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301st out of 340 books
—
402 voters
Annie on My Mind
by
Nancy Garden
Liza never knew that falling in love could be so wonderful . . . and so confusing.
"'Liza,' Mom said, looking into my eyes, 'I want you to tell me the truth, not because I want to pry, but because I have to know. This could get very unpleasant . . . Now--have you and Annie--done any more than the usual experimenting . . . '
'No, Mom,' I said, trying to look back at her calml
...more
"'Liza,' Mom said, looking into my eyes, 'I want you to tell me the truth, not because I want to pry, but because I have to know. This could get very unpleasant . . . Now--have you and Annie--done any more than the usual experimenting . . . '
'No, Mom,' I said, trying to look back at her calml
Hardcover
Published
July 1st 1982
by Farrar Straus Giroux
(first published 1982)
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Annie On My Mind will always have a special place in my heart, it was the first lesbian themed book I ever read. You may not understand the enormity of this, but just try to understand being 14 and every book you read involves a romance between a man and a woman. Every movie, every TV show, everyone I know is straight, nobody knows I'm gay, I barely understand it myself, and I pick up this book and suddenly it's like I can breathe. Suddenly I don't feel so alone, there's an actual published book...more
Nov 10, 2012
Jennifer Wardrip
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
trt-posted-reviews
Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
Nancy Garden's ANNIE ON MY MIND, originally published in 1982, was recently re-released. (It includes an interview with the author herself.)
The book represents an early example of realistic young adult fiction depicting a lesbian relationship between two high school seniors. It is still a fitting portrayal for today's teens.
Liza and Annie meet in a New York museum and develop a fast friendship. Both seem to realize there is somet...more
Nancy Garden's ANNIE ON MY MIND, originally published in 1982, was recently re-released. (It includes an interview with the author herself.)
The book represents an early example of realistic young adult fiction depicting a lesbian relationship between two high school seniors. It is still a fitting portrayal for today's teens.
Liza and Annie meet in a New York museum and develop a fast friendship. Both seem to realize there is somet...more
It's difficult to take a stance on a controversial topic without sounding preachy. Considering that this was written in the 80s, it is very, very ahead of its time, and it is therefore not at all surprising that this became a banned book. Keep in mind, folks, that ego-dystonic homosexuality - a psychological problem where one is afflicted with "unwanted" homosexual feelings and wants desperately to be straight - was not removed from the DSM (a diagnostic index of various psychological disorders)...more
No surprise that this is a challenged book, as it's a lesbian coming-of-age tale set (and published) in the early eighties. The bulk of the relationship is well-developed, tender, and affecting, although the author shies away from writing legitimate and involving scenes when it comes to the girls' sexual experiences. It's sad to see an author resort to such prudish "...I moved closer to annie and soon felt glad. Later, as we lay together..." depictions of moments that could have truly taken the...more
17 likes · like · see review
I'm not sure I'm qualified to write much of a review on this book, as I was never an adolescent lesbian. But I will say that it was incredibly easy to relate to--even for an adolescent hetero male--and the situation is touching, if not incredibly sad.
Liza is a teenager who finds a companion in a fellow museum-goer one star-struck day. Cautious and excited, she pursues her romance, despite the fact that many around her do not seem to understand. Through the help of a teacher, she finds guidance i...more
Liza is a teenager who finds a companion in a fellow museum-goer one star-struck day. Cautious and excited, she pursues her romance, despite the fact that many around her do not seem to understand. Through the help of a teacher, she finds guidance i...more
12 likes · like · see review
i didn't read this book until i was in my mid-twenties, though it is a book written for a teen audience. it was published in 1982, but i never even heard about it until i was in a queer women's book club in dc. we decided to read this as one of our selections (as well as "are you there, god? it's me, margaret.") it is truly a beautiful story and perfect for teens struggling with their sexuality. the author, nancy garden, doesn't shy away from many of the difficulties of being queer, but it's hea...more
14 likes · like · see review
Jan 31, 2009
Amy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
margaret-a-edwards-award
This book is a love story about a teen who finds her soul mate and finds out she is gay at the same time. It deals not only her internal struggle with this realization, but the sometimes misguided effort of those around her to deal with it. It seems very cutting edge for it's time. Written in the early 1980s, it is a pretty realistic account of how the world reacted to gays at the time without losing the love story and focusing too much on gay discrimination.
I think this book would appeal to tee...more
I think this book would appeal to tee...more
Compelling story about understanding of the different people in our society today that has existed all throughout history of man-kind. The book is a great source of comfort for the LGBT community especially for teens who are coming to or may be just curious about another side of the story many communities block out or are in denial of. The story is shown through the eyes of what people have labelled as "freak" and how that affects people around them. There are many different types of love and in...more
Jan 16, 2009
Needleroozer
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Needleroozer by:
Jessica Gish
Shelves:
queer,
young-adult
Jessica Gish recommended this book to me when I told her I was reading all children's and young adult books this month.
This is a sort of slow, old-fashioned book, which is not necessarily a bad thing. I am not sure what exactly I mean by old-fashioned...that's the description that comes to mind, even though I can't really explain it.
The book's copyright date is 1982. but I can't tell if the book is set then, or in some earlier year. There aren't a lot of pop culture references to go on.
The story...more
This is a sort of slow, old-fashioned book, which is not necessarily a bad thing. I am not sure what exactly I mean by old-fashioned...that's the description that comes to mind, even though I can't really explain it.
The book's copyright date is 1982. but I can't tell if the book is set then, or in some earlier year. There aren't a lot of pop culture references to go on.
The story...more
First impression: UGH. I'd heard about the use of archaic words, but man a-live.
Thankfully that went away after a while.
More importantly, Annie bothered me. A lot. Who breaks into spontaneous Shakespearean character? Annoying Shakesperean character? I didn't get what it was about her that entranced Liza.
But then everything changed. I realized the metaphor behind the Shakespeare, and eventually the two of them (Annie in particular) stopped doing it. They gradually became, as Annie said, "real."...more
Thankfully that went away after a while.
More importantly, Annie bothered me. A lot. Who breaks into spontaneous Shakespearean character? Annoying Shakesperean character? I didn't get what it was about her that entranced Liza.
But then everything changed. I realized the metaphor behind the Shakespeare, and eventually the two of them (Annie in particular) stopped doing it. They gradually became, as Annie said, "real."...more
Aug 12, 2009
Arlene
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-2009,
young-adult
Annie on my Mind, by Nancy Garden, is one of those reads that serves to up your sensitivity and awareness level on topics that society hasn't always accepted quite so easily. This book was written in the 1980's and is about the internal and emotional struggle a teenage girl goes through as she discovers she is a lesbian. I've read books that push the boundaries and others that truly dive into and explore controversial subjects, and some I've categorized as exceptional reads. This book is more si...more
4 likes · like · see review
Dec 22, 2008
Matthew
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
gay-fiction,
young-adult
Not a bad book, but not a really great one, either. Everything is done competently -- the characters, the dialogue, the writing itself -- but nothing is done stupendously. As I read it, I kept checking the pages, waiting for it to end... not because it was bad, simply because I wanted to read something else, something that really drew me in, whether through the characters or the style or the plot or something. This book didn't draw me in. It's good enough that I kept reading rather than putting...more
Maybe I'm too picky or I've read too many amazing books, but I just can't give this book more than 2,5. 3 is too much for it.
Maybe it's because it's more for teens than people my age and I'm too old. Maybe 1980s it was great and so, but definitely not anymore. It's too slow and naive, I just couldn't believe it, I was longing for this book to end.
I really feel bad about giving this book 2, but I can't help myself. I know it's not the book, it's me... Sorry
Maybe it's because it's more for teens than people my age and I'm too old. Maybe 1980s it was great and so, but definitely not anymore. It's too slow and naive, I just couldn't believe it, I was longing for this book to end.
I really feel bad about giving this book 2, but I can't help myself. I know it's not the book, it's me... Sorry
2 likes · like · see review
Had to read for controversial/banned books lesson for YA lit. class. Review: Dated (1982) book about a girl in high school who falls in love with another girl. Aside from being confused about their sexual orientation, the girls are not very good at practicing restrain or self-control. Personally, a disturbing subject and more so because of the point of view.
I am forever grateful for my friends in BYU 32nd ward who were with me throughout the day helping me get through this book. It was a serious...more
I am forever grateful for my friends in BYU 32nd ward who were with me throughout the day helping me get through this book. It was a serious...more
7 likes · like · see review
My favorite part about this book is that 90 percent is simply a love story between two teenagers. Liza and Annie are both very different people, from Annie’s love of plants and music to Liza’s passion for architecture. But they find they have lots of things in common, such as cats, and their interests contrast nicely, drawing them closer to together. They are friends who gradually realize there is more between them than friendship, and fairly soon their only problem is finding a place where they...more
Annie on My Mind is a Margaret Edwards Award winner. Liza at the age of seventeen meets a girl at a local museum to whom she is very attracted. They hit it off right away and have a wonderful time together. Neither is completely happy at either of the high schools they attend. The two girls strike up a very important friendship that turns into love. The girls begin a physical relationship which they know would not be looked well upon by outsiders. Everything comes out into the open before eithe...more
Name: Michelle Muro
Citation: Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Genre: Controversial/Banned
Format: Print
Selection process: YALSA website
Review:
Liza, a seventeen-year-old girl who lives in Brooklyn, first meets Annie at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Annie is staring out the window singing as if she was a young colonial woman and Liza instantly becomes fascinated with her and thinks she is beautiful. Although from two totally different backgrounds, the girls form a s...more
Citation: Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Genre: Controversial/Banned
Format: Print
Selection process: YALSA website
Review:
Liza, a seventeen-year-old girl who lives in Brooklyn, first meets Annie at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Annie is staring out the window singing as if she was a young colonial woman and Liza instantly becomes fascinated with her and thinks she is beautiful. Although from two totally different backgrounds, the girls form a s...more
Note to book ban’ers: putting a book on a banned list will ensure it is read. I doubt I would have found this book otherwise. And I’m not alone. According to the comments it is even on university reading lists such as BYU.
So what is so dangerous about this book? Let’s see, two teens fall in love, average prose, and side characters that are merely caricatures to advance the plot. Well that wasn’t enough to get Breaking Dawn banned. What else you got? No blueprints for making weapons of mass dest...more
So what is so dangerous about this book? Let’s see, two teens fall in love, average prose, and side characters that are merely caricatures to advance the plot. Well that wasn’t enough to get Breaking Dawn banned. What else you got? No blueprints for making weapons of mass dest...more
Annie on my mind is about two girls who meet in New York City at a mususem and stay close throughout their lifes and eventually end up falling in love with one another. The girls are faced with mulitple struggles in their life together and are always trying to find ways to get through them together. But when one life decision comes into the picture, college, the girls are faced to test their love for another because both are going off to different colleges to pursue their dreams. The theme of th...more
A very sweet book I'd recommend for everyone! This is less about homosexuality than the complications that arise from falling in love with the "wrong" person, and the romance in here is very tenderly, very sympathetically portrayed, and despite those weird affectations in dialogue and mannerism that seem recurring in all 70s/80s YA fiction (who talks like this??) is realistic. I relate more to GLBT lit for kids than regular lit for kids because it deals with stuff outside the typical straight la...more
Annie On My Mind was one of the first young adult books that focused on LGBT themes. It was published and takes place in 1982, and focuses on two girls, Liza and Annie. Liza meets Annie at Metropolitan Museum of Art, and they can't get each other out of their heads.
The pair start to bond, and what could start out as a friendship, they realise is romantic, which leads to the pair of them thinking about and realising their sexuality. Except...that Liza's school finds out about them. This leads to...more
The pair start to bond, and what could start out as a friendship, they realise is romantic, which leads to the pair of them thinking about and realising their sexuality. Except...that Liza's school finds out about them. This leads to...more
Annie on My Mind was a great book. It's about two girls that meet in a museum in New York. Liza, goes to a private school and lives in a brownstone in Manhatten. Annie lives in a poorer apartment and goes to public school. The girls really hit it off at the museum and begin to act silly and talk. They exchange phone numbers and meet again. They get very close over the first few weeks. Annie knows she's a lesbian, but Liza is unsure. Annie tries to warn Liza, but Liza does't care. She see's the c...more
Tells the story of a coming of age young woman in struggling with first time lesbian feelings. With the main characters, Liza and Annie facing confusion, love, betrayal, fear, judgment, and life in general, this New York" style love story crosses all genres and encourages confused readers to accept feelings they may be having and come to terms with who they truly are.
In 1993, the LGBT organization Project 21 donated Annie on My Mind to forty-two high schools in the Kansas City area. Copies were...more
In 1993, the LGBT organization Project 21 donated Annie on My Mind to forty-two high schools in the Kansas City area. Copies were...more
Summary:
Annie on My Mind is the story of the romantic relationship between two high school girls in New York City. Liza Winthrop meets Annie Kelton at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They immediately strike up a close friendship even though they come from very different backgrounds. Liza is the student body president at her private school, Foster Academy, where she is studying hard to get into MIT and become an architect. She lives with her parents and younger brother in an upscale neighborhood...more
Annie on My Mind is the story of the romantic relationship between two high school girls in New York City. Liza Winthrop meets Annie Kelton at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They immediately strike up a close friendship even though they come from very different backgrounds. Liza is the student body president at her private school, Foster Academy, where she is studying hard to get into MIT and become an architect. She lives with her parents and younger brother in an upscale neighborhood...more
Explores the relationship development between Liza and Annie, two seventeen year old girls, during their senior year in high school. Each girl is from different areas of New York and have had vastly different experiences. Liza goes to class at a private college while Annie attends a public school. Liza’s family has a lot of money while Annie’s family seems to struggle. It is by chance that the two girls meet at a museum and become friends as they both notice the intense connection between them....more
Annie on My Mind beautifully portrays the struggles of a high school student to both live up to others expectations and follow her own heart.
Garden perfectly captures being swept up in a new romance and the effects it can have on ourselves and others. The gradual realizations of the characters about themselves parallel the discoveries real youths make about themselves at this point in their lives.
Annie on My Mind is told from Liza's perspective as she forces herself to remember all the events of...more
Garden perfectly captures being swept up in a new romance and the effects it can have on ourselves and others. The gradual realizations of the characters about themselves parallel the discoveries real youths make about themselves at this point in their lives.
Annie on My Mind is told from Liza's perspective as she forces herself to remember all the events of...more
Before reading this book I did some research on it and found out that it was extremely controversial. it has been banned in many areas and has been publicly burned in Kansas city. After reading what people had to say about it I was eager to turn the pages and see what all the fuss was about.
In a nutshell this novel details the struggles that a sexually confused girl faces as she grows up and faces her true sexuality. I believe the author depicts a good picture of the emotional struggles gay/lesb...more
In a nutshell this novel details the struggles that a sexually confused girl faces as she grows up and faces her true sexuality. I believe the author depicts a good picture of the emotional struggles gay/lesb...more
I read the 1982 edition of this novel, and the cover illustration is terrible. There’s no appeal at all. From the writing, this book is rather tame compared to Luna and Freak Show. You can tell it was written in the 1980s. The relationship between Liza and Annie progresses slowly, and when the relationship is consummated, there is little detail to describe the event. I felt this was a shallow representation of what a teen goes through mentally and emotionally when they are coming to terms with t...more
Summary:
Eliza Winthrop (Liza) tells the story of meeting her first love. Liza and Annie meet accidentally one day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. They instantly hit it off and Liza realizes she has never met anyone like Annie before. Liza gets in trouble at school where she is the student body president. Her brief suspension allows her and Annie to spend time together and grow closer. Soon they have their first kiss, but Liza is confused by all that is happening even after she adm...more
Eliza Winthrop (Liza) tells the story of meeting her first love. Liza and Annie meet accidentally one day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. They instantly hit it off and Liza realizes she has never met anyone like Annie before. Liza gets in trouble at school where she is the student body president. Her brief suspension allows her and Annie to spend time together and grow closer. Soon they have their first kiss, but Liza is confused by all that is happening even after she adm...more
SUMMARY: Annie on My Mind is about two high school seniors who live in New York City, go to different schools, and have very different backgrounds. They meet, fall in love, and try to sort through the complications that their love presents. Most of the problems with their relationship develop as a result of these young lovers being two seventeen-year old girls. Liza and Annie’s relationship is intertwined with a subplot involving Liza’s involvement in a hair-brained fundraiser that happened when...more
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| .. | 2 | 36 | May 23, 2012 08:37am | |
| about book | 2 | 59 | Sep 25, 2011 05:52am |
A versatile writer, Nancy Garden has published books for children as well as for teens, nonfiction as well as fiction. But her novel Annie on My Mind, the story of two high school girls who fall in love with each other, has brought her more attention than she wanted when it was burned in front of the Kansas City School Board building in 1993 and banned from school library shelves in Olathe, Kansas...more
More about Nancy Garden...
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“There’s a Greek legend—no, it’s in something Plato wrote—about how true lovers are really two halves of the same person. It says that people wander around searching for their other half, and when they find him or her, they are finally whole and perfect. The thing that gets me is that the story says that originally all people were really pairs of people, joined back to back, and that some of the pairs were man and man, some woman and woman, and others man and woman. What happened was that all of these double people went to war with the gods, and the gods, to punish them, split them all in two. That’s why some lovers are heterosexual and some are homosexual, female and female, or male and male.”
—
56 people liked it
“The thing about mountains is that you have to keep on climbing them, and that it's always hard, but there's a view from top every time when you finally get there.”
—
52 people liked it
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Mar 29, 2013 12:13am
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Apr 18, 2013 08:20am