Friday Flashback: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Books don't have to be new to be deserving of a review! On Fridays I flashback to some of my favorite books of all-time.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton



"When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind.  Paul Newman and a ride home."  So begins Ponyboy's tale.  In his world, there are two types of people: Socs (the haves) and Greasers (the have nots), and never the twain shall meet. A proud Greaser, Ponyboy dresses and acts the part, even while he studies hard and does well in school.  Then a confrontation between Socs and Greasers goes horribly awry.  While hiding from authorities, Ponyboy ponders life and questions the rigid social structure he's always accepted.

What can be written about The Outsiders that hasn't already been written by reviewers more critical, analytical and talented than I?  Probably not much.  A coming of age story with echoes of J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, S.E. Hinton's first novel (written when she - yes, SHE! - was a teenager) is a true member of the young adult canon.  Some say it was even the first.  While underage drinking, smoking, gang violence and indications of teenage sex (though none happens on-screen) have kept censors busy for decades as they've worked to take the book off school reading lists and out of libraries, it remains one of the most assigned and best loved teenage tales.  And with good reason.  Inside the cover of this short novel are big ideas about identity, acceptance and the value of a person.  Sure, the character names are goofy, and they slang used is outdated, but the story itself is timeless.

Recommended for: all readers!  This is a must-read for anyone who reads YA lit (and even those who look down on it).

The LibrariYAn is an Amazon Associate. If you click from links on this blog to Amazon and buy something (anything!), I receive a small percentage of the purchase price.