Jerk, California
by Jonathan Friesen
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 66)
Jerk, California is about a young man named Jack who was diagnosed with Tourettes as a child. Reading this book, I felt a lot of different emotions. I felt sympathetic for Jack and his mother but by the end I felt relieved because everything falls into place. My favorite character in the book was Jack, because he had to deal with so much but he kept his head up and got through it all. My least favorite character was Old Bill, Jack's step-dad. Bill lied to Jack about his real father and trea...more
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Read in October, 2008
Not since I read "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" have I been so affected by a writer's style. At first, I was off-put by the halting, occasionally coarse writing. However, it soon dawned upon me that the writer has mimicked the main character's Tourette's Syndrome into his writing style (whether intentional or unintentional, I don't know). Once I recognized this, I was able to become fully absorbed into the plot and characters.
This book is excellent. The charact...more
This book is excellent. The charact...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommended to Elisa by:
publisher
Run, don't walk, to the bookstore when this book comes out (Sept 4, 2008) to get a copy. A publisher sent it to me and I decided to give it a read. It was wonderful. Sarcastic, poignant, funny, charming...all the good things you say about books. It is a story about a boy with Tourette's and a journey he takes to find out who he is. To say this book is about Tourettes is to say that White Oleander is about flowers. The Tourettes is a painful backdrop for a painful life. It all starts with ...more
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1 comments
Read in November, 2008
recommends it for:
Young people and adults
This book was absolutely so worth reading. I haven't read a YA book about Tourette's and knowing that the author is drawing from his personal experience with TS makes this story that more believable. Sad to say but humans can be pretty cruel to each other especially if someone is "different" than others. I worried about my youngest son when he was 7 because he constantly blinked his eyes and TS was one of the first things that ran through my mind. It turned out to be a tic but somethin...more
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Read in September, 2008
Sam has Tourette's Syndrome and it's made life difficult to say the least. He's got no friends, gets no support from his horrible stepfather and browbeaten mother--and has been fed a constant stream of misinformation about who his real father was. So when life throws a wrench into his thoroughly pessimistic plans, Sam's already confusing life is turned upside down. And when a mysterious, attractive new girl is thrown into the mix, things get really interesting.
Sam's story is moving--and his...more
Sam's story is moving--and his...more
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Read in July, 2008
recommended to Barbara by:
Claire
-- an excellent portrayal of a sensitive boy learning to deal with Tourette's Syndrome, adolescence, and a dysfunctional family
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recommended to Featherpaw by:
he did
recommends it for: people
recommends it for: people
This is a totally awesome book. Jonathan and I have similar writing styles, and I feel like I can see into his head for some of the scenes. Read it!
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Read in October, 2008
This book was so heart-warning. I saw him speak and he was amazing his book was too! A quick read worth your time. I LOVED this one and I can't wait for his second novel!
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5 comments
Read in July, 2008
I'm not sure I buy the windmill out of the rock, but I liked this book. Sam/Jack has Tourettes, an asshole stepfather, a dead father, a weak mother, and an awful lot of questions. A letter from that dead father, and a pushy strange "old coot" begins Sam's journey that ultimately will end in Jerk, with a whole different perspective on life.
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Read in September, 2008
First person fiction narrative about a teen boy and his struggle with growing up with turrettes. Excellent characters, great plot development, some parts felt rushed, I guess I just wish it were longer.
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a really fabulous book, tackling Tourette's Syndrome. couldn't give five stars, because i really wish i could read a YA book that didn't include a teen pregnancy in which the girl realizes that, despite her dreams of Harvard, she should keep the kid. not that that's wrong, it's just the prevailing theme in YA books these days...
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