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Narrative Loserdom: From Journal One
by
Ryan Collins (Goodreads Author)
Justin Taggart doesn’t know anything (about being a loser). He likes girls and plays sports and has some friends. Unfortunately his fear of rejection outweighs his ability to deal with these well. Mostly there’s Sterling, the girl of his dreams who knows how to stop his heart by not knowing he likes her. Another thing is trying to get money with Adam, who’s rich anyway so...more
Paperback, 204 pages
Published
December 1st 2011
by CreateSpace
(first published January 1st 2011)
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2 and a half stars
" Anyone who picks up his journal will be in for something, if they feel like getting through a lot of grammar and spelling problems. " (From book description)
If there is one warning I'll give for this book, it's the fact that this is written in a very simplistic interpretation of what goes on inside the typical adolescent male mind. Which basically means a lot of bad grammar/spelling, tons of wtf moments and general disbelief at how incredibly lame boys can be.
I saw someone c...more
" Anyone who picks up his journal will be in for something, if they feel like getting through a lot of grammar and spelling problems. " (From book description)
If there is one warning I'll give for this book, it's the fact that this is written in a very simplistic interpretation of what goes on inside the typical adolescent male mind. Which basically means a lot of bad grammar/spelling, tons of wtf moments and general disbelief at how incredibly lame boys can be.
I saw someone c...more
Apr 27, 2012
Heather
added it
This book definitely captures what I think a teenage boy is like - girl crazy but shy around girls at the same time; trying to find a balance between what he wants to do and what he should do because of his belief in God and Jesus, etc. Justin does some things that I wouldn't consider a typical teenager behavior (some stealing and pirating), but most of the time, he acts and writes like a teenager. The book is written in journal form so it is very stream of consciousness and because of that ther...more
Ryan Collins’ hilarious fictional journal of teenager Justin Tagger, titled Narrative Loserdom: (From Journal One) is one of those feel good stories. The narration takes account of Justin’s personal experiences about friends, school, work, homework, and the best part, girls. His youthful attitude lands him and his best friend Adam into a lot of trouble that are written in details in this journal. Fictionally written between July 2001 to July 2002, Justin also writes about the girl he is in love...more
My Take: So I really did enjoy this book. The characters were somewhat relatable (they would have been more, had I been a boy...). I enjoyed the almost short story format in each of the journal entries. They made it very easy to just pick up the book and read. We also always had enough detail to understand each character and follow each story line.
The best part for me, however, was the moment in each story where I had the "omg, why are they going to do this? It's so stupid." but really it was t...more
The best part for me, however, was the moment in each story where I had the "omg, why are they going to do this? It's so stupid." but really it was t...more
This book’s format caught my attention from the beginning. The chapters are set as journal entries, which is always fun for me. There tends to be an authenticity to the writing in this format that you don’t always get in straight narration. For the most part, this book does accomplish that. There is a freshness to the narrator’s, Justin’s, voice. A lot about his personality is revealed in the way he writes, in the words he chooses, even more than in his actions, which is what journal entries ten...more
3.5 STARS
Justin Taggart starts a journal where he begins to document the events of his life he thinks are memorable. Justin is a teenage boy, so the things he chooses to write about are intriguing, to say the least.
I thought this was a subtly funny debut novel by Ryan Collins. The chapters are presented in journal/diary format.
I found Justin to be quite an enigmatic character. He is also a bit hypocritical. He seems to see his friends as losers but not himself, for hanging out with them. He talk...more
Justin Taggart starts a journal where he begins to document the events of his life he thinks are memorable. Justin is a teenage boy, so the things he chooses to write about are intriguing, to say the least.
I thought this was a subtly funny debut novel by Ryan Collins. The chapters are presented in journal/diary format.
I found Justin to be quite an enigmatic character. He is also a bit hypocritical. He seems to see his friends as losers but not himself, for hanging out with them. He talk...more
Loved this book.!! Personally I loved how the author shed light on the internal conflict that all Christians struggle with when they give into the everyday temptations of the world. More importantly, this book discredits the popular holier than thou stereotype that is so often associated with Christianity, and serves to remind the reader that no man is infallible. I also liked how the author chose to make the main character a "loser". This was a sharp contrast to many other books in its genre wh...more
Beneath the moon and Stars review
This was a very interesting book. It didn't really have much of a plot. It was basically the rambling of a 16 year old teenage guy. At first it was entertaining and kept my attention because he was writing basically everyday. Around the middle it started to get kinda slow. What he was writing was still interesting but he wouldn't write for like days. So that slowed it down a little.
Narrative Loserdom is a curious book about the everyday life of Justin Taggart. I...more
This was a very interesting book. It didn't really have much of a plot. It was basically the rambling of a 16 year old teenage guy. At first it was entertaining and kept my attention because he was writing basically everyday. Around the middle it started to get kinda slow. What he was writing was still interesting but he wouldn't write for like days. So that slowed it down a little.
Narrative Loserdom is a curious book about the everyday life of Justin Taggart. I...more
A fictional diary written by the character Justin Taggart, a 15 year old Texan boy who--let’s face it--may be a bit of a loser at school. Written in episodic spurts from July 2001 to July 2002, he chronicles his misadventures with his friend Adam, in which they invent new ways to steal TV cable, try to break into a Coke machine, and run a lawn-mowing service.
The diary format of the story definitely works, but with some flaws. While the writing style is very much consistent with the abilities of...more
The diary format of the story definitely works, but with some flaws. While the writing style is very much consistent with the abilities of...more
*e-book courtesy of the author
I'm surprised how much I enjoyed reading Narrative Loserdom. After a few chapters, or I should say journal entries since the book is written in the form of a diary, I realized it didn't really have a plot. That didn't stop me from being engrossed in the book. I thought it was an entertaining and light read.
I've always loved reading a book with diary entries and this one was no different. I think the author did an excellent job going inside the mind of a teenage boy....more
I'm surprised how much I enjoyed reading Narrative Loserdom. After a few chapters, or I should say journal entries since the book is written in the form of a diary, I realized it didn't really have a plot. That didn't stop me from being engrossed in the book. I thought it was an entertaining and light read.
I've always loved reading a book with diary entries and this one was no different. I think the author did an excellent job going inside the mind of a teenage boy....more
I really enjoyed this book. I laughed out loud.
It was funny and insightful for me as a mom of boys who will be this age in the years 2023 and 2026. I know some of the antics will be different in twelve years but I have a feeling they will be so similar. Some of the events in this book reminded me of some of the stuff that my brother did when he was that age, some twenty+ years ago. At least the stuff that I remember occurring or heard about years after the fact. In fact, I was telling my mom ab...more
It was funny and insightful for me as a mom of boys who will be this age in the years 2023 and 2026. I know some of the antics will be different in twelve years but I have a feeling they will be so similar. Some of the events in this book reminded me of some of the stuff that my brother did when he was that age, some twenty+ years ago. At least the stuff that I remember occurring or heard about years after the fact. In fact, I was telling my mom ab...more
3.5 STARS!
Originally posted on: www.bookstoconsider.blogspot.com
Narrative Loserdom is told from Justin's point of view in a journal format. That was the first thing that caught my attention in this novel. The second one was that we got to read what goes through a boy's head and my conclusions are intruguing, or even disturbing sometimes..
What were the best aspects of Narrative Loserdom?
Aside from being written in journal format, which makes this book fresh and unique, I found myself liking all c...more
Originally posted on: www.bookstoconsider.blogspot.com
Narrative Loserdom is told from Justin's point of view in a journal format. That was the first thing that caught my attention in this novel. The second one was that we got to read what goes through a boy's head and my conclusions are intruguing, or even disturbing sometimes..
What were the best aspects of Narrative Loserdom?
Aside from being written in journal format, which makes this book fresh and unique, I found myself liking all c...more
This book was collection of journal entries that were made by a high school-er, named Justin. The readers got a very close look into the mind of this teenage boy, and were rewarded for it.
I really liked this book, it was easy to get into and Justin was a kind protagonist. Every action he did was something the reader could relate to, so the whole thing came off as very realistic. Every journal entry looked exactly as it should, with some grammatical errors and many random memories that had happe...more
I really liked this book, it was easy to get into and Justin was a kind protagonist. Every action he did was something the reader could relate to, so the whole thing came off as very realistic. Every journal entry looked exactly as it should, with some grammatical errors and many random memories that had happe...more
A very direct look at the mind of a teenager through a journal with less than perfect spelling and grammar.
I must admit to believing that Justin was younger than he actually was. I expected him to be in middle school, not high school. I know that boys’ brains develop slower than female brains, but it was certainly surprising to see one in action. The journal is an interesting way to tell a story and I liked that it came from an assignment in school that Justin was assigned. It provides a good re...more
I must admit to believing that Justin was younger than he actually was. I expected him to be in middle school, not high school. I know that boys’ brains develop slower than female brains, but it was certainly surprising to see one in action. The journal is an interesting way to tell a story and I liked that it came from an assignment in school that Justin was assigned. It provides a good re...more
I could tell after the first chapter that this was going to be a very creative story. Actually, I take that back, I knew that after reading the synopsis.
A journal of a teenage boy with all the ramblings, adventures, antics and mischief that come with that?
Yep, this would most certainly be a crazy ride but a fun one!
I think what I liked most about this book was just how real it seemed to be. I could imagine a teenage boy saying and doing pretty much all the crazy stuff that happened in this stor...more
A journal of a teenage boy with all the ramblings, adventures, antics and mischief that come with that?
Yep, this would most certainly be a crazy ride but a fun one!
I think what I liked most about this book was just how real it seemed to be. I could imagine a teenage boy saying and doing pretty much all the crazy stuff that happened in this stor...more
Apr 21, 2012
Leah
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
arc-for-review,
e-books
Narrative Loserdom is the journal of a young high school male. I felt like I was reading a Seinfeld-esque journal. It was a story about nothing, about a boy's year in high school. There was no high or low. It just was.
In some ways it was interesting, in some ways it wasn't. I think it was a unique idea for a story, but could have been better fine tuned. The story is set in 2001 and it's funny reading about Justin, the journaler, watching music videos on MTV.
Justin is trying to be Christian. He's...more
In some ways it was interesting, in some ways it wasn't. I think it was a unique idea for a story, but could have been better fine tuned. The story is set in 2001 and it's funny reading about Justin, the journaler, watching music videos on MTV.
Justin is trying to be Christian. He's...more
Read more of my reviews at Falling Books!
Narrative Loserdom is a fun and relaxed tale of two teenage boys who stand at the side lines watching life past them by. Their story is told through diary entries, which are written from Justin Taggart's perspective. Yes, yes, I know. A diary? A boy? A boy and a diary? A boy WRITING a diary? I thought it would be full of fighting and lots of partying, I also thought that the idea of a boy having a diary would never work. But, it did! Justin actually has a...more
Narrative Loserdom is a fun and relaxed tale of two teenage boys who stand at the side lines watching life past them by. Their story is told through diary entries, which are written from Justin Taggart's perspective. Yes, yes, I know. A diary? A boy? A boy and a diary? A boy WRITING a diary? I thought it would be full of fighting and lots of partying, I also thought that the idea of a boy having a diary would never work. But, it did! Justin actually has a...more
FULL REVIEW: http://best-of-ya.blogspot.com/2012/0...
Plot: There wasn’t much of a plot, mostly because this is the journal of a rambling, 16 year old boy named Justin Taggart. Each journal entry is like a little story about his day or something that happened to him or something that frustrated him. He talks about a lot of different things like girls (1 in particular), his best friend Adam, his various “jobs”, high school and football practice. Some entries are really interesting, others are kind...more
Plot: There wasn’t much of a plot, mostly because this is the journal of a rambling, 16 year old boy named Justin Taggart. Each journal entry is like a little story about his day or something that happened to him or something that frustrated him. He talks about a lot of different things like girls (1 in particular), his best friend Adam, his various “jobs”, high school and football practice. Some entries are really interesting, others are kind...more
With its protagonist struggling to reach maturity and failing miserably through a series of misadventures, Narrative Loserdom has echoes of great novels like J. D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye or The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. This is a format where the protagonist intentionally does not advance and instead remains stuck in a case of arrested development that echoes the problems of the society that surrounds them.
The Good: The journal entry format aids in creating a well-char...more
The Good: The journal entry format aids in creating a well-char...more
I really enjoyed this retro, slice of life, diary-style story told from a teenage guy's point-of-view. The diary format reminded me a little of the narrators from "Perks of Being A Wallflower" and "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian". There's certainly some guy humor in it that I can't get into being a female, however, it didn't bother me much, cause I know boys will be boys. Overall, the story made me nostalgic, cause the journal is set from 2001 to 2002, the same time frame I was...more
The last book that I had read in a journal format was “The diary of a Wimpy Kid”. And I had enjoyed it thoroughly. So, my expectations were high even though I realize that it’s not fair to compare the two.
This book is a journal of a teenager named Justin Taggart. Like any average teenage boy, his narrations include about school, homework, friends, money, work and yes of course, girls! He has an exciting life and he seems to have an affinity for getting into trouble along with his best friend Ada...more
This book is a journal of a teenager named Justin Taggart. Like any average teenage boy, his narrations include about school, homework, friends, money, work and yes of course, girls! He has an exciting life and he seems to have an affinity for getting into trouble along with his best friend Ada...more
I'm pleased that the author has mentioned the spelling in the journal, as I did initially think there were a handful of typos. These was obviously intended. I liked the idea of writing the book as a journal, it was different and refreshing. The narrative reminded me of a modern day Catcher in the Rye in parts, adolescent angst. I liked Justin in spite of his view that life could be better, I think that sums up many (not all) in this age group (pardon if I'm generalising a bit here). A pleasant c...more
3.5 Stars
See my more detailed review on my blog here: http://immabookworm.blogspot.ca/2012/...
See my more detailed review on my blog here: http://immabookworm.blogspot.ca/2012/...
full review to come
See my review exclusively on www.tinasbookreviews.com -- SOON!!
Mar 23, 2013
Liliana ♥s Mythology
marked it as tbr-next
Aug 16, 2012
Laura
marked it as to-read
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Ryan Collins was born in Texas in 1985. While attending Texas State University he earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science with a minor in writing, and moved toward a post-graduate degree in computer information systems. In the company of a few unpublished short stories, Narrative Loserdom represents his first self-published novel. Ryan works for a local communications company in Austin, T...more
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