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Boy Minus Girl
LES WANTS the girl. He thinks she’s amazing, exotic, perfect. But he doesn’t know how to talk to her, kiss her, or make her realize that he’s the best and only guy for her in the whole wide world.
Once he masters these things, she’ll be his! Easy-peasy, right? The gulf between dreamgirl and realgirl is explored and made somewhat less vast in this bawdy yet romantic not-quite-coming-of-age. Teens will relate to 14-year-old Les’s hilarious and squirmy longings, and the fulsomely awkward efforts he puts forth to make his real life match his fantasies. The story also
portrays the perils of unexamined hero-worship, and the strength and humanity of people that may seem plain and boring, but who stand up for what is right when called upon to do so. It is a tale both hilarious and thoughtful, in which, to paraphrase the old Rolling Stones adage, one boy figures out that even if you indeed can’t always get what you want, if you try sometime, you just might find you get what you need.
Once he masters these things, she’ll be his! Easy-peasy, right? The gulf between dreamgirl and realgirl is explored and made somewhat less vast in this bawdy yet romantic not-quite-coming-of-age. Teens will relate to 14-year-old Les’s hilarious and squirmy longings, and the fulsomely awkward efforts he puts forth to make his real life match his fantasies. The story also
portrays the perils of unexamined hero-worship, and the strength and humanity of people that may seem plain and boring, but who stand up for what is right when called upon to do so. It is a tale both hilarious and thoughtful, in which, to paraphrase the old Rolling Stones adage, one boy figures out that even if you indeed can’t always get what you want, if you try sometime, you just might find you get what you need.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
6 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 3, 2010
The book got better as it went along, and by the end I was happy to have read it. It starts out as a typical "Boy-feels-like-a-loser-and-can't-get-the-girl" story, like Swim the Fly. There are several detailed references to masturbation and other sexual issues, which means it is probably too controversial for most middle school libraries. Of course, some readers will love the same naughty bits that will give others pause. Our protagonist, Les, is in 8th grade, so the book won't appeal to many older readers. Which is too bad, because the book eventually supports solid themes: family is important, friendships are valued, and hurtful behavior is frowned upon, racism is disdained, religion plays a part in many people's lives. It ends on quite the uplifting note, "it is important to find out who you are and what you're capable of."
In fact, the first two-thirds of the book felt a little too conventional, aside from the prominent self-abuse. There's a rakish uncle, uptight parents, a bully, a whip-smart girl with answers to all questions sexual/and romantic posed by the geeky, virginal boys. But, they're not much more than stereotypes, and few of the characters feel adequately fleshed out. The 80's setting may be a bit of a stretch for reluctant readers who would otherwise enjoy a light comedy. Of course, those readers probably won't even notice that a significant plot point just hangs out unresolved.
Once done with this, you might suggest All the Way.
In fact, the first two-thirds of the book felt a little too conventional, aside from the prominent self-abuse. There's a rakish uncle, uptight parents, a bully, a whip-smart girl with answers to all questions sexual/and romantic posed by the geeky, virginal boys. But, they're not much more than stereotypes, and few of the characters feel adequately fleshed out. The 80's setting may be a bit of a stretch for reluctant readers who would otherwise enjoy a light comedy. Of course, those readers probably won't even notice that a significant plot point just hangs out unresolved.
Once done with this, you might suggest All the Way.
October 8, 2022
I enjoyed the genuineness of the situations and charm of the characters. Main character is the type of boy who seems advanced for his age in his interest and drive for sex.
February 20, 2010
Les spends eighth grade fending off a bully, crushing on a girl he knows he'll never be able to get (it's not that she doesn't like him, she just has a long-distance girlfriend in St. Louis), preparing his magic act for the local talent show, and lot of time thinking about girls and sex.
When Les' cool uncle shows up, much to the horror of Les' uptight mother, Les thinks this might be the best thing that ever happened to him. Uncle Ray drives a cool hair, has cool hair, and freely dispenses advice about landing women and fighting bullies. If Les was as cool as his uncle, his life would be so much easier, right?
But, then Uncle Ray sleeps with the waitress at the local milkshake joint, her husband finds out, puts Uncle Ray in the hospital, and another woman shows up claiming Uncle Ray got her pregnant and then skipped town. Initially horrified and fascinated because he's pretty sure the woman is a stripper, Les befriends her, and starts to learn that maybe being like his uncle isn't such a great idea after all.
It's set at some point during the eighties, although it doesn't really feel like it other than a couple references to Uncle Ray's moussed hair, and a subplot about the prejudice Les' doctor father faces when treating an HIV positive patient.
I'm not really sure how to categorize this one. There's too much objectionable content to recommend for eighth grade, but trying to sell an eighth grade protaganist to older teens isn't great either. Maybe it's better for readers out of high school looking for some nostalgic, uncomfortable laughter over the antics of someone with more high school problems than they had?
When Les' cool uncle shows up, much to the horror of Les' uptight mother, Les thinks this might be the best thing that ever happened to him. Uncle Ray drives a cool hair, has cool hair, and freely dispenses advice about landing women and fighting bullies. If Les was as cool as his uncle, his life would be so much easier, right?
But, then Uncle Ray sleeps with the waitress at the local milkshake joint, her husband finds out, puts Uncle Ray in the hospital, and another woman shows up claiming Uncle Ray got her pregnant and then skipped town. Initially horrified and fascinated because he's pretty sure the woman is a stripper, Les befriends her, and starts to learn that maybe being like his uncle isn't such a great idea after all.
It's set at some point during the eighties, although it doesn't really feel like it other than a couple references to Uncle Ray's moussed hair, and a subplot about the prejudice Les' doctor father faces when treating an HIV positive patient.
I'm not really sure how to categorize this one. There's too much objectionable content to recommend for eighth grade, but trying to sell an eighth grade protaganist to older teens isn't great either. Maybe it's better for readers out of high school looking for some nostalgic, uncomfortable laughter over the antics of someone with more high school problems than they had?
April 17, 2009
The jacket description is a little misleading, but it was an...interesting book. It was advertised as a boy-likes-girl-but-can't-have-her story. In actuality, boy, Les, likes girl, Charity, but soon discovers that while Charity likes Les, she is a lesbian, so Les has no chance with her. But he and his friend Howard are able to get a lot of advise about girls from her. He also has to deal with a bully at school and prepare for the school's talent show where he is debuting as a magician, the Great Linguini. On top of all this, his Uncle Ray comes to visit. While Les looks up to and admires his uncle, he soon discovers what a creep he is after he sleeps with a married woman in town and is actually hiding out from his stripper-girlfriend who is now pregnant and looking for him. And Les only has one thing on his mind...(use your imagination about a 14-year old boy). The conclusion to the story is a little weak, but ties up most, but not all, loose ends.
This story is certainly not for the light-hearted. I'm waiting for the first objection to the content. It's too bad too, because the hidden moral of the story is that one should do the right thing, be oneself and be true to core values. I'm only recommending this 246 page novel (which reads very fast) by Richard Uhlig to those with a very open mind.
This story is certainly not for the light-hearted. I'm waiting for the first objection to the content. It's too bad too, because the hidden moral of the story is that one should do the right thing, be oneself and be true to core values. I'm only recommending this 246 page novel (which reads very fast) by Richard Uhlig to those with a very open mind.
July 19, 2011
Maybe 2.5 stars. I read it because many copies were donated to a pediatricians office. A copy was then given to a local youth issues celebrity who gave it to her daughter who claimed it to be horribly inappropriate for kids. Yes, it is inappropriate for kids and probably shouldn't be in a pediatricians office, but to give it to this local media person to evaluate annoys me. Anyway, it is the story of Les who is trying to "score" for the first time. He gets bad advice from his wayward uncle and finds a secret out about his crush. The things that bothered me were it was not very well written, first of all, but secondary, it is never made clear this was taking place in the 80s; you sort of just get this by references he makes. Also, language used by this 14 year old did not seem genuine. Most teens read about people older than their actual age, but I can't imagine a lot of high school boys wanting to read this so I'm not sure who the intended audience is. Of course, not being and never have been a high school boy, I could be wrong.
September 9, 2009
The jacket description is a little misleading, but it was an...interesting book. It was advertised as a boy-likes-girl-but-can't-have-her story. In actuality, boy, Les, likes girl, Charity, but soon discovers that while Charity likes Les, she is a lesbian, so Les has no chance with her. But he and his friend Howard are able to get a lot of advise about girls from her. He also has to deal with a bully at school and prepare for the school's talent show where he is debuting as a magician, the Great Linguini. On top of all this, his Uncle Ray comes to visit. While Les looks up to and admires his uncle, he soon discovers what a creep he is after he sleeps with a married woman in town and is actually hiding out from his stripper-girlfriend who is now pregnant and looking for him. And Les only has one thing on his mind...(use your imagination about a 14-year old boy). The conclusion to the story is a little weak, but ties up most, but not all, loose ends.
June 2, 2010
I hated, despised, the first hundred pages of this book. And then suddenly, I was hooked. Lester Eckhardt starts out as a caricature of your typical fourteen-year-old boy living in a small Kansas town: he's obsessed with girls and sex, struggling through his teenage awkwardness, and bored out of his God-fearing mind. Contained in every other paragraph, for the first fifty pages or so, is a mention of masturbation. Stick with the book, though, and you'll find a rather profound story that explores homophobia, racism, and AIDS in the early 1980. When Les's drunk, womanizing Uncle Ray comes into town for a visit, followed by the ex-girlfriend he left behind in Kansas City (who is black), their small town is turned on its head, and Les finds his own voice amid the closeminded rabble surrounding him. The language is quite lewd throughout, but could be a great recommendation for reluctant male readers.
June 3, 2012
I picked up this book because it ended up on a banned list (well, technically it was just "moved" to a higher age group). While I'm not for banning books, I'm glad it was only so because I became aware of the cute read. This story could totally fit in with something seen on the cable channel, ABCFamily, with the exception of a few curse words (f-word and GD curse). In fact, several times when it mentioned masturbation, I thought about a line from the movie Parenthood -- "that's what little dudes do." :D A quick read, great if you need a filler for a book contest or something, assuming you don't mind the "dirty language", nothing out of the ordinary.
April 16, 2013
It wasn't horrible but it sure wasn't good. The plot was dull. I didn't care about the characters, bad things happened to them and I went "eh." The writing was pretty bad though, I had to keep re-reading passages because I felt I had missed an action but I hadn't. In one scene it jumps from a character asking Les to try some ice cream to immediately having the ice cream in his mouth.
Don't read it. The only reason it got "banned" was because each chapter started with a "seduction tip" (those are sarcastic quotes). I think the author may have attempted the "sexy" things to make his book edgy (which they didn't) and then didn't apply any other effort in making it interesting at all.
Don't read it. The only reason it got "banned" was because each chapter started with a "seduction tip" (those are sarcastic quotes). I think the author may have attempted the "sexy" things to make his book edgy (which they didn't) and then didn't apply any other effort in making it interesting at all.
April 11, 2010
I liked that this story took place in the 80's, when I was the age of Les Eckhardt. It was fun visiting that time period. I loved how Les reads "the Seductive Man" in hopes of getting laid. I think it should be standard reading for every teenage boy and man. However, I kept waiting for him to find out that it was written by a women, because that is what it felt like from the excerpts, but that didn't happen in the book. For living in a small town, a lot of exciting things happen to Les...but will he get the girl of his dreams?
cant-make-me
June 30, 2011I really thought the idea of this book was intriguing and all the recent hype from WoodTV made me want to read it even more. I started reading this full of enthusiasm and got 6 pages in. The writing is atrocious. You can't pay me to finish this.
July 11, 2012
i thonk the book was a really good book it was the kind of book that yhu would use for some girl and boy advice but it was a WONDERFUL book i would read it again and i would recamond this book to teenagers because some kids can relate to this book
October 18, 2008
Read for professional review.
September 4, 2014
I did NOT like this. I stopped reading it halfway through, and I rarely put down a book in the middle. This deserves -100 stars. xP
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews