The Basketball Diaries by Jim Carroll Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Basketball Diaries
Book Review: Perspectives Change
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of my favorite books. I read it originally when I was 16, and rereading it at 35, I was struck at how different my perspective was. At 16, it didn't feel like a downward spiral - just a progression of growing up. I also highly recommend his book Forced Entries, which is a good continuation. I have to say I enjoy Carroll's prose a bit more than his poetry.Book Review: The Nitty Gritty
Summary: 5 Stars
Disturbing and illuminating glimpse into Jim Carroll's early teen years in NYC in the 60's. Carroll lays out the nitty gritty of his sordid doings with a easy going, fresh voice. I was at once repulsed and drawn into his tales of his increasing heroin dependency and means of feeding his addiction. Unlike most drug tales, Carroll simply presents who he is and what happened instead of sitting in judgement one way or the other. Riveting and candid; I wish all books were as good as this one.Book Review: Ths Game Comes Second.
Summary: 4 Stars
I have to study this novel on my Sports Literature course at The University of Sheffield, England. I found that some of the other texts were based around training and preparation for, and the playing of, the game. THIS IS NOT BASKETBALL DIARIES! I picked up the book thinking that, with heart throb Leo on the cover, it would be a rags to riches tale of poor boy made good in the world of the NBA, full of moving (or vomit endusing) moments, and All-American clean living. How wrong was I? The novel is excellent! The game is secondary to drugs, homosexuality, and pedophillia. It is a chilling novel, but a fantastic read. I would recomend this book to anyone, except those who want to read about basketball, or those who want to buy it because of Leonardo's roles in Titanic and The Beach.Book Review: Dig It (in the words of Jim)
Summary: 4 Stars
A quick, hip read. I am a slow reader, and yet wrapped this up in 2 days, both because of its interesting subject matter and its ease of reading. Carroll is very slick, and certainly precocious, having done by age 14 the kinds of things that make grownups blush. This book is worth a read just for the language- Carroll has a fluid writing style that incorporates all kind of street parlance, making for a kind of underground city primer for the uninitiated square like me.Book Review: Misguided Teenager
Summary: 4 Stars
A good book, very true real life situations. Jim Carrol growing up in the mean streets of New York. The situations were very real, and show what many teenagers have to go through today, even if they don't grow up in a large city. Violence and crime are spreading rapidly, and no teen is safe from it. I can't really understand why every person gave it five stars, to me five stars is a book that you read five times before reading another. Overall, the book is a very realistic and entertaining and I would recommend it to any teenager that is headed down the wrong path, it will most likely set them straight.