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35th out of 67 books
—
121 voters
King of the Mild Frontier: An Ill-Advised Autobiography
Do you know:
A good reason to be phobic about oysters and olives?
How shutting your mouth can help you avoid brain surgery?
How to survive in the winter wilderness with only a fishing pole and a sausage?
A good reason to be phobic about oysters and olives?
How shutting your mouth can help you avoid brain surgery?
How to survive in the winter wilderness with only a fishing pole and a sausage?
Paperback, 272 pages
Published
October 5th 2004
by Greenwillow Books
(first published April 1st 2003)
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♥ i love chris crutcher ♥
if oddballs was augusten burroughs for the younger generation, chris crutcher is their david sedaris. both books are humorous essays involving childhood and family and all the tales of things that happen to shape a boy into a man, but crutcher just has better stories. and a more genial approach to telling them. part of this is due to a complete lack of vanity on his part; a trait those sedaris kids have in spades. seemingly unconcerned about how he appears to others, cru...more
if oddballs was augusten burroughs for the younger generation, chris crutcher is their david sedaris. both books are humorous essays involving childhood and family and all the tales of things that happen to shape a boy into a man, but crutcher just has better stories. and a more genial approach to telling them. part of this is due to a complete lack of vanity on his part; a trait those sedaris kids have in spades. seemingly unconcerned about how he appears to others, cru...more
Now I've read "Ironman," "Stotan," "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes," and most recently, "Deadline." In some ways, Crutcher always does the same thing (confronting uncomfortable themes in a gripping story), but he does it so well. So this autobiography is my favorite so far because it told me why. It also contains so much wisdom. Some examples:
"No one is pretty; no one is ugly. There is no Jesus without Judas, no Martin Luther King, Jr., without the Klan; no Ali without Joe Frazier; no freedom with...more
"No one is pretty; no one is ugly. There is no Jesus without Judas, no Martin Luther King, Jr., without the Klan; no Ali without Joe Frazier; no freedom with...more
4 likes · like · see review
I feel like I am a bit embarrassed that I have never heard of Chris Crutcher, apparently famed, occasionally banned, author of popular young adult fiction. But, I love a good, funny memoir, so I picked this one up anyway. This collection meanders through a variety of personal experiences, hilariously told, of the author's mostly early years of life. In tales reminiscent of something like "A Christmas Story," with nostalgic tales of simpler days, the author shares experiences from his painfully d...more
“King of the Mild Frontier” by Chris Crutcher
King of the mild frontier is a memoir, it takes place in Cascade, Idaho. It is about a guy named Chris Crutcher and how he grew up, also it tells how he dealt with his anger issues, or more of how his mom dealt with his anger issues. Throughout his life he would always have some problem with one person in his life and he would end up in his own world when he gets to angry, and starts breaking things.
It is a good read for readers who enjoy funny and...more
King of the mild frontier is a memoir, it takes place in Cascade, Idaho. It is about a guy named Chris Crutcher and how he grew up, also it tells how he dealt with his anger issues, or more of how his mom dealt with his anger issues. Throughout his life he would always have some problem with one person in his life and he would end up in his own world when he gets to angry, and starts breaking things.
It is a good read for readers who enjoy funny and...more
I have rarely raced through such a delightful and laugh-out-loud funny memoir as this one. I had the honor of hearing Chris speak at the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators conference in New York this past weekend (January 25-26, 2012); he had all 1,000 of us in the room cupped in his hand from the beginning to the end of the speech. When I asked him to sign my book, I confessed to him that one minute I was crying about his stories as a therapist for abused children, and the next...more
NONFICTION/INFORMATIONAL
I was interested to read this book since I really enjoyed Chris Crutcher's "Running Loose." However I didn't really enjoy this book. It just had lots of anecdotes, and little gems from his life. For a young adult book there were so many references that as a 22 year old I didn't understand. It seemed to me to be an opportunity for him to just talk about himself and justify controversial subjects he writes about. He is very unapologetic about using language and racy topics,...more
I was interested to read this book since I really enjoyed Chris Crutcher's "Running Loose." However I didn't really enjoy this book. It just had lots of anecdotes, and little gems from his life. For a young adult book there were so many references that as a 22 year old I didn't understand. It seemed to me to be an opportunity for him to just talk about himself and justify controversial subjects he writes about. He is very unapologetic about using language and racy topics,...more
As a teacher of young adolescents, I admire Crutcher's ability to deal with difficult issues in a way that doesn't demean the adolescent reader. He creates real characters - characters who sound like, look like, and act like people the audience of his novels encounter daily. And for this, Crutcher finds himself on lists of banned books and frequently banned authors. Crutcher's memoir provides a lot of insight about the real-life stories behind his novel as well as about the author himself. I had...more
I found this book in a used book store a couple months ago, and I picked it up because I have always enjoyed Chris Crutcher's novels. Sometimes I shy away from autobiographies of my favorite authors because I find that I prefer the characters they create in their fiction to their own voices. In this case, however, Crutcher's voice is fairly close to many of the narrators he has created, a fact that I could have guessed given the fact that I had noticed the similarity in those narrative voices af...more
Chris Crutcher's unlikely heroes and heroines captured my heart from the very beginning. Add to that a fluid writing style and a wonderful wit, and you definitely have my attention. In reading Crutcher's bio, I understand where he gets his inspiration. As a writer, I understand how people and events become twisted (or not) and find their way into our stories. The insight into his characters, though, is secondary for his hilarious spin on events that might have ruined anybody's life. I love his l...more
Oh, I loved this book! This book reminds me a little of Jon Scieszka's memoir, Knucklehead. Like Jon, Chris grew up in a house of boys and learned hard lessons from older brothers. I laughed out loud - I mean BELLY LAUGHED - throughout the book. He is so dorky and funny while he's trying to be cool and fit it. Who hasn't felt like that at least once in their lives?
The book also has some important lessons - for all of us. Chris was a kids with a real temper. He talks about how he dealt with it,...more
The book also has some important lessons - for all of us. Chris was a kids with a real temper. He talks about how he dealt with it,...more
I've only ever read Deadline before, but I really enjoyed it. So when I read his autobiography I expected to like it to. Well I did, it is one of my favorite books that I've read in a while an probably one of my top three English Festival books. It's funny and humble at the same time as serious and kind if inspiring. The only issue I had was getting used to how he went back and forth in his childhood a lot, though I understand why. It's not exactly supposed to in chronological order and it world...more
Funny memoir about the author of many teen novels. Crutcher grew up in a small Pacific NW community. Reading about Crutcher's stint as a therapist working with abused kids and other troubled adults shed light on why he is almost always on the top of any Banned Books list--he believes in standing up for yourself and others, especially those who most need it. I would really like to read non-fiction essays--aimed at adults or teens--by Crutcher, but, alas, I don't think there are any.
Summary: Chri...more
Summary: Chri...more
I had high hopes for this, since I adore Chris Crutcher's books so much. But I finished it feeling pretty disappointed. I suppose that's because it turns out that all these crazy characters that CC has come up with over the years, and so many of their situations, were all taken right from the pages of his own life. And while every writer does that, the way some of these were explained, it seemed like whole characters were based on just one person from his own life. That makes all those character...more
This autobiography was well...odd. Chris Crutcher is an interesting person. His life is a comical, if not at times a disturbing one. It made me uncomfortable at times with the descriptions and langauge. This is a novel many teens will relate to. It is one that can help teens realize they aren't the only ones with difficulties in life. There are some moments I definitely related. He is quite a rough character and an author I probably will not actually end up reading in the future. However the mes...more
Hysterical! Whether you are familiar with Crutcher's books or not, this one is phenomenal. Featuring hilarious stories from his childhood that most all of us can relate to as well as tales of his athletic prowess (or lack thereof) in addition to some insight on where his fictional characters come from, this is a must-read. I am recommending it to anyone I know who ever "did something neat" and got in trouble for it as a child (so, everyone). I have heard part of it read by the author who made me...more
I found myself laughing out loud while reading this book. As a younger sibling myself I related to Crutcher’s stories of being manipulated by his older brother. I love that the author wrote in a way that teens can relate to by making modern references; for example, he mentions Lance Armstrong when describing an event but also notes that the man did not exist during his childhood. If Crutcher had instead referred to an athlete who was around during his childhood teens might not understand the ref...more
This book is absolutely hilarious! I'm never really into auto-biography, but this is awesome. I recommend to teens and up for content, but i couldn't get enough of this book. One great scene is when John, Chris's older brother, convinces him to pee on the water heater because it will do something "neat". When the yellow steam and horrid smell rise up from the water heater, the real question is, how are they going to hide that from their parents. The answer is, they don't. That's just a sampler o...more
I read this for part of my memoir project for YA lit. I've enjoyed Crutcher's fiction and I also enjoyed reading his autobiography. He reveals his childhood and motivations in creating his characters. I especially liked the last few chapters, where Crutcher discusses being a therapist and the anti-heroes that he develops for his novels. The book did, however, feel very unorganized and jumpy. Despite the fact that I wanted to reorganize pretty much every chapter, I loved this book for the honesty...more
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Lexile:1180
Crutcher shows us the life that makes it clear where his stories get their guts and grit. Often, while reading this, I got Robert Fulghum vibes (great anecdotes the writer uses to pull wonderful insights about life).
More than ever, after reading this autobiography, I feel Crutcher, the writer (and human), is for real. Not only are his characters three-dimensional and admirably flawed, many express an atypical heroism that makes the reader grateful for more sophisticated young-adult f...more
Crutcher shows us the life that makes it clear where his stories get their guts and grit. Often, while reading this, I got Robert Fulghum vibes (great anecdotes the writer uses to pull wonderful insights about life).
More than ever, after reading this autobiography, I feel Crutcher, the writer (and human), is for real. Not only are his characters three-dimensional and admirably flawed, many express an atypical heroism that makes the reader grateful for more sophisticated young-adult f...more
Chris might not be too happy to hear that I found this book at a library sale where the books were five for a dollar! As a big Crutcher fan, I nabbed it immediately, and it still holds an honored place on my bookshelf. It's both hilarious and profound, and boy, do I wish I had been able to read it when I was a teen. I might have saved myself a lot of angst and misery if I had heard this kind of wisdom:
"It's easy to look back and say if things had been perfect, I could have accommodated all of th...more
"It's easy to look back and say if things had been perfect, I could have accommodated all of th...more
Mar 22, 2008
Bonnie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
god,
humor,
nonfiction,
teen,
autobiography,
young-adult,
brothers,
stotan,
sports,
guys-read
Ever wonder what childhood was like for your favorite author? Not just the “born in the country, raised in a log cabin,” sort of thing, but the embarrassing, mind-boggling moments in high school or church or on the summer job? Well here’s your answer. Chris Crutcher writes his own ill-advised biography that will answer a lot of your questions about how he started writing and where his stories come from. Did you ever ask yourself how the term Stotan came into existence? Or how the author got the...more
I picked up this book in the library a few weeks before Christmas because I was thinking of giving it to my dad for the holidays. I intended to skim it and leave it behind, but ended up wholly engrossed in it. I checked it out and brought it home for some fireside giggling.
Chris Crutcher is a funny guy, and he always has been. That's all there is to it. The autobiography, as most autobiographies are, is somewhat rambling and sometimes point-less (perhaps because in real life every experience we...more
Chris Crutcher is a funny guy, and he always has been. That's all there is to it. The autobiography, as most autobiographies are, is somewhat rambling and sometimes point-less (perhaps because in real life every experience we...more
I've never read any of Chris Crutcher's fiction books, but after reading his autobiography, I definitely want to! He writes with an honest, funny tone and seems to have a lot of wisdom. In comparing him to David Sedaris, another humorous author who writes many short stories about his childhood, I'd have to say I like Chris Crutcher better! David Sedaris is great, but also very snarky and cynical. Chris Crutcher seems like an all around more friendly guy. His stories are HILARIOUS. The one about...more
Laugh out loud funny, touching, and great story-telling about the author's childhood! I loved listening to this autobiography and think it would appeal to many teens - especially boys, but girls too - who like to hear about the lives of their favorite authors, or who are interested in becoming authors themselves. It deals with some mature themes, so I'm thinking 8th grade and up, but it would work for some 7th graders as well. Put a smile on my face all the way through.
This was so authentic--I loved it. Chris talks about his boyhood, adolescence, and somewhat about adulthood. Some of the stories are laugh out loud funny. I am just going to say one word, "scab", without being a spoiler! Chris fills us in on how many of his experiences contributed to plot lines and character sketches in his wonderful Young Adult books. Chris sees the universality of things that happen to form who we are. That was so interesting!
There are very few who can compete with the antics retold in this story, and I think most of them grew up in Pike County, KY. I know wonderfully crazy things happen in childhood throughout the world. But I know a family of boys that can retell their antics in a way that I have only seen improved upon by Chris Crutcher. I wonder if he narrates the recorded version. It would be worthy the second, third, tenth listen-to!!
I finished it and I am not disappointed to have picked this one up. I am disa...more
I finished it and I am not disappointed to have picked this one up. I am disa...more
I liked listening to this autobiography. Chris Crutcher did a good job reading his own book - and not all authors do. Some parts of this book struck me powerfully in their sadness, poignancy, tragedy, and insight. Other parts were just so, so funny. CC did not tell his story linearly, which made it more interesting. Toward the end, it became more "this is my life philosophy/mantra" and less events from his life. I have to say I lost some interest there. However, enjoyable and easy to listen to.
If I could award fractions of stars, I'd give this somewhere between a 3.5 and a 3.75. There's a nice balance of hilarious moments and poignant ones. I heard Chris Crutcher read from this book at the ULA conference last week, and if he had read the entire thing aloud to me, I probably would have given it 4 stars. I understand that he reads the audiobook version, so if you can find it, consider giving it a try.
A great memoir. His brother managed to convince to do some incredibly stupid things. He tells one story where he got a glow in the dark plaque with "Jesus" on it. His brother broke off the "J" and when Chris threatened to tell their parents his brother convinced him that Jesus had an older brother named "Esus" who taught him everything he knew. Good stuff, check it out, it's worth a few laughs.
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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...more
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“It's easy to look back and say if things had been perfect, I could have accommodated all of those things into my life. But as a therapist I do not allow that word to be uttered in my office after the first session, because I believe the only reason for the existence of that word is to make us feel bad. It's the only word in the language (that I know of) that is defined in common usage by what can't be. It sets a vague standard that can't be met because it is never truly characterized. I prefer to think that we're all out here doing our best under the circumstances, looking at our world through the only eyes through which we can look at it: our own.”
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“Leave me alone, you big fat shitburger!”
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