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Angry Management
Chris Crutcher fills these three stories with raw emotion. They are about insecurity, anger, and prejudice. But they are also about love, freedom, and power. About surviving. And hope. 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. And Montana West, who doesn't step down from a challenge. Not even when the challenge comes from her adoptive dad, who's leading the school board to censor the article she wrote for the school paper. And straightlaced Matt Miller, who had never been friends with outspoken genius Marcus James. Until one tragic week—a week they'd do anything to change—brings them closer than Matt could have ever imagined.
246 pages, Hardcover
First published June 30, 2009
53 people are currently reading
1463 people want to read
About the author
Chris Crutcher
35 books808 followersChris 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 and religious prejudice, mental and physical disability, and poverty; these themes are viewed as too mature for children. Other cited reasons for censorship include strong language and depictions of homosexuality. Despite this controversy, Crutcher's writing has received many awards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
July 22, 2009
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 intersections that Crutcher has laid down in his fictional universe.
But these novellas also stand on their own extremely well. As in other Crutcher works, themes of anger (duh- see the title), betrayal, racism and outright abandonment run throughout the tales. Crutcher's experiences as a child and family therapist has given him a warehouse's worth of sad tales to draw from for his books. However, these stories also highlight the redemptive nature of the human spirit, the power of love and true forgiveness, and the fact that teenagers, when we let them, are capable of tremendous compassion and courage. At the end of the day, it's about surviving to see another day; some of Crutcher's characters do, some don't, but you will be moved by their emotional travels. I always think Crutcher's work is ideal for classroom discussion, although his characters' use of language is going to turn some readers off. Regardless, these are stories that many teens already know, and the rest need to know.
But these novellas also stand on their own extremely well. As in other Crutcher works, themes of anger (duh- see the title), betrayal, racism and outright abandonment run throughout the tales. Crutcher's experiences as a child and family therapist has given him a warehouse's worth of sad tales to draw from for his books. However, these stories also highlight the redemptive nature of the human spirit, the power of love and true forgiveness, and the fact that teenagers, when we let them, are capable of tremendous compassion and courage. At the end of the day, it's about surviving to see another day; some of Crutcher's characters do, some don't, but you will be moved by their emotional travels. I always think Crutcher's work is ideal for classroom discussion, although his characters' use of language is going to turn some readers off. Regardless, these are stories that many teens already know, and the rest need to know.
August 14, 2009
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.
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.
October 21, 2009
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 road trip to Reno to find the mother who abandoned her to her violent father shortly after he purposefully burned her hands and face on a wood stove.
In another novella, Crutcher explores the spiraling damage of a hate crime badly handled by a school principal and superintendent. Matt Miller, a straight-laced Christian teen finds himself speaking out on behalf of Marcus James, the only black, and only out gay teen in their rural high school.
Then there is Montana West, the adoptive daughter of the school board president, a rigid and controlling man. With the help of a teacher, Montana decides to challenge the school's decision not to run her article on medical marijuana in the school paper. Meanwhile, at home, her father has decided to return a little girl to the foster care system, and Montana faces him down on that issue as well.
These novellas are absorbing, engaging reading, and make a good choice for reading aloud, or recommending to reluctant readers. They would serve very well for classroom or book group discussion, and are likely to lead readers to Crutcher's other books, as well as to other books about teens facing extremely difficult obstacles.
The device of the angry management group is almost extraneous; it either should have been better fleshed out and incorporated into the book, or left out altogether. However, this is a minor detraction from an excellent book that should be in every teen collection.
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 road trip to Reno to find the mother who abandoned her to her violent father shortly after he purposefully burned her hands and face on a wood stove.
In another novella, Crutcher explores the spiraling damage of a hate crime badly handled by a school principal and superintendent. Matt Miller, a straight-laced Christian teen finds himself speaking out on behalf of Marcus James, the only black, and only out gay teen in their rural high school.
Then there is Montana West, the adoptive daughter of the school board president, a rigid and controlling man. With the help of a teacher, Montana decides to challenge the school's decision not to run her article on medical marijuana in the school paper. Meanwhile, at home, her father has decided to return a little girl to the foster care system, and Montana faces him down on that issue as well.
These novellas are absorbing, engaging reading, and make a good choice for reading aloud, or recommending to reluctant readers. They would serve very well for classroom or book group discussion, and are likely to lead readers to Crutcher's other books, as well as to other books about teens facing extremely difficult obstacles.
The device of the angry management group is almost extraneous; it either should have been better fleshed out and incorporated into the book, or left out altogether. However, this is a minor detraction from an excellent book that should be in every teen collection.
November 16, 2011
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.
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.
January 18, 2016
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 that are sensitive and difficult to talk about when the issues are personal. Being able to discuss them from the point of view of the characters and how they dealt with these issues offers students a supreme opportunity to "experience" them in a safe and nonthreatening way. Even if these are not used as teachable moments in the classroom, each story ends with a positive message and equips the reader with how to deal with such uncomfortable issues, preparing them for a possible future experience. Either way, kids will have some background to hopefully be able to deal with the issues should they come their way.
June 28, 2009
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.
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.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2018
Personal Response:
I read the book, Angry Management, by Chris Crutcher. I thought it was a very good book and well-written. I enjoyed reading it because it was very relatable and interesting to learn about problems most people look away from.
Plot:
There were a lot of different events that happened in the plot. Everyone in this story was in Mr. Nak’s anger management class. The beginning of the book covered a story of Sarah Byrnes and Angus Bethune. They were both 18 years old and had a variety of problems. Sarah had terrible parents. Her dad was a drunk, and at the age of three he pushed Sarah’s face onto a stove leaving her severely scared for her entire life. Her mom left because of her dad’s abuse on the two of them, but she didn't bring Sarah with. Sarah was stuck there with her dad the majority of her life. Angus had parents that loved him very much. His parents got a divorce when he was young and they both married someone of their same gender. Angus’s problems came from kids picking on him because of his parents. He in return would beat up those kids. Sarah and Angus met each other in Mr. Nak’s class. They grew close and started to go on dates. Sarah told Angus her entire story and he told his. They decided they would go to find Sarah’s mom. Eventually, they found her but with a terrible surprise. Sarah’s mom had a new daughter and she named her Sarah. They left and all though it upset her, they realized they always had each other and that made them both happy. The next story this book covered was on Montana West. Montana was adopted and did not get along well with her dad. Her dad was extremely controlling and whatever he wanted, Montana wanted to do the opposite. They would argue all the time and they hated each other. Montana’s parents adopted another little girl. This girl caused a lot of trouble and her dad decided to send her back. This upset Montana greatly and she decided to leave her house. She moved in with her boyfriend a football player she met by interviewing. Him and his grandmother were there for her and everything worked out. The third and most emotionally stressful story was one on Matt Miller and Marcus James. Marcus was a gay, African American, 17 year old who was extremely smart. Matt Miller was a state champion wrestler who lived his life following Jesus Christ. One day, someone hung a pink noose on Marcus’s locker. He decided to prove his point by wearing it throughout school. The principal did not do anything about it because he did not want the negative attention on his school. The principal and superintendent decided to hold an assembly to help find out who did it. They did this because they knew it would cause the case to go unsolved. Matt decided to tell what he witnessed. He heard three football players laugh about the fact they hung the noose on Marcus’s locker. One of the football players had the last name of Marshal. Marshal lived in a family of extreme racists. His uncle was in prison for a hate killing. The football players were suspended from the team because there coach thought what they did was terrible. Marcus was an avid swimmer, and he dreamed of being the first black swimmer to swim across the english channel. He would practice swimming everyday at a local lake. He had a flag that attached to his back that would allow boaters to see him as he swum. The football players knew this and decided to go boating at the lake because they were suspended. They ran Marcus over killing him instantly. They then jumped in to take the flag off his back. They called the cops and told them it was a terrible accident.
Characterization:
Three of the main characters in this book are Sarah, Montana, and Matt. This book was unique because the stories were told separately and were not related to one another. Sarah began her story very mad at life. She decided to make a change for herself and went to resolve her issues with her mom. She then realized that she didn't need parents that did not want her. She was happy with her new boyfriend Angus that loved her for her. Montana began her story very angry with her dad. Her dad always tried to control her and she stopped it. She moved out and grew into the person she wanted to be, not what her dad wanted her to be. Matt went through alot in his story. He lost a friend because others killed him. He stayed close with God and did not try to get revenge, because that's God’s job not his. He grew into a much stronger man that went on to great things.
Setting:
This book takes place during present day. This is important to the stories, because it causes them to be very relatable. They take place in different areas around the country. Since they are all in the United States, they allow the reader to identify with the problems many teens face all across our country every day. Sarah’s story took place in Las Vegas, Nevada were Sarah’s mom lived. Montana’s story took place in Bear Creek, Idaho. This is important because Sarah’s dad has a lot of power in this town. Matt’s story took place in a sundown town in northern America. This is very important because this town has had a history of racism dating back to the civil war.
Thematic Connection:
The theme of this book was the power of anger. Anger drove Sarah to become the best version of herself. Anger drove Montana to become her own person. Anger drove Matt to come tell the truth at all costs.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to high school aged males or females who like to read about real world problems. It is very relatable to either gender because the problems the book covers can be identified by anyone. I believe they should be high school aged, so they can comprehend and be mature enough to handle the book.
I read the book, Angry Management, by Chris Crutcher. I thought it was a very good book and well-written. I enjoyed reading it because it was very relatable and interesting to learn about problems most people look away from.
Plot:
There were a lot of different events that happened in the plot. Everyone in this story was in Mr. Nak’s anger management class. The beginning of the book covered a story of Sarah Byrnes and Angus Bethune. They were both 18 years old and had a variety of problems. Sarah had terrible parents. Her dad was a drunk, and at the age of three he pushed Sarah’s face onto a stove leaving her severely scared for her entire life. Her mom left because of her dad’s abuse on the two of them, but she didn't bring Sarah with. Sarah was stuck there with her dad the majority of her life. Angus had parents that loved him very much. His parents got a divorce when he was young and they both married someone of their same gender. Angus’s problems came from kids picking on him because of his parents. He in return would beat up those kids. Sarah and Angus met each other in Mr. Nak’s class. They grew close and started to go on dates. Sarah told Angus her entire story and he told his. They decided they would go to find Sarah’s mom. Eventually, they found her but with a terrible surprise. Sarah’s mom had a new daughter and she named her Sarah. They left and all though it upset her, they realized they always had each other and that made them both happy. The next story this book covered was on Montana West. Montana was adopted and did not get along well with her dad. Her dad was extremely controlling and whatever he wanted, Montana wanted to do the opposite. They would argue all the time and they hated each other. Montana’s parents adopted another little girl. This girl caused a lot of trouble and her dad decided to send her back. This upset Montana greatly and she decided to leave her house. She moved in with her boyfriend a football player she met by interviewing. Him and his grandmother were there for her and everything worked out. The third and most emotionally stressful story was one on Matt Miller and Marcus James. Marcus was a gay, African American, 17 year old who was extremely smart. Matt Miller was a state champion wrestler who lived his life following Jesus Christ. One day, someone hung a pink noose on Marcus’s locker. He decided to prove his point by wearing it throughout school. The principal did not do anything about it because he did not want the negative attention on his school. The principal and superintendent decided to hold an assembly to help find out who did it. They did this because they knew it would cause the case to go unsolved. Matt decided to tell what he witnessed. He heard three football players laugh about the fact they hung the noose on Marcus’s locker. One of the football players had the last name of Marshal. Marshal lived in a family of extreme racists. His uncle was in prison for a hate killing. The football players were suspended from the team because there coach thought what they did was terrible. Marcus was an avid swimmer, and he dreamed of being the first black swimmer to swim across the english channel. He would practice swimming everyday at a local lake. He had a flag that attached to his back that would allow boaters to see him as he swum. The football players knew this and decided to go boating at the lake because they were suspended. They ran Marcus over killing him instantly. They then jumped in to take the flag off his back. They called the cops and told them it was a terrible accident.
Characterization:
Three of the main characters in this book are Sarah, Montana, and Matt. This book was unique because the stories were told separately and were not related to one another. Sarah began her story very mad at life. She decided to make a change for herself and went to resolve her issues with her mom. She then realized that she didn't need parents that did not want her. She was happy with her new boyfriend Angus that loved her for her. Montana began her story very angry with her dad. Her dad always tried to control her and she stopped it. She moved out and grew into the person she wanted to be, not what her dad wanted her to be. Matt went through alot in his story. He lost a friend because others killed him. He stayed close with God and did not try to get revenge, because that's God’s job not his. He grew into a much stronger man that went on to great things.
Setting:
This book takes place during present day. This is important to the stories, because it causes them to be very relatable. They take place in different areas around the country. Since they are all in the United States, they allow the reader to identify with the problems many teens face all across our country every day. Sarah’s story took place in Las Vegas, Nevada were Sarah’s mom lived. Montana’s story took place in Bear Creek, Idaho. This is important because Sarah’s dad has a lot of power in this town. Matt’s story took place in a sundown town in northern America. This is very important because this town has had a history of racism dating back to the civil war.
Thematic Connection:
The theme of this book was the power of anger. Anger drove Sarah to become the best version of herself. Anger drove Montana to become her own person. Anger drove Matt to come tell the truth at all costs.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to high school aged males or females who like to read about real world problems. It is very relatable to either gender because the problems the book covers can be identified by anyone. I believe they should be high school aged, so they can comprehend and be mature enough to handle the book.
Read
March 27, 2019Name: Beyersdorf Carson
Book title: Angry Management
Personal Response: I personally liked this book because it has short stories in it. I can relate to some of the material in the book. I really liked the first story because it had a very happy ending.
Book Summary: This book was about 6 different people who had a unique story to tell. The first story was about a fat guy and a visiblyvisible scared girl who was burned by her father at a young age. The second story is about a football player and a teen turned rebel when she starts to have a tough time a home. The last story is about a gay black teen dealing with bullies after a pink noose was hung on his locker.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book to high schoolers because it deals with relatable stories. From family abuse to the harassment of gays it's a very good read. I personally liked this book.
Book title: Angry Management
Personal Response: I personally liked this book because it has short stories in it. I can relate to some of the material in the book. I really liked the first story because it had a very happy ending.
Book Summary: This book was about 6 different people who had a unique story to tell. The first story was about a fat guy and a visiblyvisible scared girl who was burned by her father at a young age. The second story is about a football player and a teen turned rebel when she starts to have a tough time a home. The last story is about a gay black teen dealing with bullies after a pink noose was hung on his locker.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book to high schoolers because it deals with relatable stories. From family abuse to the harassment of gays it's a very good read. I personally liked this book.
February 21, 2020
This book includes all of the characters that author Chris Crutcher has used in his previous novels. It tells not only one story, but three heart-wrenching and unbelievable stories. Mr. Nak creates a group called Angry Management where he asks group members to tell their stories and ensures them that they all must stand by his “Vegas” rule for the group, that is what happens in the group, stays in the group. First, we have characters Sarah Byrnes and Angus Bethune who tell their story together. Sarah grew up in a home where her dad was abusive to her and her mother and one day her mother just up and leaves her there all alone with the abusive father. Angus and Sarah go on a road trip to find her mother after years of wanting to figure out why she left her. Then there is characters Montana West and Trey Chase. Montana West was adopted into a home where the dad was a control freak and the mom was too scared to stand up to anything. She is an amazing writer and wants to be able to publish real and raw issues into the school newspaper. However, this is hard to do because her control freak dad is the school board president. Trey Chase has always liked Montana and after Montana finding out that her parents are just going to give up on their foster child Tara, she has had enough and moves out. Lastly, we meet Marcus James and Matt Miller. Marcus James is not only the only black kid in a school of 900 students, but he is also the only gay one. Once a pink noose (neck rope) is hung on his locker at school, everything breaks loose. Thankfully Marcus has his teacher Mr. S and Matt Miller to stand up for him, to stand up for what is right. However, tragedy strikes and maybe that was not enough to protect Marcus James.
I think that this book could be used to show students how you can take multiple characters from different stories that they have written about and make it into one big story, as Chris Crutcher did a great job of showing us. After reading this story, you could have students pick one story out of the three in this book and write how they connected with it in some way or what they would do had they been in one of those tough situations, through a writing piece to depict that.
I think that this book could be used to show students how you can take multiple characters from different stories that they have written about and make it into one big story, as Chris Crutcher did a great job of showing us. After reading this story, you could have students pick one story out of the three in this book and write how they connected with it in some way or what they would do had they been in one of those tough situations, through a writing piece to depict that.
March 1, 2019
It was okay.
June 10, 2010
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.
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.
January 16, 2019
Personal Response:
This book was really good. Chris Crutcher managed to weave three completely different stories, while also hitting on the larger points and subjects of adolescence. The writing was emotionally charged, raw, and realistic, and the characters were incredibly believable.
Plot:
The first story is about Sarah Byrnes, a strong girl whose abusive father burned her face, and whose mother abandoned her when she was young. Her and Angus Bethune, whose parents are both gay, embark on a road trip to find Sarah’s illusive mother, but find something much more valuable to both of them in the end.
The second story is about Montana West, a popular-girl-turned-punk-chick and budding journalist. Her verbally abusive adoptive father, who also happens to be president of the school board, is censoring Montana’s controversial article about the benefits of medical marijuana. As a substitute for the original article, Montana’s journalism teacher has her interview a football player who, at first, she couldn’t care less about. Over time, she forms a bond with Trey Chase, and learns some valuable information on the medical use of marijuana from Trey’s grandmother. Back home, things are sliding downhill fast. After countless behavioral outbursts, Montana’s mother and father are taking back her little foster sister, and she must go up against her father in a hearing about her article. Despite her hardships, Montana discovers that, on her own, she’s strong enough to get the last laugh.
The final story is about Marcus James, an openly gay, genius teenage boy who also happens to be the only black kid at his school. After finding a pink noose in his locker, Marcus’s history teacher, and an open-minded, devout-Christian wrestler named Matt Miller, try to find out who the culprit is as best they can. In the process, Marcus is put in the spotlight of every student in his school, and in the crosshairs of the boys who put the noose in his locker. When the trigger is pulled, Matt and Mr. S. must find a way to bring justice to a truly one-of-a-kind boy.
Characterization:
While Sarah may not have changed too much, she has taken baby steps to opening up to people. She and Angus went to work at a summer camp for disabled children, which helped her to open up to the children there. She let one little blind girl touch her face where it was burned, which took a lot of courage for her and let her become less defensive.
Recommendation:
I would not recommend this book for anyone over the high school reading level. The topics discussed in the book are a little more adult-oriented, and some coarse language is used, along with words that may be beyond the middle school reading level. However, this is a great read for any high school girl or boy.
This book was really good. Chris Crutcher managed to weave three completely different stories, while also hitting on the larger points and subjects of adolescence. The writing was emotionally charged, raw, and realistic, and the characters were incredibly believable.
Plot:
The first story is about Sarah Byrnes, a strong girl whose abusive father burned her face, and whose mother abandoned her when she was young. Her and Angus Bethune, whose parents are both gay, embark on a road trip to find Sarah’s illusive mother, but find something much more valuable to both of them in the end.
The second story is about Montana West, a popular-girl-turned-punk-chick and budding journalist. Her verbally abusive adoptive father, who also happens to be president of the school board, is censoring Montana’s controversial article about the benefits of medical marijuana. As a substitute for the original article, Montana’s journalism teacher has her interview a football player who, at first, she couldn’t care less about. Over time, she forms a bond with Trey Chase, and learns some valuable information on the medical use of marijuana from Trey’s grandmother. Back home, things are sliding downhill fast. After countless behavioral outbursts, Montana’s mother and father are taking back her little foster sister, and she must go up against her father in a hearing about her article. Despite her hardships, Montana discovers that, on her own, she’s strong enough to get the last laugh.
The final story is about Marcus James, an openly gay, genius teenage boy who also happens to be the only black kid at his school. After finding a pink noose in his locker, Marcus’s history teacher, and an open-minded, devout-Christian wrestler named Matt Miller, try to find out who the culprit is as best they can. In the process, Marcus is put in the spotlight of every student in his school, and in the crosshairs of the boys who put the noose in his locker. When the trigger is pulled, Matt and Mr. S. must find a way to bring justice to a truly one-of-a-kind boy.
Characterization:
While Sarah may not have changed too much, she has taken baby steps to opening up to people. She and Angus went to work at a summer camp for disabled children, which helped her to open up to the children there. She let one little blind girl touch her face where it was burned, which took a lot of courage for her and let her become less defensive.
Recommendation:
I would not recommend this book for anyone over the high school reading level. The topics discussed in the book are a little more adult-oriented, and some coarse language is used, along with words that may be beyond the middle school reading level. However, this is a great read for any high school girl or boy.
January 10, 2013
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 character.
It was absolutely wonderful for me, a fan of Crutcher's for over twenty years, to see Sarah Byrnes and my second-favorite of Crutcher's characters, Angus Bethune, again. I loved every word of their story.
As many other reviewers note, Montana and Trey's story is good, but it's the weakest of the three. I think the characters in each of the three novellas and Mr. Nak could all shoulder their own books, but the need for deeper exploration showed most in this (Montana's) section.
The third story, as has also been noted, made me cry buckets. Poor Marcus was marked for doom early on, but that didn't make my heart less broken when it happened. I was glad to see Crutcher take on the difficult subject of hate crimes and how tangled the motivations can be, but I'm not sure this story is as complete a work as it could have been. Marcus, though a great character, seems to have been sacrificed to teach other characters a lesson as if he were a plot device instead of a character. That said, this story will stay with me for a long time, which I know was Crutcher's intention--so it would be unfair to say he failed in any way in writing it.
One technical note. I bought my copy on Amazon for the Kindle, and for at least that copy the editing was extremely poor. Shame on HarperCollins for skimping on quality--great writers deserve great editors.
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 character.
It was absolutely wonderful for me, a fan of Crutcher's for over twenty years, to see Sarah Byrnes and my second-favorite of Crutcher's characters, Angus Bethune, again. I loved every word of their story.
As many other reviewers note, Montana and Trey's story is good, but it's the weakest of the three. I think the characters in each of the three novellas and Mr. Nak could all shoulder their own books, but the need for deeper exploration showed most in this (Montana's) section.
The third story, as has also been noted, made me cry buckets. Poor Marcus was marked for doom early on, but that didn't make my heart less broken when it happened. I was glad to see Crutcher take on the difficult subject of hate crimes and how tangled the motivations can be, but I'm not sure this story is as complete a work as it could have been. Marcus, though a great character, seems to have been sacrificed to teach other characters a lesson as if he were a plot device instead of a character. That said, this story will stay with me for a long time, which I know was Crutcher's intention--so it would be unfair to say he failed in any way in writing it.
One technical note. I bought my copy on Amazon for the Kindle, and for at least that copy the editing was extremely poor. Shame on HarperCollins for skimping on quality--great writers deserve great editors.
June 11, 2010
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 have had legitimate reasons to be angry/troubled/how they are, but they read more like whiny teenagers. It got terribly sentimental every time Montana had a conversation with Tara, her adoptive younger sister, and the entire bend of the story was ridiculously left-wing. Yes, the school board was stuffed full with unpleasant men, but they had some very good points. The ending - urgh. Montana is said to be an excellent writer, yet the one example we get of her writing is somewhat less than moving.
Story #3, "Meet me at the Gates, Marcus James": Heartbreaking. Racism and discrimination are topics that are heavily paraded before the media, but they still exist and...well. This story brought it home. A promising young man [spoilers:], and that is gut-wrenching. I couldn't exactly put myself in Marcus's shoes because our personalities are very different, but he was definitely likeable. Matt Miller, while religious, was someone I could see myself in. The ending - if I was a crier, I would have cried.
I have a few words about the book as a whole. It might have worked better without the anger management class theme tying the stories together, but then again it might not have. The very last section kind of dampened the effect of "Meet Me at the Gate, Marcus James," but the very first section led well into "Kyle Maynard and the Craggy Face of the Moon."
Overall, it felt a little disjointed, but the effect is good if you skip story #2.
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 have had legitimate reasons to be angry/troubled/how they are, but they read more like whiny teenagers. It got terribly sentimental every time Montana had a conversation with Tara, her adoptive younger sister, and the entire bend of the story was ridiculously left-wing. Yes, the school board was stuffed full with unpleasant men, but they had some very good points. The ending - urgh. Montana is said to be an excellent writer, yet the one example we get of her writing is somewhat less than moving.
Story #3, "Meet me at the Gates, Marcus James": Heartbreaking. Racism and discrimination are topics that are heavily paraded before the media, but they still exist and...well. This story brought it home. A promising young man [spoilers:], and that is gut-wrenching. I couldn't exactly put myself in Marcus's shoes because our personalities are very different, but he was definitely likeable. Matt Miller, while religious, was someone I could see myself in. The ending - if I was a crier, I would have cried.
I have a few words about the book as a whole. It might have worked better without the anger management class theme tying the stories together, but then again it might not have. The very last section kind of dampened the effect of "Meet Me at the Gate, Marcus James," but the very first section led well into "Kyle Maynard and the Craggy Face of the Moon."
Overall, it felt a little disjointed, but the effect is good if you skip story #2.
August 27, 2009
I once had a children's lit professor that saw me reading Whale Talk in the hallway. She said that she loved Crutcher's books, but Whale Talk seemed to go a bit overboard and every "issue" was in the story. At the time I couldn't agree because I was completely wrapped up in TJ's story. However, once I picked up Angry Management I kept hearing my professor's words in my head. This book is packed with issues that teenagers deal with from the difficult (abusive family, racism, abandonment, etc) to the things that every teenager deals with (self-esteem). I LOVE Crutcher's books and I don't want to sound like I'm excusing this "packing" technique he has, but I feel the need to explain it.
Angry Management is three novellas about teens in a counseling group, and they are all connected by the group leader (who profiles each kid). As I was reading the leaders sections I could almost hear Crutcher reading it to me, knowing he got all of this from his experiences as a counselor.
What sets this book apart from other short stories is that each of these novellas is a continuation of one of Crutcher's other books or a melding of his famous characters. The first has Sarah Brynes meeting Angus. It was delightful. The second pairs Montana West and Trey Chase (but I can't remember where they appear in Crutcher's past works) The third is set in TJ's (Whale Talk) high school a few years after he has left.
This book did not disappoint. It almost read like fanfiction with all the wonderful characters meeting and interacting. I loved that each of the novellas could stand on their own, but were also somehow connected. I would recommend this to anyone who's a fan of Crutcher. To those who have never read his work, stop and before you read Angry Management pick up Whale Talk and Staying Fat for Sarah Brynes, at lease.
Angry Management is three novellas about teens in a counseling group, and they are all connected by the group leader (who profiles each kid). As I was reading the leaders sections I could almost hear Crutcher reading it to me, knowing he got all of this from his experiences as a counselor.
What sets this book apart from other short stories is that each of these novellas is a continuation of one of Crutcher's other books or a melding of his famous characters. The first has Sarah Brynes meeting Angus. It was delightful. The second pairs Montana West and Trey Chase (but I can't remember where they appear in Crutcher's past works) The third is set in TJ's (Whale Talk) high school a few years after he has left.
This book did not disappoint. It almost read like fanfiction with all the wonderful characters meeting and interacting. I loved that each of the novellas could stand on their own, but were also somehow connected. I would recommend this to anyone who's a fan of Crutcher. To those who have never read his work, stop and before you read Angry Management pick up Whale Talk and Staying Fat for Sarah Brynes, at lease.
April 13, 2011
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 gave four stars instead of five was because I became very invested in the characters, and the stories ended too soon for me. I felt like I was reading three novellas, and, selfishly, I wanted more.
A preview of some of the characters:
Sarah Byrnes was burned by her father when she was three. She has a scar on her face and doesn't feel beautiful. Her mother abandoned her, leaving her with her abusive father.
Angus Bethune is overweight and lacks self-confidence. His parents are each in a public, homosexual relationship with another partner.
Montana West is adopted, and she is tired of dealing with her arrogant, right-fighting father. Her parents have decided to give up on her younger sister, who is also adopted, because she is defiant.
Trey Chase's parents died. He is mixed race and very handsome.
Marcus James is black, gay, and living in the inland Northwest, where he is not accepted. Some of the school football players hang a pink noose on his locker.
Matt Miller is a devout Christian, and is tired of the way other Christians look down upon the homosexual population.
The stories are all connected in that they are all concerned with anger: how we deal with it and how others respond to it.
I highly recommend this book.
A preview of some of the characters:
Sarah Byrnes was burned by her father when she was three. She has a scar on her face and doesn't feel beautiful. Her mother abandoned her, leaving her with her abusive father.
Angus Bethune is overweight and lacks self-confidence. His parents are each in a public, homosexual relationship with another partner.
Montana West is adopted, and she is tired of dealing with her arrogant, right-fighting father. Her parents have decided to give up on her younger sister, who is also adopted, because she is defiant.
Trey Chase's parents died. He is mixed race and very handsome.
Marcus James is black, gay, and living in the inland Northwest, where he is not accepted. Some of the school football players hang a pink noose on his locker.
Matt Miller is a devout Christian, and is tired of the way other Christians look down upon the homosexual population.
The stories are all connected in that they are all concerned with anger: how we deal with it and how others respond to it.
I highly recommend this book.
April 12, 2012
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 psychologist, Crutcher writes from his experiences with the harsher sides of life. I enjoy his open minded view of struggling teens and their ability to overcome. He writes with the attitude that people should be understood rather than judged and I love that view. Some might be surprised with how closely his views echo mine. They certainly aren't traditional or conservative views, but I believe they are charitable view. I love reading his books, but if harsh language or difficult issues like child abuse, homosexuality, and bigotry are hard for you to read, you may not want to read. However, I feel that all his writing focuses on redemption and courage rather than the ugliness of these issues.
As a child and family psychologist, Crutcher writes from his experiences with the harsher sides of life. I enjoy his open minded view of struggling teens and their ability to overcome. He writes with the attitude that people should be understood rather than judged and I love that view. Some might be surprised with how closely his views echo mine. They certainly aren't traditional or conservative views, but I believe they are charitable view. I love reading his books, but if harsh language or difficult issues like child abuse, homosexuality, and bigotry are hard for you to read, you may not want to read. However, I feel that all his writing focuses on redemption and courage rather than the ugliness of these issues.
October 21, 2009
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 across glbtq themes with this author, so that was a nice little surprise. The chapter starting on page 194, told from the pov of Matt Miller, a level-headed Christian, about what is going on with one of his classmates, a openly gay black genius with a target on his back---I wanted to cheer and hug someone...so it was probably a good thing that I was alone at the time.
I had to reread the dustjacket to remind myself of the first two stories, the last one really blew them out of the water!
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 across glbtq themes with this author, so that was a nice little surprise. The chapter starting on page 194, told from the pov of Matt Miller, a level-headed Christian, about what is going on with one of his classmates, a openly gay black genius with a target on his back---I wanted to cheer and hug someone...so it was probably a good thing that I was alone at the time.
I had to reread the dustjacket to remind myself of the first two stories, the last one really blew them out of the water!
July 18, 2009
Lame. Chris Crutcher's newest work, a collection of short stories based on characters from his previous works, is just that. An uninspired, hurried book, Angry Management, I predict, will find few teenage fans. These stories are predictable and riddled with stereotypical characters--either they are extremely conservative (and also ignorant), or they are extremely liberal (and being victimized by the conservatives, usually in positions of power). I feel like Crutcher didn't try very hard in writing these three short stories. In fact, I noticed at least four grammatical errors (then/than; your/you're) throughout the book. I didn't feel like much was at stake in these stories, and I found the book easy to put down. Do yourself a favor. If you want a good Crutcher book, read Deadline, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, or Ironman. But don't read Angry Management. It might make you angry, just like me.
August 29, 2009
Definitely high school. Mr. Nak is back- hired by moderating angry management groups. Three novellas, all addressing (justifiable) anger and the fallout that results. Sarah Byrnes and Angus take a road trip to talk to Sarah's mom. Trey and Montana West make an unlikely team to address free speech, control issues, foster care, anger, oh and medical marijuana. The finale is a tales of bigotry, football royalty, corrupt law enforcement, Christianity and forgiveness.
Mr. Nak wraps it up at the end, the upside and the down side of anger.
Chris definitely has a point of view, I for one am grateful that Chris gives these characters a platform and a voice.
Mr. Nak wraps it up at the end, the upside and the down side of anger.
Chris definitely has a point of view, I for one am grateful that Chris gives these characters a platform and a voice.
January 4, 2010
Chris Crutcher does is again. I've just begun reading his work, so was not familiar with these characters. Have to say that the last story hit me the hardest. I had to put it down and cry and mutter and blog a bit about it. I knew exactly where it was headed - and I was not happy. Don't get me wrong, I knew in my heart that it was the only way for the story to go... I was just so unhappy that we're still at that point as a society, nation, people. Half an hour later, I picked back up and finished the story. Another half hour later, I was done with my cry. Wiped up my blotchy face, swore a blue streak, and then complimented Chris on another job well done.
March 11, 2010
I don't even know where to begin with this book. There is so much that is packed into each of Chris Crutcher's characters. His use of language engulfs the reader and it is impossible not to feel empathy towards the ridiculous lives that each realistic character brings to the novel.
I just finished....
I am sitting out a coffee shop and just finished Angry Management. The guy that is a complete stranger to me, asked, "You juts finished the book?" I replied, "yes." He comments, "You look completely satisfied."
I just finished....
I am sitting out a coffee shop and just finished Angry Management. The guy that is a complete stranger to me, asked, "You juts finished the book?" I replied, "yes." He comments, "You look completely satisfied."
November 25, 2016
I thought each story within this was amazing, beautiful and touching. The final story really touched me. Leaving you with these...
"Forgiveness is the scent the violet leaves on the heel that crushes it." - Mark Twain
"I don't think humans are wired to forgive right away. In fact, for some things I don't know if they ever can. And I don't know that they should. That never made much sense to me. Twain may have had it right. It's the scent of the violet, the good that the wronged leave on their way out. The good the bad guys can't stomp out." - Chris Crutcher
"Forgiveness is the scent the violet leaves on the heel that crushes it." - Mark Twain
"I don't think humans are wired to forgive right away. In fact, for some things I don't know if they ever can. And I don't know that they should. That never made much sense to me. Twain may have had it right. It's the scent of the violet, the good that the wronged leave on their way out. The good the bad guys can't stomp out." - Chris Crutcher
August 15, 2009
I am sad to say that I was disappointed by this book. Chris Crutcher has been my favorite teen author up until now. I do not know why authors (and actors) feel the need to preach their politics in their books. I have always liked that he dealt with controversial subjects, but 2 of the stories in this book read more like a political propaganda. I am also tired of being stereotyped by intolerant liberals. I guess he is always good at stirring up emotions, I'll give him that.
October 8, 2019
In the book “Angry Management”, the author made the problems, decisions, and relationships of the characters very believable. All three parts are very realistic in their own ways. The first story shows many real world problems. The two main characters have problems with their bodies. For example, Angus is very overweight. On the other hand, Sarah is very skinny, but her face has burns all down the side of her face from her father abusing her at a young age. Crutcher took real life problems, and showed the worst points of them. Sarah explained to Angus, “... screaming at him to leave her alone and then I was in his arms and the potbelly stove was coming right at my face and then this awful, like, searing pain and I was screaming and then we were back in the kitchen.” ( 26) This is proof showing how Crutcher is able to explain real life problems in exciting or meaningful ways. He shows bad scenarios in all three parts too. In the second section, he writes about an adopted girl that goes through many struggles. She has another adopted sister and her parents don’t accept the little sister. The main character also has strong opinions that she likes to write and publish in the school newspaper. She writes about marijuana and how it helps patients with cancer die peacefully. She meets a guy with a grandmother sick with cancer. The grandma explains to her, “On the porch Mari reaches into her purse to extract a doobie. Montana’s eyes widen. ‘If you want an up-close and personal interview for your article on medical marijuana, I’m your girl.’ Montana lets it register, ‘Are you…’ ‘Dying of cancer? Mmm-hmm.’” (114) This proves the hardships of what Montana and Mari are going through. For the last section, the main character is the only black kid in his school, and is openly gay. He gets a pink noose around his locker, which brings up lots of conflict around the school. Marcus explains to Mr.S, “‘...It’s one of the best I’ve ever seen, sir, and I’ve seen a few… Thirteen wraps. Nice and tight. Plus, it’s pink. That’s two birds with one rope.’” (157-158) Marcus shows how he knows that he is being made fun of, being African-American and gay. Marcus later shows how he doesn’t really want conflict about it, and just wants to accept it. Personally, I couldn't relate to any of the characters. In the first story, Sarah’s mom and dad were very important to the story. In the second, Mari and Tara helped it go along. Lastly in the third, the bullies that hung the noose helped create a better story. Throughout the whole book, one secondary character that stood out to me was Tara. She was a very interesting character and definitely had her own opinions and mindset. Tara explains to Montana, “‘I get so mad. And my poop is mad, too. If it could talk, it would say, ‘I’M SO MAD!’” (95) She really is a different little girl and she brought a little humor into the book.
March 1, 2022
This book is about 6 different kinds of people and their evryday life struggles. It flips from one life to another showing what they deal with and how they react to the situation. Out of the whole entire book my favorite character was Montanna West. The reason why she was my favorite was because she did what was best for her and her little adopted sister. When Her little sister was being trouble the parents wanted to put her back in foster care but Montanna didnt let that happen. She was going to turn 18 in a few weeks so she decided to raise her little sister on her own with her boyfriend. This character felt real to me because she and just like me go through struggles and she and I find ways to overcome it. The story/plot really did keep you guessing, you learn about one person in the book then it flips to a different person. One of my favorite parts in the book is when Montanna decided to leave her house and not abandoned her sister. She felt confident enough that she could giver her and her sister a better life. At some parts of the book it did kind of get a little repetetive though but then they flipped characters so it was fine. I would reccomend this book to more older readers because it does have some older person sayings in it. I would also reccomend to people this book if you just want to learn about how people deal with their struggles.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2018
This was a blind date with a book from my library. I never would have picked this one up on my own...The cover wouldn't catch my eye and the themes wouldn't have appealed to me. BUT...In a way, I'm glad I read it. It's set up as three novellas that all deal with the issues of anger and tragedy and figuring out how to live through difficult circumstances from a teenage perspective. There's a lot of language and plenty of dumb drama and Crutcher is a therapist so he weaves that element into each story.
The format was interesting and each story seemed real enough. The first of the three was the most eye opening and the other two were just so-so. Anger plays SUCH a big part in our interactions with other people and Crutcher tried to get to the bottom of why that is and how to handle it when it crops up (in yourself and in those you have to deal with).
The format was interesting and each story seemed real enough. The first of the three was the most eye opening and the other two were just so-so. Anger plays SUCH a big part in our interactions with other people and Crutcher tried to get to the bottom of why that is and how to handle it when it crops up (in yourself and in those you have to deal with).
December 31, 2020
I did not finish this, and it's not because it was poorly written or bad in some way.
It just wasn't for me.
It just didn't move, so I quit fairly early on.
The stories were heart-wrenching and awful, and the characters seemed rather interesting and unique, but I think my issue was that it was mostly just characters telling stories and really not much happening besides inner- and outer- dialogue and description. And the repetition of the one guy admonishing himself for eating too many scones in a donut shop. I mean, people really didn't do anything. The story just had a slow, slow forward movement it seemed.
It just didn't grab me, so 2 stars (= "it was okay") I think is accurate.
It just wasn't for me.
It just didn't move, so I quit fairly early on.
The stories were heart-wrenching and awful, and the characters seemed rather interesting and unique, but I think my issue was that it was mostly just characters telling stories and really not much happening besides inner- and outer- dialogue and description. And the repetition of the one guy admonishing himself for eating too many scones in a donut shop. I mean, people really didn't do anything. The story just had a slow, slow forward movement it seemed.
It just didn't grab me, so 2 stars (= "it was okay") I think is accurate.
September 14, 2017
IT was great to catch up with a few old friends and to meet some new teens.
Chris Crutcher writes a unique style of fiction. The characters are all facing problems but they have the resilience of youth and deal with their problems in mostly positive ways. I held off on this for a while because I prefer book length stories to shorter works but this is really several novella length stories that could easily have been "padded" into books. The fact that it wasn't just shows the author is not short of compelling story ideas.
By all means this is worth the reading time.
Chris Crutcher writes a unique style of fiction. The characters are all facing problems but they have the resilience of youth and deal with their problems in mostly positive ways. I held off on this for a while because I prefer book length stories to shorter works but this is really several novella length stories that could easily have been "padded" into books. The fact that it wasn't just shows the author is not short of compelling story ideas.
By all means this is worth the reading time.
March 2, 2023
This book is a compilation of characters from his other books. It feels more like a collection of short stories. The short stories hold up on their own but the devise the author uses to hold them together (a consultant who has been hired to handle some difficult students as a preventative measure following several serious incidents in the last school year) feels very clunky to me. I actually found it sort of confusing since it never circled back to the consultant. However, if you're a fan of "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes" you'll like the happy ending he gave her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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