Go Ask Alice by Anonymous (6-Oct-2011) Paperback

by Anonymous

Unknown Binding

About the author

Books can be attributed to "Anonymous" for several reasons:

* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author

Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.

See also: Anonymous

Reviews

[Jessica Martin · Rating 1 out of 5]

A coworker of mine insisted I had to suffer through this for the hilarity of it and man do I feel like I've experienced the deliriously stupid pop-cultural of Go Ask Alice. Akin to classic YA like Looking For Alibrandi or other rebellious young adult coming of age novels from older time periods, this little book explains how our protagonist has a run in with drugs and proceeds to spiral out of control in her life and emotions.

The fact that I'm supposed to believe the FMC becomes a hounding drug fiend after one experience with LSD in a coke bottle (mind you I've experienced LSD myself) to the ending that comes completely out of nowhere after rehabilitation, the blatant homophobia, transphobia, slight inkling of racism that really shows this things age and its conservative fear mongering around weed is enough to make me want to burn it. It's just a realllyyyyyy old book and stupidly 'do you know where your children are?' drug PSA ad adjacent. I think there's certainly better literature out there that depicts the struggle of drug abuse and addiction especially in adolescence.

An absolute laugh and a half, particularly the section that mentioned 'dopers' (these are those weed smoking hooligans that'll ruin your life) once put a cat in a washing machine to represent this hugely horrific and evil feat drug users are capable of. Idk about you but like many teenagers, I had a few friends who were smoking pot and I don't think they've ever committed a sin more evil than being a little slower to talk to than usual and eating unfound amounts of sh*t from the supermarket or servo.

Go Ask Alice WISHES it was Australian Puberty Blues.

[Jillian Veach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Is Not a book I would have picked up to read, but I was gifted the book from a friend. I felt like it was very eye opening. How quick and easily someone can become addicted and an insight into what the addict could go through, mentally and physically. A short, easy, intriguing read.

[Susan Wilders · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this when I was a teenager and just now to refresh myself of the details. I’m not really sure if I would want for my teenager to read it. Should they read it for awareness of what can happen? Possibly, but only after a very frank discussion with them.

[Giorgos Amarantos · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the beginning, I was not very into the book. Alice felt a little distant as every entree in her diary was about a paragraph every 3 days. In those 3 days, it seemed like something new had happened and I was trying to understand so quickly. For example, one entree she was writing about how she wanted to become a social worker and the next was that her piano teacher had invited her to an event. I hadn’t read about a piano teacher in the previous pages. However, the mental health and drug deals for a teenager that this book mentions is awakening. I read about Alice running away from home two times and getting carried away with drugs. It explains addiction, HOWEVER, doesn’t educate, just explains what one with an addiction feels. Beautiful part of the story.
One thing that I wish we got during this book, was more with the beautiful romance. It was mentioned that the boy was sending letters, pages long, but never got a single sentence from those letters. He was even sending letters to her parents while she was in the mental hospital and the parents would give it to her in there. Overall, I felt this book was not entirely realistic. I saw the beauty in it but it was not reached. I definitely did not cry over this book as others did. It definitely wasn’t terrible therefore, three stars. Easy, short read.

[Bree Farrelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book honestly just made me feel really sad the whole time. I guessed before reading the book that she was going to die from an overdose at the end, so every time she wrote that she was clean or that she was never going to do it again, I just felt sorry for her more than anything. It’s a really heavy feeling.

I’m also still not sure what to think about whether it’s fiction or non-fiction. It’s written like a real diary and it definitely feels real while you’re reading it, which makes the whole thing hit a lot harder. Either way, it paints a really bleak picture of how quickly things can spiral.

I didn’t love the book, but it stuck with me emotionally, and I believe I will always think of it.

[Jennifer Cowfer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Anonymous books, theyre sad but a good reminder to check on the people in your life. A good reminder you never know what is actually happening and no matter what sometimes you and they can try everything right and it doesnt work.
If you haven't read them, theyre diaries people have found, slightly fiction but still true. If I remember correctly.
Reading how "Alice " gets into the drug scene and struggles with staying sober, relapse and recovery. The struggles of old friends ruining your progress because you dont see life how they do anymore and trying to get your life back on track. Its a very common story of some people lives we like to see as tragic and shameful. Recovery is one of the hardest things a lot of people live through in with.

[Adam Lockwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Go ask Alice follows the thought and feelings of 15 year old Alice in the late 60 sixties as she becomes exposed to the world of well drugs.

It had been debated whether the diary is “real” or entirely fictional but the fact remains the same around drugs.

The way Alice falls into drugs so easily feels very real starts at a party then sooner or later you get in too deep.

It was even sadder that she had moments of nearly going clean but falling back in

And then she died a few weeks after her last entrance in the diary.

I watched the film a few months ago and now I am itching to re watch.

A very quick read but still good.

[Sophie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a heartbreaking book. The claws of addiction will dig themselves into anyone they don’t care who.

A 15 year old who was given drugs as a joke game with her friends turns into a heartbreaking addiction. The end was so beautiful a change of life for Alice and that last page brought me to tears.

God love all those who fall victim to addiction it is truly such a sad sad illness

[Aria Spradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an amazing book! And the fact that she relapsed so many times and still got back up and then was still worried about relapsing, and then she would relapse again was like mind blowing. I felt very attached to the character from like the first diary entry.

[Megan Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fact that this book was written in the 70s but still seems so real. The way it is written is from this teenage girl. Her relapses and way she wrote was truly great. I think she struggled with everything and relapsed so much. I honestly wish there was more

[Jack Mulcahy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book feels like a time capsule from the late 60's. The crystal clear image of the intersectionality between being a girl, being white and middle class and using substances comes through powerfully.

[Veyrith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan, I understand that this ‘true’ story is not actually true, and despite it being 50 years old, this does not excuse the homophobia, transphobia, and fat-phobia.

[Amie Bah · Rating 3 out of 5]

its good but i heard that it could be an anti drug book someone randomly wrote abd not a diary so it made it harder to read

[Leeanne Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The message in this book deserves 5 stars!

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heartbreaking

[Carole Manners · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerfully written in diary form as if it were Alice's own diary but it is, in fact, a book of fiction

[Brian Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very impactful read when I was a kid. No idea what I’d think of it now.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely terrific read!

[Joanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not impressed after the first several pages
Just seemed to phoney to be a 15 year old diary

[Nadine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very realistic (from personal experience). A Must read for every middle-School aged child in my opinion.

Growing up you get warned not to run with the wrong crowd but just as this book highlights - the nice, successful, educated people just as much fall und pull others into addiction.