbearable. The ultimate message, however, rings powerfully by the end. I can't say I enjoyed this book, but I can say that I'll remember it for a long time--the mark of a pretty good book.

3 people found this helpful

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LRogers

Good read!

Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2015

The writer obviously worked in advertising in early 70's NYC, was gay, had a friend who was gay and had a son, had gay friends who liked to drink and gossip about their gay friends. Lots of places that no longer exist in New York are mentioned, even "Rocky's Pizza", an early "food truck" way ahead of it's time! If you were around the city during this period read this, it will bring back a lot of memories, great fun!

Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2008

I was 23 when I read this book in 1972. It has always stuck with me. In 1972 I didn't know that this was lesbian literature. Yes, the mom is a lesbian, but, for me, the focus was on Shockproof, how he thought and felt. What astonished me then, was how a woman writer was able to so accurately describe the psyche of a 17 year old boy with whom I could so closely relate; that she could see into ME.
It seems that Shockproof Sydney Skate is likely to be made into a movie; that Cameron Crowe is the screenwriter. Perhaps, but likely not, the movie will speak to me as this wonderful book did.

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

highly enjoyable!

Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2003

This is a rare gem about a lesbian mother and her teenage son without the earnest eagarness of the "Heather Has Two Mommies" genre. The son is funny and sarcastic and has weird sexual experiences of his own; indeed some of the scenes involving his various girlfriends are a little bizarre. But they're fun, and it's real. Though no one wears bellbottoms anymore or says things like super-fabulous, this novel is still very relevant.

8 people found this helpful

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