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The Pusher
A high school tennis super-star, mentored by a recurring hallucination, journeys to rediscover his swagger after a humiliating defeat.
104 pages, Paperback
First published September 9, 2011
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October 11, 2019High School is full of angst for any teenager, but for Cam Ellis it takes a unique turn. Cam is the tennis superstar of Bay High School; his bravado and superb winning record earns him a huge following. Life is just about perfect for Cam until he faces off against a “Pusher”–a mediocre player whose tedious style literally and figuratively throws him off his game. Desperate to find his mojo again, Cam tries a number of dramatic ways to redefine himself. It isn't until Cam drops his entire image-crazed front and discovers his true self that he finds the inner strength to face his demons.
The theme of 'finding your own identity is the best way to be your most effective self' is an affirmative message for the young adult crowd. This familiar theme creates the spine of “The Pusher,” but the book is not so much about the plot as it is style. “The Pusher” crackles with James Littlejohn's slightly oddball humor in just about every sentence, giving the book its breezy form. From Cam's trade of a passed-out student for three Swedish girls as part of an “exchange student program,” to his imitation of volatile 70s-ish tennis icon “Jojo McIntoe,” to the fact that three Vegas odds-makers die of “head implosion” when Cam double faults for the first time, “The Pusher” is infused with a quirky energy that permeates every page. You'll likely find the book is uproariously funny or generally amusing; either way, it's worth the read.
The theme of 'finding your own identity is the best way to be your most effective self' is an affirmative message for the young adult crowd. This familiar theme creates the spine of “The Pusher,” but the book is not so much about the plot as it is style. “The Pusher” crackles with James Littlejohn's slightly oddball humor in just about every sentence, giving the book its breezy form. From Cam's trade of a passed-out student for three Swedish girls as part of an “exchange student program,” to his imitation of volatile 70s-ish tennis icon “Jojo McIntoe,” to the fact that three Vegas odds-makers die of “head implosion” when Cam double faults for the first time, “The Pusher” is infused with a quirky energy that permeates every page. You'll likely find the book is uproariously funny or generally amusing; either way, it's worth the read.
April 16, 2016
Very funny quick light read. I actually looked up the other sports mentioned (besides tennis) and found out they are real sports which makes this even funnier.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews