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Angry Management

3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 · rating details · 749 ratings · 166 reviews

Every kid in this group wants to fly. Every kid in this group has too much ballast.

Mr. Nak's Angry Management group is a place for misfits. A place for stories. And, man, does this crew have stories.

There's Angus Bethune and Sarah Byrnes, who can hide from everyone but each other. Together, they will embark on a road trip full of haunting endings and glimmering beginnings....more

Hardcover, 246 pages

Published June 30th 2009 by Greenwillow Books

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Jan 09, 2013 Cinco rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, youngadult, shortstories, recovery

I love Chris Crutcher's books, I love his characters, and I love that he views life as being worth the fight. His books have given me comfort and strength for many years. Unfortunately, I didn't love this book like I have many of his others (my favorite is Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes).

The thread that holds these three novellas together, a therapy group run by Mr. Nak, doesn't add anything to the work. It stretches believability in a way that doesn't serve a purpose and shortchanges the characte...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Erin Reilly-Sanders rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, teen, shortstories, realistic

Unfortunately, this is probably my least favorite Chris Crutcher book ever. It's not so much the premise- bringing together characters from previous books into the same place and time stream or the pairing of characters into three short stories/novellas. In fact, I rather enjoyed seeing Angus Bethune with Sarah Byrnes. However, the second story, with Montana West and Trey Chase started out promising- I wasn't that familiar with either character but Crutcher gives enough background that you're no...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Libby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, for-my-boys, young-adult-fiction

Another profound Chris Crutcher book that I can't really recommend because of language and some painful issues. I love Crutcher's characters and his way of showing their victory in the face of some of the harshest tragedies. In Angry Management he combines some of his favorite characters in other books for three novellas. Sarah Byrnes is back, struggling with life and finding more pain, but also more success. Crutcher also gives some minor characters larger rolls.

As a child and family psychologi...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Darcy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya

What I really liked about this book was that it revisited some of the secondary characters we have read about in this author's previous books, but I was blown away with the third story.

The first story dealt with Sarah Byrnes, someone I really admired from Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. After reading that book I didn't think we could learn anything else about her that would be worse, but I should know better than to ever think that as she learns something about her mother that has the ability to d...more What I really liked about this book was that it revisited some of the secondary characters we have read about in this author's previous books, but I was blown away with the third story.

The first story dealt with Sarah Byrnes, someone I really admired from Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. After reading that book I didn't think we could learn anything else about her that would be worse, but I should know better than to ever think that as she learns something about her mother that has the ability to destroy her. I was so very glad that she had found someone who was there for her. I loved Angus, his actions were so simple. His idea of what to do after high school was genius for them both and makes me feel like Sarah will be all right now matter what.

In The Sledding Hill we met Montana West. She seemed like your typical misfit, but she is more than that as we learn with the second story. I love that Montana rallied around the injustice that was her family, well mostly her dad. She did it in typical teen ways and in ways that were smart, in working the system her father controlled. I loved that she stood up for her little sister Tara and tried in a public venue to make those see the real person her father really was.

The last story has familiar characters from Whale Talk, one of my favorites from this author. I admired Marcus from the start, it had to be hard to stand up and buck against things. I thought he did them in a way to get his point across and not inflame the situation too much. I really didn't expect the story to go where it did and even gasped when it reached the point of no return. Matt was a character that didn't act in a way I expected to. When he stood up for Marcus I was cheering him on and had me hoping that the two boys would become fast friends. Matt's actions after the gasp inducing incident made me want to nominate him for sainthood/person of the year/nobel prize, something, not sure what but something good. He kept trying to bring up the same argument that Marcus did, sometimes he got his point across, sometimes not, but if nothing else he shamed the adults to about the role that they played in things. I loved that he was struggling with his faith and what happened, that it was hard to live his life according to what was right morally and know that things weren't right in the law. The conversations that Matt had with Mr. Simet were ones that really made you think.

The thread that pulled all these together was Mr. Nak from Ironman. I was glad to see he was doing good, but hated to hear his news about Hudge. I really wanted things to be better for him.(less)

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Oct 27, 2011 Caleb Rose rated it 5 of 5 stars

Chris Crutcher impresses yet again. In a moving book, consisting of three short stories, will be loved by everyone who reads it. Previously, I had read Staying Fat for Sarah Brynes and Deadline which shocked and impressed me. This book consists of three short stories with a chapter at the beginning and at the end to tie them toghether. The first chapter is shown throught the point of view of Mr. Nak who accepts a job to help with anger management. He contracts some weird students. He has Angus B...more Chris Crutcher impresses yet again. In a moving book, consisting of three short stories, will be loved by everyone who reads it. Previously, I had read Staying Fat for Sarah Brynes and Deadline which shocked and impressed me. This book consists of three short stories with a chapter at the beginning and at the end to tie them toghether. The first chapter is shown throught the point of view of Mr. Nak who accepts a job to help with anger management. He contracts some weird students. He has Angus Bethune, whos strugles with his parents and a temper. He has also got Sarah Brynes, who is burnt on her hands and face and has a past that would shock anyone. Then, there is Montana West, who is adopted and has problems with her adopted father. Finally, there is Marcus James, who is a homosexual african american.

The first one (Kyle Manard and the Craggy Face of the Moon) really enjoyed because i saw it closure for Staying Fat for Sarah Brynes. It changed my views on Moby: Sarah`s "First" fat friend. In the story Angus Bethune and Sarah Brynes become friends and meet at a gym, after attending Mr. Nak's groups, and he asks on a date. It is then revieled that his parents are bot homosexual and got married to another of the same gender when he was young. This is especially awkward for him. The first date turns into a trip to Reno, where Sarah's mother ran to after her husband does horrid things to her. Will Sarah's mother rejoin Sarah's life or Not? That will be answered in Kyle Manard and the Craggy Face of the Moon.

Then their is Montana Wild. This is about a journalist who was adopted by the school board president who keeps shutting down her attempts to write a decent article for the school paper. Her most current one was a article on the legalization of medical marijuana. This is shut down by her dad but this time she she fights for what she knows is right. I really like it about Chris Cruthcher that he discusse issues in his books that parents and teachers would consider touchy. From abortion to homosexuality to medical marijauna he lets readers kno that teenagers have an opinion on these issues.

In the last story, Meet Me at the Gates, Marcus James, A pink noose is hung on african american homosexual Marcus James's locker. Then at a school assembly Matt Miller stands up for him despite what his religon says.(less)

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Oct 02, 2011 Elisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-lit-2011-2012

Rating: *** Upon closer examination this turned out to be three novelettes which featured characters from earlier Chris Crutcher novels. Since this is my first Chris Crutcher novel, I found it hard to say if I would have liked the novelettes better or worse having read the original books the characters are from. I did not really think the Chris Crutcher set up the book with the character of Nat being the leader of group therapy that all the characters went to was well thought out.
Plot:
Story 1: H...more Rating: *** Upon closer examination this turned out to be three novelettes which featured characters from earlier Chris Crutcher novels. Since this is my first Chris Crutcher novel, I found it hard to say if I would have liked the novelettes better or worse having read the original books the characters are from. I did not really think the Chris Crutcher set up the book with the character of Nat being the leader of group therapy that all the characters went to was well thought out.
Plot:
Story 1: Has Angus and Sarah Brynes as the main characters. Angus and Sarah start dating. Angus takes Sarah to see her mother who abandoned her when she was little.
Characters: Angus is an overweight teens with homosexual parents. He is shy, loyal, caring. Sarah is an emotionally and physically scared teen who is very guarded.
Story 2: Montana West is a rebellious adopted teenager who wants the school newspaper to publish her article on medical marijuana. Her adopted father is the head of the school board and refuses to allow the paper to print articles that deal with controversial topics.
Characters: Montana is very head strong. She is very caring towards her foster sister Tara. Trey Chase is apparently a bit of a lady’s man. He is handsome, smart, and a good athlete. He helps Montana with her cause.
Story 3: Marcus James is the only black student in his high school. He also happens to be openly gay as well. One day Marcus walks into school to find a pink noose hanging from his locker. This story deals with hate crimes and how schools choose to deal or not deal with them.
Characters: Marcus is smart, witty, confident. Matt Miller is a wrestler who stands up for what he believes even if it goes against what his friends think or it gets him in trouble.
Themes: bigotry, abuse, foster care, free speech, growing up, teachers as mentors, hate crimes
Additional Information: I’d be interested to know if people who have read other Chris Crutcher books with these characters in them like this collection of short stories.

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Jul 18, 2011 Cathy Nelson rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book was terrific. Not only will it appeal to struggling readers, it will also appeal to those high school readers who have stopped reading for their own pleasure. The three short stories feature characters from previous Crutcher books, and have the potential to lure those readers back to the longer novels. Chocked full of teachable moments or discussion topics on bigotry, child abuse, abandonment, censorship, prejudice, and more--this book can be a way to open conversations around topics th...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Ricki rated it 4 of 5 stars

Chris Crutcher is, in my opinion, one of the best young adult authors out there. His books appeal to every type of kid. I loved this book. It was different than I expected. I thought it was going to be about an anger management class. Instead, it links the stories from Crutcher's previous novels. The reader does not need to have read these novels to understand the characters, as this novel can stand alone. The novel is separated into three stories, each pairing two characters. The only reason I...more

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Jun 11, 2010 Evelyn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic

Since this was a collection of 3 loosely connected novellas, it seems fitting to consider each story separately.

Story #1, "Kyle Maynard and the Craggy Face of the Moon": this was my second favorite of the three. Sarah and Angus were both quite easy to empathize with, and the anger, redemption, and healing contained in the story was powerful and touching. What happened to Sarah was truly terrible, and her strength made an impact on me.

Story #2, "Montana Wild": Least favorite. Montana and Trey may...more

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Jun 10, 2010 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Familiar faces and settings return in Chris Crutcher's most recent work, which is a collection of three short stories. This time, he has brought back some favorite secondary characters to give them a chance to resolve some of the issues they were confronted with in earlier novels.

The first piece focuses on Sarah Byrnes from Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. She was the teen who had bad burns on her face from an incident with her father when she was younger. She is now getting a chance to try and rec...more Familiar faces and settings return in Chris Crutcher's most recent work, which is a collection of three short stories. This time, he has brought back some favorite secondary characters to give them a chance to resolve some of the issues they were confronted with in earlier novels.

The first piece focuses on Sarah Byrnes from Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. She was the teen who had bad burns on her face from an incident with her father when she was younger. She is now getting a chance to try and reconnect with the mother who abandoned her years back, with the help of a new friend.

Then, there is the interestingly named Montana Wild, first introduced in The Sledding Hill. She likes to write cutting edge stories for her school newspaper, but they tend to be a little too edgy for the administration so they are usually cut. To make things more interesting, her father is the conservative chair of the local school committee. After an article about medical marijuana is on the chopping block and her foster sister is being returned by her parents, she decides that enough is enough and fights back.

Finally, we are introduced to Marcus James, who lives a small northwestern town readers first visited in Whaletalk. Those who have been there before will remember that sports are king and the community is not exactly open to minorities. Well, Marcu is gay and black, leaving him with a big target on his back. When someone hangs a pink noose on his locker at school, the administration is unsure of how to handle the problem. Matt Miller, a star wrestler who is strong in his faith, decides to step up and name those who did the crime, but he is not really ready for what happens in response.

The tales are presented as if they were notes from a report by Mr, Nakatani, a guidance counselor who ran an anger management therapy group in Ironman. He is the perfect choice, because the underlying theme in all of the stories is anger ... what causes it, what it causes us to do, and what it doesn't let us do.

As with most of Crutcher's books, the stories are filled with the edgy reality found in the lives of many of today's teens. They speak and act like real teens, which is what has made him one of the greats of the modern YA novel. The characters and situations are somewhat familiar, which makes visiting them a warm experience until the reader joins them in the harsh realities of their situations.

The only problem I have with the book is that it can be a little heavy at times with the message in each story. Rather than allow the reader to connect the dots on his own, Crutcher uses the thoughts or voices of his characters to beat the message in, almost with a hammer. The lack of subtlety detracts from the story and their message because of the blunt preachiness evident. While I whole-heartedly agree with the messages involved, they could have been presented with more finesse. Even with this problem, it is definitely worth the read even if only to reconnect with favorites. Those unfamiliar with the characters should have no trouble catching up, either.(less)

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Jun 01, 2010 Julia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, short-stories, ya

Mr. Nak’s (Ironman) Angry Management group links characters from Crutcher’s novels and short stories in these three interrelated novellas. Angus Bethune (“A Brief Moment in the Life of Angus Bethune” in Athletic Shorts) and Sarah Byrnes (Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes) take a road trip to see Sarah’s mom who escaped from her abusive husband and left Sarah behind. While her mother disappoints her again, Sarah and Angus find power and strength in each other. Montana West and Trey Chase (I don’t know...more

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Apr 15, 2010 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love Chris Crutcher - he's at the top of my list of authors to recommend, particularly to male readers. This book wasn't quite what I expected (I didn't bother to read the jacket flap...I just snatched it up when I saw he had a new book) but still enjoyable. It contains three short stories that follow up on characters from some of his other novels.

What I loved about Angry Management is what I love most about Crutcher's writing style, period. His characters are so clear. No matter what type of...more

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Oct 21, 2009 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: october-2009, to-buy, young-adult-fiction

Using the plot device of an anger management group for troubled teens, Crutcher presents three novellas that explore the reasons why each member has been referred to the group.

There are a couple of familiar characters from Crutcher's other novels or stories: Angus Bethune, the fat teen with two sets of gay parents from "Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories," finds friendship and the possibility of love with Sarah Byrnes, the burned girl from the novel "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes," as they take a...more

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Oct 21, 2009 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: glbtq, young-adult

194
I've been reading Chris Crutcher's books for over 10 years now. I've always loved his writing. This book is like three stories in one, incorporating some of his characters from past books. I wish I remembered them enough to make their stories a little more interesting.

The first two were okay reads, but could have benefited from being a story in themselves with a bit more plot. They seemed to short to really take off.

But the last one...wow! It was riveting, and I really never expected to run...more

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Aug 11, 2009 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction

Fans of Chris Crutcher, of which I am a huge one, will like revisiting some of their old friends. I’m not sure how big a hit the book will be for those who are not familiar with Crutcher’s other books. My biggest complaint is the framework for the three stories, which seems not linked to the actual stories and therefore not necessary to me, which is part of why I am unsure that people unfamiliar with Crutcher’s characters will find the book appealing. This book, comprised of three shorter storie...more

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Jul 22, 2009 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars

Chris Crutcher does it again. Seriously, this guy could write phone book entries for a living, and I'd still read and enjoy them. This title is a collection of 3 novellas, which incorporate some major and minor characters seen before in Crutcher's works - Mr. Nak, Angus Bethune and Sarah Byrnes and Coach Simet, among others, all reappear. There are also references to other characters/events from those books (such as TJ Jones from Whale Talk), so close readers of Crutcher will enjoy the new inter...more

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Jun 28, 2009 Az rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I’m a long-time Crutcher fan, however, I wouldn’t recommend this to those who haven’t read his other work. You need the character background. That aside, it’s still a good book.

The first novella was my least favorite. I enjoy Crutcher because he’s non-conventional and yet believable. He tends not to pair up his characters, and in this one, well, he does. It’s a cultural problem with me, that you can only find validation through one other person who you happen to sleep with. *blows raspberry* Yo...more I’m a long-time Crutcher fan, however, I wouldn’t recommend this to those who haven’t read his other work. You need the character background. That aside, it’s still a good book.

The first novella was my least favorite. I enjoy Crutcher because he’s non-conventional and yet believable. He tends not to pair up his characters, and in this one, well, he does. It’s a cultural problem with me, that you can only find validation through one other person who you happen to sleep with. *blows raspberry* You’re starting to buy into that, and I am not a fan.

The second was much much better. Probably because I’m an anti-censorship junkie, and enjoy when people stand up to authority with an actual argument. Miss West has some balls. We could call them ‘impulsiveness’ or ‘lack of judgment’. But in my experience, it is better to make the snap decision and stand up and say what you mean—then to have experience hesitation and loose the opportunity all together.

The third one made me cry. Though I couldn’t get a clear visual of Matt Miller (I know a Matt Miller, and he does not weigh one sixty), I believe him. He is amazing, for he is not on the outside, and yet defends people who are. Minority groups need to stand up for themselves, for the sake of legitimacy. Women should speak on women’s rights. But when a minority is a true minority (the only black kid in the school), he’s going to need some help. Getting from a golden boy is pleasing, particularly when he is utilizing the teachings of Christ. Many modern forms of Christianity have a problem with minorities. We need to work on that. And Matt Miller’s internal discourse is a great place to start.

Usually you have to exist outside the mainstream to defend those who are. Not him, though. And he doesn’t do it with pity. He does it with honesty.

I’ve been a Crutcher fan for a long time (not long in the geological sense, but in that I started reading them when I was younger than the main characters and now I’m preparing to graduate college), because it’s not that shit happens to you, and shit so often does happen to good people (everybody’s got something), but what matter is not what happened, but what you do with it.

It’s not what happened; it’s what you do with it. It’s good stuff.
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Mar 14, 2013 Angel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Now that I've gotten myself under control, I can say that while Chris Crutcher's writing technique may not 100% agree with me, what he writes will stay with me a long time. I got to see this author speak at an ALA conference in Seattle. He said that he got his ideas from kids. Kids will write him, tell him about their lives and he'll spin it into a story.

The three novellas in Angry Management deal with some heavy subjects and I can't even hint at them without giving the plots away. The idea of...more

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Aug 23, 2009 Cornmaven rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: high-school

Another good Crutcher book, this time exploring the world of anger, especially in adolescents, and how it is expressed. Crutcher uses 3 short stories involving characters that have appeared in other Crutcher books. I dropped it down a star because of two things - a few times the dialogue was not very true to a teenager - too worldly, even for a teenager that has gone through trauma. The other reason was that in the 3rd story he abandoned the story a couple of times to give a history lesson. I th...more

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Aug 13, 2009 Rich rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This book is the perfect example of the love/hate relationship I have with Chris Crutcher, particularly his work over the last few years. Stotan, Running Loose, and The Crazy Horse Electric Game (I know that isn't the order they were published in, but it is the order I read them) excited me, moved me, made me laugh, made me cry and truly elevated me. Because of those books, for years I eagerly awaited each new book of his.

Unfortunately, he's gone from a talented writer who could move me and mak...more This book is the perfect example of the love/hate relationship I have with Chris Crutcher, particularly his work over the last few years. Stotan, Running Loose, and The Crazy Horse Electric Game (I know that isn't the order they were published in, but it is the order I read them) excited me, moved me, made me laugh, made me cry and truly elevated me. Because of those books, for years I eagerly awaited each new book of his.

Unfortunately, he's gone from a talented writer who could move me and make me think to a talented writer who has become a shrill scold, refusing to give any credence or credit to people on the other side of his idealogical fence.

When it comes to pure raw emotion, they really don't better than Crutcher. He pulls it out of you, and in the case of this book, he practically yanks it out of you like a dentist pulling a tooth, with no novocaine. But once started, I couldn't put the book down.

I liked the book because it did get to me on an emotional level, and that's important for any book. And there were evidences of the humor that I loved in his early books--especially in the story "Kyle Maynard and the Craggy Face of the Moon.

I disliked the book because it seems that Crutcher is still living forty-five years ago in the mid-1960s going by the Who's motto--"Never trust anyone over 35." He treats racism as if it is still rampant in the country. (Is our country perfect? Of course not, and I'll never say it is, but things have gotten so much better. Because of human nature, racism will never completely vanish. The problem is that people like Crutcher look at a Utopian world and when our world doesn't yet match up to that Utopian vision, they throw fits.)

In the world Crutcher has created everyone in a school setting--with the exception of the one or two gutsy teachers who befriend the main characters--are fools and politicians thinking more of their own careers and hind ends than the good of the students. And that goes for most everyone else in a position of power as well. I can understand Crutcher maybe wanting to show it from the kid's point of view, but he doesn't. This is how he has constructed his view of the world.

In the final story, Meet Me at the Gates, Marcus James, he tries to create a sympathetic Christian character--Matt Miller. The dust jacket describes him as a straight-laced Christian. However Matt soon falls into dropping f-bombs every other sentence after the tragedy of the story. The transition doesn't feel right, it's too sudden, too quick--it feels like Crutcher created his perfect Christian, one who reads the Bible, but cusses every bit as good as a sailor. And in creating that Christian character Crutcher cherry picks his Christian doctrines and ignoring others.

While the stories here are moving and powerful, they also show Crutcher's inability to really show both sides of an issue.

I really wish I could find the writer I once loved, but I think it is a lost cause now. (less)

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Apr 09, 2012 David K rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mr. Nak's Angry Management group is a place for misfits. Chris Crutcher expresses the stories of unlucky, misguided teens and how they overcome their obstacles in life through the book Angry Management. Their stories are crazy and sometimes mind-boggling how that person can keep living their life, same as everyone else. For example Angus Bethune, overweight senior who’s parents got divorced and both married people of their same sex. Imagine the looks Angus gets while walking down the streets wit...more

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Sep 02, 2009 Claudia rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: EVERYONE!

Recommended to Claudia by: Cassie

Shelves: ya-books

Chris Crutcher speaks FOR young people better than anyone I know. He's honest about the pressures teenagers and other humans face, and he lets his characters SAY what's in their hearts...politically incorrect or not. Anyone who criticizes his characters' language need only walk through the halls of any high school and know his kids are authentic. I think often people attack his books because they, in their sheltered lives, have never seen the kind of pain he's seen, the kind of pain too many of...more

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Mar 13, 2011 Dana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult, shortstories

There are other people on Goodreads who have written excellent reviews of this book, so many that I was tempted to "Like" a whole slew of them and call it quits on writing my own. For any of my friends who actually read my reviews, though, here is my take.
Angry Management is really a set of three short stories tied together with the premise that Mr. Nak is leading an anger management group for teens in rural northern Idaho/southeastern Washington. Each of the three stories tells about 2 kids in...more

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Jul 14, 2010 Jaemi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction, bullying, foster-care, scifi, anger

In Angry Management, Chris Crutcher revives some of his best known, and lesser known, characters in a series of novellas. Those of us who’ve read Crutcher will remember Sarah Byrnes and Angus Bethune. Angry Management also revisits Trey Chase, Montana West, Marcus James, Matt Miller, and John Simet. Crutcher calls it Fantasy, in that most of these characters are now outside their original times, and in some cases, places. The group has been brought together by their surrounding community for the...more

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Sep 04, 2011 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, read-in-2011

Any time I hear that a book has been challenged in a school library, I do two things. First, I wonder if the person(s) making the challenge have read the book and understand its message. Second, I pick up the book and read it for myself. I think a lot of readers are with me on this, especially my teenage readers. What’s the first thing that happens when you tell a teenager–or anyone, for that matter–that they shouldn’t do something? They do it, of course! So, this summer, when I heard that Chris...more Any time I hear that a book has been challenged in a school library, I do two things. First, I wonder if the person(s) making the challenge have read the book and understand its message. Second, I pick up the book and read it for myself. I think a lot of readers are with me on this, especially my teenage readers. What’s the first thing that happens when you tell a teenager–or anyone, for that matter–that they shouldn’t do something? They do it, of course! So, this summer, when I heard that Chris Crutcher’s Angry Management (a nominee for the 2011-12 South Carolina Young Adult Book Award) had been challenged and pulled off the shelves in one South Carolina county, I knew that the controversy surrounding this book would only make sure that teens would read it. I don’t even know that I would have read this book if some goofball hadn’t tried to remove it from his kid’s school library. (I’m an elementary school librarian now. This book was barely even on my radar.) But I did pick up Angry Management, and I did read it in its entirety–which is more than I can say for the parent who tried to have it banned. If he had read the whole book, maybe he would have learned a little about how the censoring of ideas only leads to trouble. No one wins when we try to trample on the First Amendment. (For more on this controversy, visit http://www.chriscrutcher.com/south-ca....)

In Angry Management, we are reintroduced to some of Chris Crutcher’s most memorable characters–Sarah Byrnes, Angus Bethune, John Simet, Montana West, and others–in an anthology about teenagers with reasons to be angry. Whether it’s an abusive father, an absent mother, homophobia, racism, being overweight, fighting against censorship, or just struggling to survive, these kids are facing a lot, and they have good reason to be angry. But can they use their anger and turn all of their rage into something positive? Can they deal with their scars–on the inside and outside–and use their hurt to do something good, be something great? Will they be able to show everyone that they can’t be broken…no matter what is thrown at them? It’s not an easy road to travel, and not all of them will be successful, but these beloved characters have a chance to use their anger in a productive way and change their lives forever. “Not a good chance, maybe. But a chance.”

Before this book, I had only read one other novel by Chris Crutcher–Whale Talk–so I wasn’t familiar with most of the characters in this anthology. It didn’t matter. Even without the background from previous novels, the stories in Angry Management were powerful, and each one taught a lesson. Yes, there was a bit of language (the reason this book was challenged in SC in the first place), but it was true to the tone of the book and the lives of the teenagers depicted. Most teenagers aren’t going to say, “Well, phooey,” when they’ve lived with abuse their entire lives. Sometimes, only an expletive (or five) can convey just how angry someone is. The message of Angry Management is what we need to focus on. We–teens and adults alike–should use our anger to make us stronger, and fight against the injustices that try to keep us down. We need to use our rage to lead us to a better–and more hopeful–future.

I hope you’ll take the time to read this wonderful book. It is moving, eye-opening, and heartbreaking, and it serves to remind us that, at the end of the day, we always have hope that things will get better.

For more information on Angry Management and other books by Chris Crutcher, please visit http://www.chriscrutcher.com/index.html. If you’re a South Carolina school librarian, pay special attention to his upcoming appearances in our state. Awesome.
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Dec 21, 2009 Judy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is actually like three novellas, loosely strung together as six teens under the care of the same therapist. The characters are all characters from his other novels. An interesting exercise.

The third story, Meet me at the Gate, Marcus James, was by far the most powerful. Gripping is the better word. The first two were good enough, but did not get into my head the way Marcus James did.

An interesting aside: Matt Miller, a dedicated Christian, is portrayed in a positive light. His contribution...more

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Sep 10, 2009 Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars

*YOUNG ADULT NOVEL* Fans of Sarah Byrnes, Angus Bethune, Matt Miller, and Montana West will welcome this reunion. Crutcher has taken characters from previous books and created new short stories, repackaged as three novellas. Unfortunately, uniting the three stories through an anger management group feels contrived. The stories are engaging if not particularly memorable, and the first contains a scene where both characters lose their virginity and fail to use birth control without consequences. C...more

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Jan 09, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

When I was first thinking about writing this review, I thought I would say that some authors only have one or two good books in them, and when they have written those books they should stop and move on to something else. Chris Crutcher wrote his two books and they were Deadline and Whale Talk.

However, as I got closer to finishing this book, I changed my mind.

Crutcher writes about love and evil and hate in all their forms, about the courage to stand up against injustice and how hard it can be to...more

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May 08, 2011 Tracy Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011

Crutcher had some nice ideas in this book, however I felt like it fell a bit short of its potential. The stories felt rushed and uneditted (don't even get me started about the grammar) in a way that made me think of an uneditted NANOWRIMO novel. The characters were almost well developed but there was something missing from each of them.
Perhaps the biggest dissapointment for me was that I was expecting a book where I would get to see these kids in the group and how it effected them. I ened up get...more

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Oct 25, 2011 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: teens, Chris Crutcher fans

Shelves: abuse, realistic-fiction, short-story, young-adult-lit

Although I was already a fan of Chris Crutcher's work, this book shot to the top of my TBR pile when it was challenged by a parent in South Carolina. Because of Crutcher's willingness to take on a host of societal issues, his books are often challenged--and teens love them. I'm not generally a huge fan of short stories, but I enjoyed this collection of three novellas and the chance to revisit characters from several of Crutcher's previous novels. Highly recommended.

The characters in the three st...more Although I was already a fan of Chris Crutcher's work, this book shot to the top of my TBR pile when it was challenged by a parent in South Carolina. Because of Crutcher's willingness to take on a host of societal issues, his books are often challenged--and teens love them. I'm not generally a huge fan of short stories, but I enjoyed this collection of three novellas and the chance to revisit characters from several of Crutcher's previous novels. Highly recommended.

The characters in the three stories are loosely bound together by Mr. Nak's Angry Management group.

"Kyle Maynard and the Craggy Face of the Moon" features Sarah Byrnes and Angus Bethune. Sarah bears her burn-scarred face like a shield to protect herself from becoming too involved with anyone and Angus uses his girth and his sense of humor in a similar way. The teens become closer as they embark on a road trip to find Sarah's mother, who abandoned her to her abusive father.

In "Montana Wild," Montana West writes the kind of stories for her school newspaper that never get published, thanks to conservative administrators backed up by the right-wing head of the school board who happens to be her adoptive father. When her latest story, about medical marijuana, gets shot down, she is asked to write a human interest piece on a football player. Trey Chase is not a stereotypical "dumb jock" and Montana is drawn to him right away. His grandmother, Mari, is dying of cancer and uses marijuana to ease her pain and nausea. Mari suggests that Montana not give up on her medical marijuana article. Even knowing that the school paper won't publish it, Montana decides to push the issue and get it before the school board. Mari says, "You don't have to win to win. Just keep putting it in front of them. The truth rises." The showdown between Montana and Maxwell West is inevitable.

The third story, "Meet Me at the Gates, Marcus James" was my favorite. Marcus is the only African American student at his high school, which is run by football-obsessed bigots. Not only is Marcus whip-smart and outspoken, but he is also gay. When he strolls into Mr. Simet's U.S. Government class wearing the pink noose that had been hanging on his locker, no one misses its significance. Mr. Simet is supportive, but cautions Marcus about the statement he's making by wearing the noose. When the school administrators call an assembly to "address" the bigotry, Matt Miller, a devout Christian calls them out for appearing to address the issue, while making it impossible to resolve. I love this character, who embodies the best Christian behavior, rather than the holier-than-thou brand of Christianity that permeates American culture. He stands up and tells the truth, which unleashes an unforeseen shitstorm and connects him with Marcus forever. Marcus' father is another interesting character because, even though he understands what it's like to be hated for something he can't control (his race), his initial reaction to learning that Marcus is gay is anger. He eventually accepts his son and has this to say, "You know, teacher man, bein' homosexual isn't somethin' my boy chose. He just was. Somebody's readin' the good book all wrong. You ask me, God creates it, God loves it. Simple as that." Amen. (less)

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Reading This Book Before "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes" and "Whale Talk"?	2	3	Aug 03, 2012 08:10am
Three Novellas...all of them great.	3	17	Sep 10, 2009 11:55am

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About Chris Crutcher

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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“If you think your life sucks, it probably does. Do something about it.” — 6 people liked it

“You have to be mad in the language you're mad in.” — 2 people liked it

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