Forever...

I may have read this book while I was in high school. If I did attempt to read it, I imagine that my little prude self marched it back to my high school library and checked out something that my mother would not have been shocked to catch me reading.

As an adult, I feel this book--when the entire story is read-- takes a responsible look at teens and their attitudes towards sex. If I had a student who I thought might be interested in reading this book, I would be happy to share it with them. Blume shares in newer editions of the book that when she wrote "Forever..." in the mid-seventies, "sexual responsibility meant preventing unwanted pregnancy." The text of the book only vaguely mentions VD.

I feel that many students might have difficulty relating to this book because some of the terms and slang are outdated. Who wouldn't be excited if their sister would embroider jeans for a date? Also, I was a bit annoyed that I do not think Blume ever writes the word penis. The main male character calls his penis Ralph. Is this book supposed to help with sexual liberation or just makes us all want to name our private parts with names that could also be verbs? This brings new meaning to the phrase "I just ralphed." I think I may have taken that a little too far----many apologies.

The Joy Luck Club

I selected The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan because it was on the 11th grade reading list at my new place of employment. I really enjoyed this book for several reasons. I felt that the relationships and the issues faced by the mothers and daughters in the book were very realistic. Also, I loved that like many southern fathers I know (cough cough--John Paul Pendergrass), Chinese mothers have a tendency to make up stories to keep their children from doing something they don't think is best. While, as I young child, I avoided eating watermelon seeds because I thought I would get pregnant and sitting on dirty toilet seats because I thought that is where my freckles came from, these Chinese mothers dispensed wisdom that is a little more valuable.

I must mention that I feel this book is an adult book. The content of this book is not overwhelming or inappropriate. I feel this book is an adult book because I don't feel that many young people would understand the complexity of many of the relationships that Tan explores in this novel. I do believe that every twenty-something young woman should read this book!