If Rock and Roll Were a Machine: A Novel

by Terry Davis

The guidance of two adults and his interest in motorcycles and writing help high school junior Bert Bowden regain the sense of self that had been destroyed by his fifth-grade teacher.

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Young Adult

284 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1992

About the author

Terry Davis is an American novelist who lives near Spokane, Washington, and is a professor emeritus of English at Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU Mankato), where he taught Creative writing – fiction and screenwriting – as well as adolescent literature. Davis, who has been a high school English teacher and a wrestling coach, is the author of three novels for young adults: Vision Quest (1979), Mysterious Ways (1984), and If Rock & Roll Were a Machine (1992). He has also written Presenting Chris Crutcher, a biography of the respected young-adult author.

Reviews

[Kevin English · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received an ARC of what appears to be a reprint last year. Took me a while to get into, but Bert's story is powerful and one that we've all experienced: the debilitating effect of another's criticism and the self-defeating prophecy that can result.

[Omar Paz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a good message for a lot of teens in my opinion. It was one of those books, in my opinion, that goes too scary deep into real-life problems where you just got to put it down for a while. Overall a great book with a good message.

[Tim Turini · Rating 3 out of 5]

i think the book was ok definitely felt a little quick being that the story jumped around with him having a new interest in writing and racquetball and his new motorcycle, as well as support from adultsv with similar thoughts as him, help him discover who he really is and how to adjust to life. but i feel the story should have stuck to just one theme.

[Dan Rheingans · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book about growing up, the impact of the people around us, and how the decisions we make about who we are and what we will become shape not only us, but those around us. Really enjoyed this one. Fast YA lit book, but definitely worth the read!

[Christopher Hachet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This actually also rates as one of the very best YA books I have ever read. It has stayed with me for years...it really resonated with me in all kinds of ways.

[Sylene · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the surface, this is a story about a kid learning to ride motorcycles, play racquetball, and overcome his desire for intimacy.
However, this story spoke a lot to me about a kid who had his self-confidence snatched away until he lost his will to voice opinions and recovers this. He finds meaningful people who believe in him, and that's all it takes for him to start rehabilitating his lost soul.
Two of my favorite quotes from this book:
1. [randomly funny simile] "Every bike I met carried a couple. The girls were clasped onto the guys like enraptured mollusks onto rocks" (page 81).
2. [actually meaningful] "Bert watched the little guy and udnerstood what it was that Lawler had taken from him back in fifth and sixth grades: It was part of his childhood. It was the quality in healthy kids that allows them to act without self-consciousness, that allows them to develop a sense of who they are before they start caring so much about what the world thinks of them. This is what was taken, and Bert knew it was gone foreever. But he also knew that much abided, as Tanneran's quotes said. He wasn't empty. He was full. He just wished he could give a name to the fullness" (207).
A final thought from Bert -If rock and roll were a machine, it would be a motorcycle.

[Dave Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Davis gives us Bert Bowden, a coming-of-age high school junior who finds himself at a crossroad with his father, a bully teacher from his past, and the reality that he is not the best football player. In fact, Bert turns his focus to racketball where he runs into his bully teacher. Terry Davis had great success with Vision Quest (1979) and he does it again here with another memorable character in Bowden.

[Oliver Eastwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was kind of slow at the start, but then by the end I was really into it. I thought it was going to be about rock and roll (as the title suggests), but really rock and roll hardly features. But it was a great growing-up novel, one that I can relate to and enjoy.

[Aaron Rudolph · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of Terry Davis’ three wonderful, published novels, this book shares the story of a kid who is full of promise but also self doubt. Sincere mentors and winning experiences turn the protagonist around. This novel also describes and revels in motorcycles in a way anyone can appreciate.

[Debbie Hoskins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Motorcycles and rock, what's there not to like?

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

See my review on my blog You Know You Wanna Read It: http://willteenbooks.blogspot.com/201...