Crash Club

by Henry Gregor Felsen

"In the car-crazed youth culture of the 1950s and early 1960s, no figure was more important than the writer Henry Gregor Felsen. In my circle of semi-Beatnik Southern California street racers, for instance, his novels were were read and re-read until the paper covers literally disintegrated. He was one of the few adult writers (Jack Kerouac was the obvious other) who understood the full desperation and elation of our punched-to-the-metal generation. At the same time, this tough ex-Marine undoubtedly saved thousands of lives with his forensically sobering descriptions of the Friday night carnage on the crossroads of small Midwest towns. In American cultural history, Felsen was to the 1950s as L. Frank Baum (Wizard of Oz) was to the 1900s." Mike Davis Professor Creative Writing U.C. Riverside

So far, Raccoon Forks had been a lucky school. Its fads had been noisy, out-landish, expensive, silly; its leaders noble, flighty, and irritating. But it had been spared the destructive, damaging crazes that had seized students in other high schools. Indeed, the addiction to drag-racing gaudy cars was almost something to be thankful for. And yet, the current fad was doomed from the day "Outlaw" Galt transferred to Raccoon Forks. He not only usurped Mike Revere's position as the "best boy with the best car," and also the girl who went with it, but set off a struggle for prestige and leadership that was fought with cars. Racing gave way to recklessness and "heroes" were measured by the depth of their road wounds. Where would the new fad end? That question troubled the principal of Raccoon Forks High. But how to regain his leadership and the affections of his girl was all that mattered to Mike Revere. He'd find a way. . . With Crash Club, Henry Gregor Felsen proves again, as he did with "Hot Rod" and "Street Rod," that he not only understands teen agers and their problems but can also write a story guaranteed to keep their eyes glued to it from start to finish. Felsen's children, Dan Felsen and Holly Felsen Welch, have republished these favorites for the fans who loved them as teens and for new generations, as well.

Genres: Young Adult

Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

Felsen was born and attended school in Brooklyn, N.Y.C. He taught part-time at Drake University (1964-1969), and in 1977 left Iowa to spend his remaining years traveling.

After struggling financially during the Depression, Felsen sold nine books and hundreds of stories in his first eighteen months of full-time freelance writing in the early 1940s. After war service with the Marine Corps, during which he edited the corps magazine Leatherneck and also wrote magazine articles while stationed in the Pacific, he returned to Iowa where he lived for most of his life.

Felsen was a prolific author. He wrote more than 60 books and hundreds of articles and short stories. Felsen's most popular writings were his car series books. The series (Hot Rod, Street Rod, Rag Top, Crash Club) was especially popular with teenage males, and sold more than eight million copies. Hot Rod (1950) was the most popular title and remained on the best-seller list for 27 years. Even though his books were about young men, fast cars, and girlfriends, Felsen used many of them to moralistically explore the evils of drug abuse, sexism, and racism. He claimed that "I was years ahead of my time to approach and explore these topics in literature aimed at the young reader. "The car series also appealed to young readers because it realistically paralleled the car culture of the 1950s and the craze of "hot rodding." The realism in his writing was also evident in the unhappy endings and heroes who were often rebels. Felsen's books reflected the morals, values, and prejudices of the time.

He is also credited with one screenplay, the 1968 film Fever Heat, based on his novel of the same name which had been published under the pen name of Angus Vicker.

Felsen was married twice and had two children and two stepchildren. In 1977 he left West Des Moines to move to Vermont and later lived in Michigan. Felsen spent much of the last two decades of his life traveling. He lived in Grandville, Michigan, and died of a heart ailment in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1995.

Reviews

[Iris Bratton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A timeless classic full of fast cars, teen angst, and the bittersweetness of growing up.

This book moved me beyond my expectations! I definitely left some tear stains on the last 20 pages. Its emotional complexity made it an absolute treasure. I loved this and I can't wait to read it again.

[Josie Daleiden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I read it right before I went into high school. The moral of the story is basically this; If your family has lots of money and moves to a small town, you can get away with a lot more stuff. The hot rod lingo and the general feel of the book is great. The climax and the end were a little dark, but overall it was a fun read. I'm trying to find my old hardcover version so my son can read it too!

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a classic and a must for any hot rodder

[Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great coming of age classic! Especially, if you were a teen car buff. All the books in this series are great.

[G Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

cool teen hot rod novel. & as always with art from this period, there are consequences that the main characters have to deal with.

[Benny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story and good character building. I wanted a little more racing, but the story does keep your attention.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best and timeless young adult books. Time, fashions and dialogue may change but teenagers are basically the same now as they were in the late 1950s in this novel. Boys will always chase girls and feel a bit insecure when they catch them. High schools will always have rich kids that seem to get away with everything - only because they are rich. Some kids are so desperate to fit in that they will do almost anything to do so, including trying to impress other teenagers they don't particularly like and risking their own lives in the process. This wonderful books contains characters that do all of this and more. The main character Mike Revere is a good guy at heart, but he's a teenager in love with two desirable things - Donna, the most beautiful girl at high school; and his status as the top drag racer in the school. When David Galt, new rich kid, enters the scene with his megabucks and dragster...well, you know things are getting intense. This book has never seemed to age to me...I've probably read it twenty times in the last forty years, every few years or so and it's just as good as the first time I read it. Mr. Felsen really knew how to write for and about teenagers.