One of my favorite books growing up as a teen was S.E. Hinton’s, The Outsiders
When I saw it was available on my on-line library as an audio book, I snatched it up. Â I loved this book and the movie and really wanted to see if it was as good as I remembered it was. Â After listening I can say that it was good…not good in the way I like books now…but still good. Â I can easily see why it’s remained a classic.
You might remember that is was later made into a movie….boy did they ever know how to cast a movie… Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillion, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise (looking at the picture I can see why he had chin surgery), Ralph Macchio, Rob Lowe, and Leif Garrett. Â Can you imagine what it would cost to bring those names together now days???
It was a fun blast from the past to listen to it again. Â It’s hard to believe that a sixteen year old could have written the book…but she did.
Here’s what Amazon had to say, “No one ever said life was easy. But Ponyboy is pretty sure that he’s got things figured out. He knows that he can count on his brothers, Darry and Sodapop. And he knows that he can count on his friends—true friends who would do anything for him, like Johnny and Two-Bit. And when it comes to the Socs—a vicious gang of rich kids who enjoy beating up on “greasers” like him and his friends—he knows that he can count on them for trouble. But one night someone takes things too far, and Ponyboy’s world is turned upside down…”
I can easily see why this book remains a widely required read for all high school kids…is is an adult epic?…no, but still I really enjoyed it.  Amazon readers say 4.6 stars….I guess I’ll agree…partly over nostalgia…partly because it  has a good message.
Are there any other Outsider fans out there???
I loved this book and I still do! I haven’t read it for a long time, but the nostalgia factor gets me everytime. Great movie with an awesome cast too! Will always be a classic in my mind!
Loved Outsiders and still do. We had to study it at high school when I was 16 and I must say it was the only assignment I got 100% in. I have both the book and DVD here too. One of my prized possessions
I remember at high school that the school had a trip away to the “city” for a exhibition and if you didn’t go you had to stay at school. I was one who stayed…why because we got to watch the Outsiders and a few others done the same because of that, (though probably 97% of the school went to the city) —dedicated fans we were
Ok this post is about an older book you read and posted…Necessary Lies… by Diane Chamberlain. Thank you. I usually keep from free to max $4 limit. This just looked like it was worth the $10. Great book. Thank you for recomending it. I’m sure I would have missed reading this powerful story if not for your blog. I was a young teen and sheltered in California during this time, but moving to Texas brought up some remembered stories.
How funny…I just came across my old copy of this and started re-reading The Outsiders last week, probably for the first time since Junior High! I am enjoying it, again,…and in my mind’s eye I can see the whole movie played out for me…makes me feel like a teenager again!