Chris Crutcher
goodreads author profile
born
July 07, 1946
gender
male
place of birth
Dayton, Ohio, The United States
website
genre
Literature & Fiction
member since
March 2008
about this author
Chris Crutcher's writing is controversial, and has been frequently challenged and even banned by individuals who want to censor his books by removing them from libraries and classrooms. Running Loose and Athletic Shorts were on the ALA's top 100 list of most frequently challenged books for 1990-2000. His books generally feature teens coping with serious problems, including abusive parents, racial and religious prejudice, mental and physical disability, and poverty; these themes are viewed as too mature for children. Other cited reasons for censorship include strong language and depictions of homosexuality. Despite this controversy, Crutcher's writing has received many awards.
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avg rating: 3.98
| 5,951 ratings
| 1,174 reviews
| 19 distinct works
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113 fans
More books by Chris Crutcher…
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Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher (Goodreads author) avg rating 4.02 — 1,390 ratings — published 1993 13 editions |
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Deadline by Chris Crutcher (Goodreads author) avg rating 4.02 — 1,032 ratings — published 2007 5 editions |
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Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher (Goodreads author) avg rating 4.06 — 986 ratings — published 2001 10 editions |
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Ironman by Chris Crutcher (Goodreads author) avg rating 3.98 — 387 ratings — published 1995 7 editions |
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Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories by Chris Crutcher (Goodreads author) avg rating 3.80 — 326 ratings — published 1991 9 editions |
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The Sledding Hill by Chris Crutcher (Goodreads author) avg rating 3.74 — 315 ratings — published 2005 3 editions |
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Stotan! by Chris Crutcher (Goodreads author) avg rating 3.97 — 273 ratings — published 1986 4 editions |
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King of the Mild Frontier: An Ill-Advised Autobiography by Chris Crutcher (Goodreads author) avg rating 4.17 — 255 ratings — published 2003 5 editions |
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Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher (Goodreads author) avg rating 3.91 — 266 ratings — published 1989 5 editions |
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Running Loose by Chris Crutcher (Goodreads author) avg rating 3.81 — 209 ratings — published 1983 4 editions |
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Chris's recent updates (rss)
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Chris made a comment on Asad's review of
Whale Talk
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Chris made a comment in the group Teen Books for Boys—Teen Boy Books for 2009 topic:
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Chris
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So Brave, Young and Handsome: A Novel (Hardcover) by Leif Enger |
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The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 (Mass Market Paperback) by Christopher Paul Curtis |
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Living Dead Girl (Hardcover) by Elizabeth Scott (Goodreads author) |
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The Lords of Discipline (Paperback) by Pat Conroy |
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The Color Purple (Paperback) by Alice Walker |
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"...racist thought and action says far more about the person they come from than the person they are directed at."
— Chris Crutcher (Whale Talk)
— Chris Crutcher (Whale Talk)
""Love, in the universal sense, is unconditional acceptance. In the individual sense, the one-on-one sense, try this: we can say we love each other if my life is better because you're in it and your life is better because I'm in it. The intensity of the love is weighted by how much better.""
— Chris Crutcher (Deadline)
— Chris Crutcher (Deadline)
"I walk outside and scream at the top of my lungs, and it maybe travels two blocks. A whale unleashes his cry, and it travels hundreds or even thousands of miles. Every whale in the ocean will at one time or another run into that song. And I figure whales probably don't edit. If they think it, they say it...Whale talk is the truth, and in a very short period of time, if you're a whale, you know exactly what it is to be you."
— Chris Crutcher (Whale Talk)
— Chris Crutcher (Whale Talk)
polls
What frequently challenged or banned children's or young adult book should we read in September?
(Choices chosen from book club suggestions by random number generator.)
(Choices chosen from book club suggestions by random number generator.)
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topics mentioning this author
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Room 110, Period 6: Vocabulary | 40 | 34 | Jan 05, 2009 12:59PM | |
| Room 110, Period 2: Vocabulary - Spring Semester | 8 | 23 | Mar 16, 2009 08:31AM | |
| The Next Best Boo...: Author Alphabet | 2938 | 1883 | Aug 28, 2009 06:59AM | |
| 75 Books 2009: Meghan's 2009 Books | 91 | 234 | 28 days ago, 01:11PM | |
| 100+ Book Challenge: Meghan's 2009 List | 105 | 500 | 8 days ago, 09:39PM |
Teen Books for Boys
— 20 members
— last activity Apr 14, 2009 07:41AM
A group where we can talk about and list YA books aimed at boys.
Chris Crutcher fans
— 8 members
— last activity May 29, 2009 10:13AM
For people who love the books of Chris Crutcher!
Comments
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Chris wrote: "Thanks. Amazing that 2000 was as long ago as it is. I hope you're having success with your YA stuff.... it seems to be the go-to genre right now. CC"Thanks, Chris. I wish I had time to write YA... My publisher is St. Martin's Press and they have me on a packed schedule. I write suspense/thrillers and urban fantasy now. Just switching over from romantic suspense and urban paranormal romance. I miss YA, but I love what I'm doing now, too.
My best friend/crit partner is Susan Vaught. I think you gave a quote for one of her books. She's an amazing woman as well as an amazing author.
Cheyenne
Thanks. Amazing that 2000 was as long ago as it is. I hope you're having success with your YA stuff.... it seems to be the go-to genre right now. CC
Hi, Chris,I write adult genre fiction now, but I started out writing YA under a different name, and had the fortune to listen to you at an SCBWI conference in 2000 or 2001 (and even ride in an elevator with you. ::shivers:: ;-) Your work is amazing and the stories you have created that I have read have stayed with me throughout the years.
Best,
Cheyenne
Thank you for writing all of these books! Particularly, Staying Fat For Sarah Byrnes. It has changed my insights on so many different levels. It has taught me to be much more open-minded to both sides of issues. My friends and I love your books.
Amjed,
Thanks for your generous comments. I do push; mostly to get a good story told. There are certainly enough of them out there. Thanks again for taking time. And yeah, Dayton! CC
