About book The Dangerous Lives Of Altar Boys (2001)
Before Chris Fuhrman’s passing, the novelist was working on The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys. Set in the 1970’s in Georgia (Fuhrman’s own setting for his own childhood), the novel follows two adolescents: Francis Doyle and Tim Sullivan, and their gang of friends as they try to survive the authority of catholic schooling and the ruling clergy. They find a retreat from the restrictive lifestyle through smoking, drinking, and drawing comic books involving their “religious overlords” in sinful positions. The devious troublemakers, put on the brink of expulsion with the discover of their comic book “Sodom and Gomorrah ’74,” expect to put on one last, all-in prank on the Sisters and set themselves free.I had seen the Altar Boys movie before I read Fuhrman’s novel, and while it was impossible now to not see Kieran Culkin as Tim Sullivan, the book opened up a different world that the movie could not. The boys, who merely seemed as troubled youth in the movie, were given a purpose for their rebellion. Francis had claimed that “The more dangerous life is, the better. Scary equals important, right?” The youths found a sense of being that the movie couldn’t accurately explain. As such, they deviated into several illegal activities from drinking to sexual exploration to thievery, all in the name of an identity to claim as their own “gang of idiots.” Fuhrman’s language paints vivid descriptions of the setting, as well, which makes the reader almost feel as if he/she is in Savannah in the ‘70s. His depiction of religious influence in church and school, and the boys’ rebellion of it, is another aspect that the movie couldn’t deliver as well that Fuhrman nailed on.As a former private Catholic school boy, I would recommend this novel to many of my former classmates. While we never attempted or even thought about stealing a cougar, the behavior of these adolescents in the face of an oppressive authority and their subsequent rebellion reflects that of many Catholic schools, including my own alma matter. The realist themes of teens smoking, drinking, or even having sex may have parents (especially those of more conservative Catholic families, who may not be ready to accept that even their children’s classmates do these) may turn their children away from it, but Altar Boys shows the nature of the adolescent mind and the will to find meaning and identity, no matter what avenue they must find: be it in Jesus, a cigarette or a comic book.Trouble is our only defense against boredom.
Savannah, Georgia. Primi anni settanta. Francis, Tim e i loro amici frequentano la scuola cattolica del Cuore Benedetto. Tim è un ragazzino esile e ribelle, Francis è innamorato dell’introversa Margie, ma è troppo timido per dichiararsi. Quando il fumetto osceno che hanno realizzato arriva tra le mani del preside, rischiano la bocciatura. Per evitarla, elaborano un ingegnoso piano, che si rivelerà più pericoloso del previsto, e cambierà per sempre le loro vite. Riti di iniziazione, scontri fra gang rivali, primi baci e prime sbronze: Vite pericolose di bravi ragazzi è l’unica, meravigliosa testimonianza di un genio prematuramente scomparso, un romanzo capace di ritrarre con umorismo e sensibilità il momento in cui si abbandona l’innocenza e si scopre la fragilità della vita adulta. La recensione della storia merita 4-5 stelle. L'autore è bravo a calarti dentro una storia fatta di una semplicità emotiva. Ti leghi ai personaggii, alle loro debolezze, alla loro giovane età e vuoi sapere di questi amici, personaggi riusciti, ben definiti, simpatici e artisti, ragazzi uniti che ne combinano di tutti i colori pur di restare sulla bocca di tutti. Sono bravi ragazzi, non fanno nulla di male, ma come dice la sinossi, in una serata, una bravata di troppo e le loro vite cambieranno per sempre. Una storia che rispecchia l'America di quegli anni, i desideri e i sogni di una generazione.Le tre stelle vengono fuori dal fatto che l'ebook è fatto male. Ho già preso in passato, sempre in offerta, un ebook di ISBN Edizioni, ma era in formato ePub ed era pieno zeppo di orrori tecnici dove dimensioni e font dei caratteri cambiava di continuo all'interno dello stesso paragrafo. il formato Kindle maschera molti di questi errori, ma non tutti.5 stelle per il libro direttamente in inglese dell'autore Chris Fuhrman, anche se la copertina dell'edizione in italiano è molto più bella dell'edizione originale. Oppure 5 stelle per l'edizione cartacea dell'edizione italiana.
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I came across this book during a Film class I had while in grade 12. The assignment was to compare a novel to it's movie remake. It took me awhile until one day searching online, I noticed the movie that I had loved since I watched it for the first time, actually had a novel. Since it was not in stock, I ordered it from Chapters & read the entire book in one day, considering by the time it came my project was due in a week or so. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the quick read I gave it. It is a confusing, twisted, but yet adoring book. I am happy for the random events that occurred to lead me to this book, recommended indeed.
—Taylor
I love this book. I don't know why. Whenever I recommend it to someone they laugh because the title as well as the entire story is ironic. This is about two best friends in catholic school who rebel. They would, anyway, as they both seem to be very unhappy boys. Particularly one whose parents are constantly fighting. The main character of the book constantly draws out their lives as a comic. Of course, the comics are the more unrealistic aspect of the book as is meant but the whole things is very dramatic and to an extent, moving.
—Coco
Not as good as people want it to be and frankly just more coming of age crap. If I read one more story about a young catholic boy or a young jewish boy or how as a young boy I grew up in the Bronx...and I got news for you, you weren't the only one who's dad was a jerk and you weren't the only one who stole liquor from the cabinet and you weren't the only one who got in fights or had a girlfriend or blah blah blah...and just because you do something really stupid and get your friends (spoiler retraction) doesn't mean your life is any cooler or more pertinent than anyone else's. Apparently Jodie Foster thought differently, but that's between God and Jodie Foster.
—Philip Fracassi
