cover Title: The Gospel According to Larry
Author: Janet Tashjian

type of book: YA Fiction
call number: YA/FIC

This book is strong in character.

Summary:
Main Characters:
- Josh Swenson (writer and narrator, a senior in high school)
- Beth, Josh's best friend since middle school
- Larry, an anonymous person who runs the website "goaspelaccordingtolarry.com" which bashes commercialism and consumerism in society.

The whole school loves the website. Kids are trying to imitate "Larry's" philosophy, even in other schools all over the country. Many teens are emailing Larry to discover his/her identity, so Larry begins scanning and uploading photos of each personal possession owned by him/her. Readers learn very soon that Josh is Larry and that he owns exactly 75 items.

Josh/Larry cannot and will not tell anyone about his Larry identity, especially Beth. Beth keeps falling all over Todd, the dumb jock of the school, and Josh is upset and depressed about it. Betagold is a reader of the website who is determined to discover Larry's real identity and hates what he has to say on his site.

I would recommend this book!

Why?
This book reads very fast and readers will become attached to Josh immediately. How he handles his daily life and his "unknown" success" keeps readers engaged, waiting to know how things will end.

His life starts getting out of control because of the website and Larry's "gospels." Betagold will stop at nothing to discover the truth, even ruining people's lives.

I could not put this book down and had to keep reading until I knew the end.

Other suggested reading:
  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
  • Walden by Henry David Thoreau
  • Look for these and other titles in our !

    Related links:

  • Janet Tashjian.com

    Employee Initials: KS Review Date: March 2005

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