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Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Tough Times: Stories about the Hardest Parts of Being a Teenager
In these 101 stories about the hardest parts of being a teenager, teens share their toughest stories and challenges with you.
Being a teenager is difficult even under the best conditions. When bad things happen, the challenges can be overwhelming. But tough times can turn into great times... Read how other teens dealt with:
Being a teenager is difficult even under the best conditions. When bad things happen, the challenges can be overwhelming. But tough times can turn into great times... Read how other teens dealt with:
380 pages, Paperback
First published August 26, 2008
28 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
About the author
Jack Canfield
1,293 books1,752 followersJack Canfield is an American motivational speaker and author. He is best known as the co-creator of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" book series, which currently has over 124 titles and 100 million copies in print in over 47 languages. According to USA Today, Canfield and his writing partner, Mark Victor Hansen, were the top-selling authors in the United States in 1997.
Canfield received a BA in Chinese History from Harvard University and a Masters from University of Massachusetts. He has worked as a teacher, a workshop facilitator, and a psychotherapist.
Canfield is the founder of "Self Esteem Seminars" in Santa Barbara, and "The Foundation for Self Esteem" in Culver City, California. The stated mission of Self Esteem Seminars is to train entrepreneurs, educators, corporate leaders and employees to achieve their personal and professional goals. The focus of The Foundation for Self Esteem is to train social workers, welfare recipients and human resource professionals.
In 1990,he shared with author Mark Victor Hansen his idea for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. After three years, the two had compiled sixty-eight stories.
Canfield has appeared on numerous television shows, including Good Morning America, 20/20, Eye to Eye, CNN's Talk Back Live, PBS, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Montel Williams Show, Larry King Live and the BBC.
Canfield's most recent book, The Success Principles (2005), shares 64 principles that he claims can make people more successful. In 2006, he appeared in the DVD, "The Secret," and shared his insights on the Law of Attraction and tips for achieving success in personal and professional life.
Jack Canfield was born on August 19, 1944, in Fort Worth, TX. He is the son of Elmer and Ellen (a homemaker; maiden name, Taylor). He attended high school at Linsly Military Institute, Wheeling, WV, 1962. He went to college at Harvard University, B.A., 1966; University of Massachusetts at Amherst, M.Ed., 1973. Canfield married Judith Ohlbaum in 1971 (divorced, November 1976); he married Georgia Lee Noble on September 9, 1978 (divorced, December 1999); he married Inga Marie Mahoney on July 4, 2001; children: (first marriage) Oran, David, Kyle, Dania; (second marriage) Christopher Noble. He is a Democrat and a Christian, and his hobbies include tennis, travel, skiing, running, billiards, reading, and guitar.
Canfield received a BA in Chinese History from Harvard University and a Masters from University of Massachusetts. He has worked as a teacher, a workshop facilitator, and a psychotherapist.
Canfield is the founder of "Self Esteem Seminars" in Santa Barbara, and "The Foundation for Self Esteem" in Culver City, California. The stated mission of Self Esteem Seminars is to train entrepreneurs, educators, corporate leaders and employees to achieve their personal and professional goals. The focus of The Foundation for Self Esteem is to train social workers, welfare recipients and human resource professionals.
In 1990,he shared with author Mark Victor Hansen his idea for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. After three years, the two had compiled sixty-eight stories.
Canfield has appeared on numerous television shows, including Good Morning America, 20/20, Eye to Eye, CNN's Talk Back Live, PBS, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Montel Williams Show, Larry King Live and the BBC.
Canfield's most recent book, The Success Principles (2005), shares 64 principles that he claims can make people more successful. In 2006, he appeared in the DVD, "The Secret," and shared his insights on the Law of Attraction and tips for achieving success in personal and professional life.
Jack Canfield was born on August 19, 1944, in Fort Worth, TX. He is the son of Elmer and Ellen (a homemaker; maiden name, Taylor). He attended high school at Linsly Military Institute, Wheeling, WV, 1962. He went to college at Harvard University, B.A., 1966; University of Massachusetts at Amherst, M.Ed., 1973. Canfield married Judith Ohlbaum in 1971 (divorced, November 1976); he married Georgia Lee Noble on September 9, 1978 (divorced, December 1999); he married Inga Marie Mahoney on July 4, 2001; children: (first marriage) Oran, David, Kyle, Dania; (second marriage) Christopher Noble. He is a Democrat and a Christian, and his hobbies include tennis, travel, skiing, running, billiards, reading, and guitar.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 13, 2022
Such an eye-opener book; that so many teens out there are having a hard times, struggling and suffering. Many stories that shows how terrible teens have been through and how they overcome. It hurts, devastating yet motivational and inspiring. It also taught me to believe yourself, cherish every moment you've spent with your loved ones, be yourself, and many more.
Want to read
September 16, 2012I just really need this right now.
January 13, 2024
This was a very emotional book to me. So many stories I was aware of based off other books but this one seemed to always have a story to break your heart or a tear to shed. It has stories that hit home for me and a wake up call.
September 21, 2020
It a good read it
It a really good book to read, it helps a lot and you can learn a lot from this book I give it a 5
It a really good book to read, it helps a lot and you can learn a lot from this book I give it a 5
September 26, 2024
I read this in high school, and I remember enjoying these books.
January 2, 2011
I was first introduced to Chicken Soup for the Soul three years ago in the 5th grade, when my teacher read one of the short stories out loud to the class. I forget what it was about, but it had something to do with depression and anorexia. It was definitely a story that belonged in the "Tough Times" section of the book. It got me thinking for awhile, even after my teacher finished reading. I replayed the scenario over and over in my head. It was hard to imagine that something that sounded so horrific could have actually happened. That is what first sparked my interest in this series. All of the stories that make up each book are true; they are submitted by normal people who have something to share with the rest of the world, or the readers, at least. There are also some quotes and inspirational poems, short and long.
My interest mainly lies on hardships the people, or writers, have faced. Because they are everyday people, these stories give me hope. If they had the ability to overcome the most difficult challenge(s) they have faced in their lives thus far, then I can definitely get by my problems and the things I worry and complain about on a daily basis. That is actually what led me to buy this book. It contains 363 pages of heart-warming stories from all sorts of different people who have faced issues from depression to illness. Having said all that, I will now get onto the review:
I will start with the cons, or con, rather. The thing that bothers me most is that this has stories from the other Chicken Soup books. That was a huge let-down, as I have already read four or five of them a few weeks back. It means I could skip several stories, and that makes me feel as if I did not get my money's worth. Of course, I do not expect the editors and the people who put these books together to find a whole set of new stories, but I find it odd that one hundred percent of these stories are from previously published books. But then again, had I flipped open the book in the store, this would not have come as a surprise.
I have already briefly mentioned the pros/good things about this book, but I will add other things: the stories are from actual people of all different ages who have had a tough experience --- hence the title Tough Stuff (Tough Stuff is to be underlined or italicized but Goodreads does not allow me to) --- in one time of their life or another; and there are over a hundred stories ranging in topic, though in the end they can all be categorized as "Tough Stuff." To be honest, my favorite issue to read about in this book is anorexia, which here is often associated with bulimia. I like that topic because most girls --- and even guys! --- my age obsess over their weight and just their appearance in general. The phrase "Beauty is skin deep" does not seem to cut it these days. It is so great to see that those anorexic/bulimic girls came to their senses and made it out alive. Of course, not all of them chose to seek medical help, but in the end, they are healthy and have gained self-confidence; that is what matters. The ones who did it to be "perfect" --- note that the word perfect is in quotes --- realized that they did not need rail-thin size 00 bodies, which is not very appealing to begin with. They ended up liking themselves a lot more.
Here is an excerpt from one of my favorite poems in the book. It just goes hand-in-hand with the issues that were being addressed in that chapter, and I like the gloomy feel it gives. It is sort of like a warning to those who are approaching the stories within that chapter, and it basically sums up what the chapter is about:
Sorrows Underneath
I think of all my problems.
I think of all my pain.
I think of all my sorrows,
Until I go insane.
I think of all the smiles I've worn,
Which hides sorrow underneath.
No one seems to notice,
That I go through so much grief.
My tears seem to keep flowing,
Inside my tired eyes.
Each time I want to tell you,
My words come out as lies.
These days I'm feeling distant,
Far away and weak.
My sadness pulls me further,
From the happiness I seek.
I've just begun to realize,
That my hopes and dreams are gone,
I'm walking down a dead end road
Humming a tuneless song.
My interest mainly lies on hardships the people, or writers, have faced. Because they are everyday people, these stories give me hope. If they had the ability to overcome the most difficult challenge(s) they have faced in their lives thus far, then I can definitely get by my problems and the things I worry and complain about on a daily basis. That is actually what led me to buy this book. It contains 363 pages of heart-warming stories from all sorts of different people who have faced issues from depression to illness. Having said all that, I will now get onto the review:
I will start with the cons, or con, rather. The thing that bothers me most is that this has stories from the other Chicken Soup books. That was a huge let-down, as I have already read four or five of them a few weeks back. It means I could skip several stories, and that makes me feel as if I did not get my money's worth. Of course, I do not expect the editors and the people who put these books together to find a whole set of new stories, but I find it odd that one hundred percent of these stories are from previously published books. But then again, had I flipped open the book in the store, this would not have come as a surprise.
I have already briefly mentioned the pros/good things about this book, but I will add other things: the stories are from actual people of all different ages who have had a tough experience --- hence the title Tough Stuff (Tough Stuff is to be underlined or italicized but Goodreads does not allow me to) --- in one time of their life or another; and there are over a hundred stories ranging in topic, though in the end they can all be categorized as "Tough Stuff." To be honest, my favorite issue to read about in this book is anorexia, which here is often associated with bulimia. I like that topic because most girls --- and even guys! --- my age obsess over their weight and just their appearance in general. The phrase "Beauty is skin deep" does not seem to cut it these days. It is so great to see that those anorexic/bulimic girls came to their senses and made it out alive. Of course, not all of them chose to seek medical help, but in the end, they are healthy and have gained self-confidence; that is what matters. The ones who did it to be "perfect" --- note that the word perfect is in quotes --- realized that they did not need rail-thin size 00 bodies, which is not very appealing to begin with. They ended up liking themselves a lot more.
Here is an excerpt from one of my favorite poems in the book. It just goes hand-in-hand with the issues that were being addressed in that chapter, and I like the gloomy feel it gives. It is sort of like a warning to those who are approaching the stories within that chapter, and it basically sums up what the chapter is about:
Sorrows Underneath
I think of all my problems.
I think of all my pain.
I think of all my sorrows,
Until I go insane.
I think of all the smiles I've worn,
Which hides sorrow underneath.
No one seems to notice,
That I go through so much grief.
My tears seem to keep flowing,
Inside my tired eyes.
Each time I want to tell you,
My words come out as lies.
These days I'm feeling distant,
Far away and weak.
My sadness pulls me further,
From the happiness I seek.
I've just begun to realize,
That my hopes and dreams are gone,
I'm walking down a dead end road
Humming a tuneless song.
November 30, 2014
Chicken Soup for the Soul is one of the series of books became a major best-seller book. This book includes 101 stories that are shared by the people who experienced these stories. It is divided into 11 chapters, each chapter has a specific title, like second chance and it includes number of stories that is related to the topic. It shows how teen overcome their problems, hard time and challenges; for instance, having a rare disease, tumor, losing someone they love, experiencing different types of abuse and many other stories. I enjoyed reading each page of the book, because I prefer to read real stories and this book was really interesting. Some stories were touching and some others were inspiring. In addition, I liked that some stories were written as a poem. You could not expect what is coming in the next page. Once you start reading the book, you will never stop. I learned from this book that you have to appreciate the life you are living, even if you faced some struggles and to always remember that there are people in this world that are suffering and experiencing tough times.
December 29, 2014
Though this book contained many inspirational stories, I found it to be sort of boring. Many of the stories weren't out-of-this-world or anything special. There were some great ones, but there were some not-so-great ones. I think the writers could have done a better job selecting the contributions. There was a story in this book about someone I knew personally, which is why I bought it in the first place, but I was altogether slightly disappointed. I would recommend it to any teen going through a tough time because it did include some amazing pieces, but as for myself, I think it could have been better.
April 2, 2012
Plot Synopsis:
Being a "normal" young adult is hard enough, but when young adults face tough times it gets even harder.
Rating: 4 out of 5
This is a great resource if you or a young adult you know is going through tough times, but it's not for everybody because these are true stories from young adults. As a teacher I would have this in my room for in case one of my students needs to know they are not alone, but I wouldn't keep it on the shelf for everyone to read.
Characters:
Vary each chapter is a different story.
Being a "normal" young adult is hard enough, but when young adults face tough times it gets even harder.
Rating: 4 out of 5
This is a great resource if you or a young adult you know is going through tough times, but it's not for everybody because these are true stories from young adults. As a teacher I would have this in my room for in case one of my students needs to know they are not alone, but I wouldn't keep it on the shelf for everyone to read.
Characters:
Vary each chapter is a different story.
July 26, 2014
Such and eye-opener, highly motivating and very recommendable for teens who are having a hard times dealing with their lives and whatnot. An awe-inspiring book that should be read by all the teens out there. One thing, that I learn from this was all problems can be solved as long as we talked about it with someone who we can trust and having a support is very important in overcoming the thunders and storms during our youth life.
February 11, 2013
I liked this a lot. At first it was a bit emotional...understand that this book isn't exactly a happy book. Many stories about adversity and the horrible things some teenagers have had to go through. This was a very good book for me to read as a close family member of mine recently passed away. Recommend it to any teen going through hard times. Must read!
March 29, 2014
Even though there were some errant stories which weren't even inspiring (like the ones about whiny teens who just can't stick with their diet plans), I found some stories actually inspiring and amusing.
February 12, 2014
Chicken Soup for the Soul, Teens Talk Tough Times is a very good eye opening book. There are numerous amounts of stories that will be relate-able. This book has stories explaining how teens dealt with eating disorders, illnesses, divorces, obstacles, etc.
July 26, 2009
I liked this book for many reasons but one of the reasons i like this book is because it reminds me a little about my life.
December 16, 2011
never got into reading it, i started reading another book.
January 5, 2018
i live for other people's drama
June 2, 2017
I love Chicken Soup for the Soul...
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews