George

by E.L. Konigsburg

Who is George?

Only Howard Carr and his older brother, Ben, can answer that question, because only they know about George. George is the funny little man who lives inside Ben, helping him (mostly) navigate life as a sixth grader who happens to be a scientific genius and who happens to be studying organic chemistry with students much older than he.

One of those students is William Hazlitt, a senior who has been Ben's lab partner in previous years. William's interest in chemistry has taken a troubling turn, and Ben has a plan to come to his rescue. And that's when things get complicated -- for Howard, for Ben, and for George.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens, Middle Grade, Mystery, Family, Juvenile

192 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1970

About the author

Elaine Lobl Konigsburg was an American writer and illustrator of children's books and young adult fiction. She is one of six writers to win two Newbery Medals, the venerable American Library Association award for the year's "most distinguished contribution to American children's literature."
Konigsburg submitted her first two manuscripts to editor Jean E. Karl at Atheneum Publishers in 1966, and both were published in 1967: Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler won the 1968 Newbery Medal, and Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth was listed as a runner-up in the same year, making Konigsburg the only author to win the Newbery Medal and have another book listed as runner-up in the same year. She won again for The View from Saturday in 1997, 29 years later, the longest span between two Newberys awarded to one author.
For her contribution as a children's writer Konigsburg was U.S. nominee in 2006 for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international recognition available to creators of children's books.

Reviews

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben, a highly intelligent middle school boy who excels at Chemistry, has always had a great relationship with George, his "concentric twin" who lives inside him and often helps him with his schoolwork. Lately, though, Ben and George have begun to disagree about Ben's actions, particularly when it comes to Ben's sudden interest in gaining the approval of his classmates. When George stops speaking to him, Ben becomes concerned that he has lost him forever, but the adults in his life become more concerned about his mental health.

Though E.L. Konigsburg has been a favorite author of mine for years, I kept putting off reading this book because of its strange premise. When I finally decided to dive in, however, I quickly became enamored of the writing style and fell happily into the world of the story. The best way I can describe this book is to say that it's like A Beautiful Mind for middle schoolers. Is George real? Is he a manifestation of some mental illness? Would it be better or worse for Ben to lose George's voice inside of him? These are the questions this book asks readers to contemplate, and though Ben resolves his conflicts for himself, the overarching questions of the story are left open to the reader's interpretation.

This is the kind of book that will probably never have mass appeal, but which might be just the right thing for a highly intelligent kid who is struggling to choose an engaging book to read. Kids who like Konigsburg's more mainstream books (i.e. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler or The View from Saturday) might be surprised by the strangeness of (George), but boys, especially, who are struggling socially in early adolescence will relate to Ben and his desire to obscure the truth hidden deep inside of him in order to fit in. Konigsburg had one of the most unique writing styles of any children's author, and this unusual book just proves that she can make a compelling story out of even the most unlikely of premises.

This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

[Donna Sandidge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly adult content for a book intended for 8 - 12. I love this author’s writing and enjoyed the quick read and reminder that kids are also living complicated lives with intense thoughts and feelings.

[Lissa Notreallywolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well it is hard not to yield to the temptation to summarize this book which sticks in my mind nearly 30 years after reading it for the first time. It is a great exposition of what it is like to be incredibly intelligent and emotionally not as advanced. The main character is haunted by a persona named George, who gets him into trouble by speaking out when he would prefer that George remain silent. George is -a sub-personality who advocates for his "host's" interests. When the protagonist is making poor choices, George sings in his sleep, or rather their sleep. "Splash" our hero's nickname is trying to incorporate his appetite for chemistry and scientific fact which is easy compared to the social dynamics of being a child in a high-school environment. His desire for acceptance leads him morally astray until "george" alerts him to his conflicts. In a sense George is Splash's angel calling him to a higher integrity than his desire to be a part of the pack will allow. This is a good novel for kids under pressure for their specific abilities, and the necessity of personal development alongside of academic achievement. I completely empathized with "Splash", having had numerous elder siblings and the sense of always being one step behind socially and sometimes a few steps ahead morally.

[Brandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ben has always had George with him. He couldn't be without George if he wanted to--because George is the little man who lives inside him, offering advice and commentary quietly inside Ben's head. The only other person who knows about George is Ben's brother--but when George starts talking out loud, the secret is out. Ben's stepmother is concerned that he's "crazy" and "schizo" (her words; this was written in the 70s, after all) and sets him up with a psychiatrist, who diagnoses him as having a split personality. Eventually people consider him cured, as they don't hear George's voice anymore, but Ben reveals that it's only that his own voice has deepened so that it's indistinguishable.

I really liked this when I first read it ages ago (in college, maybe?), but now, it's just.. painful. Not only to see how little was understood about mental health issues, but how even the well-meaning parents will still completely ignorant of how to deal with this kind of mental illness. And the writing is a bit clunky and stilted, something I didn't notice about Konigsburg when I was younger but sure as hell do now.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

E.L. Konigsburg has that precious ability to write children's books that are good forever. I first read (George) in middle school. The K's in the fiction section were right next to the bench I always went to during my free time, and, being a fan ever since my class read From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler in the third grade, I quickly got through all the books of hers our library had. Two stood out, and this was one of them. Very intense, pretty dark, but ultimately sweet. The nature of the character George and how his presence affects the narration makes it difficult to describe much about the style of this book, but let us just say that it's good. The story has everything a miserable pre-teen bookworm would want: intrigue, mystery, drugs, school, sex, and rock and roll (ok, not so much those last two but you get the point. YA Lit of the highest degree).

[Keilani Ludlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fascinating. My favorites of her other books are favorites because of the quirky pre-teen/early-teen coming of age thinking. They all have a very tongue-in-cheek humor that is witty and delightful.

This one is a bit different, much like Silent to the Bone is different. The main character, Ben, has a "person" living in side of him. He and George have a great relationship and cover two different personalities well. So is George an imaginary friend, is he a brilliant child's way of handling the massive amount of information his genius brain handles? Finding out is part of the story.

Well written, a fascinating look into this type of psychological experience with her typical plot that is mostly just life with a little bit of a twist to give it an expanded plot.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decidedly odd story of a young man who may be inhabited by his "concentric twin" or may be mentally ill. Konigsburg is an excellent writer who manages to present the viewpoint of Ben (within whom George lives) in a normal fashion. Ben's always had George, and that's just the way it is. The exploration of Ben's psyche and the story arc are done very well. It's the kind of book that pops into your head weeks and years later. The moral quandaries were painted with a pretty broad brush, though, and the wicked stepmother could be straight out of the Brothers Grimm.

[Meghan · Rating 2 out of 5]

... this is the weirdest book I have ever read. It makes me wonder if someone gave me LSD and I wasn't aware of it.

[Kira Nerys · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird read. Started off thinking of A Mango-Shaped Space, in the way it viewed an unusual mental health condition as normal, but by the end I saw the Konigsburg-ness in how similar it felt to Silent to the Bone (which I'd recommend over this, it's my 3rd-favorite of her books). Still haven't really sorted out my thoughts on the plot . . . but Konigsburg's talent shines through, especially in what she excels at: realistic relationships. Howard and Ben (and George) felt so truthful, in the way they viewed and interacted with the world, and their sibling-ness struck me as they relied on each other, trusted each other, and handled the situations thrown at them. The decisions they made--sometimes, to my perspective, morally dubious or unwise--were shaped by their experiences, hopes, and lives, and it was that truthfulness (not unlike About the B'nai Bagels) that made this book so powerful.

Konigsburg's maybe my #1 favorite author of all time, but a couple of her books are just misses for me, and this is one.

[Hung · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was completely not what I expected, but still a great read as Konigsburg is an excellent writer.

For a long time, I have seen the book George by Alex Gino in many libraries and on many recommendation lists for LGBT diverse reads. I bought it for my school library this year as we all need more diverse books. So when I sat down to begin reading George by E. L. Konigsburg, I was expecting a story about a transgender or intersex kid. Instead, I ended up reading about a very intelligent Ben adventure with his inner person George and Ben's loud mouth younger brother Howard.

I'm very glad to have read this on my Kobo as I had to use the build in dictionary to look up several scientific words Ben was learning in class.

[JV Austen · Rating 4 out of 5]

George & Ben have always been together and only Howard knows. George lives inside of Ben. This is a children's book and I was reading along at that level, but EL Konigsburg has always assumed her young reader's have amazing depth and this is no exception. I'll suggest you read the book and decide what you think. And read it with your children (or your parents) and see if you think different things. This book touches on a lot of subjects: divorce & second families, personalities, academically gifted schools, parenting styles, responsibility and wanting to belong, trusting your inner voice, not letting one thing subsume you. And more.

[Hiroko · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending was meh but the awesomeness of George and Howard totally made up for it. I wasn't sure what to make of the book at first but yes there is a profound moral behind the story which got me to think more about myself. Read the author's afterwords in the end to get the full picture. I would have loved it if there was a sequel with Howie as the protagonist <3

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started out giving this 4 stars, but ended up knocking off a star because portions of the book have no aged well, in particular some of the language around mental illness. Your view of other portions of the book will depend on if you view George as a manifestation of a mental illness, or an actual person.

[Yancy Craft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why is this not rated higher? What did I miss when I was reading besides enjoyable plot and premise, lovable main characters and great family light drama without melodrama. Pretty hefty subtopic for J/YA, considering the Organic Chemistry angle (as in the actual science class, not just metaphoric reasons), but one of those stories written well for a lot of ages, I think.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very interesting topic for a children's book. I did find some of the dialog kind of stilted, but it was fascinating to see this mental illness addressed. I am an admirer of Konigsburg. I'm so impressed by the range of her writing. Very different books one from another. Not my favorite of hers.

[Ben Firetag · Rating 3 out of 5]

George is a little man living inside of Ben. He helps him with school, and teaches him whatever he needs to know. But a senior gets Ben's undying attention and uses him to do something bad. This causes George to speak out in front of adults and causes a lot of problems for Ben.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remembered from childhood that this was a really weird and interesting book - still true! When I was a kid I thought I understood what reality the book was presenting. Reading it as an adult, I really wasn't sure!

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reread.

[Sara Leacock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Certainly not my favorite of her books.

[Cyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm delighted to reacquaint myself with this, one of my favorites from childhood. It's just as intriguing now as it was when I was 10.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not so sure how to rate this one. Realistic characters and situations. Interesting way to introduce a YA to split personalities. A lot in here.

[Adele · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started out really enjoying this, but by the end how incredibly dated it is ruined it for me. The attitudes on the roles of women, mental illness, and parenting were particularly bothersome.

[Tim Ganotis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a strange but really interesting story, much like the other books from this author. Really different from most kids books, very well done.

[Samuel · Rating 2 out of 5]

George is ok, but it isn't a very captivating story or plot.
Its not a book I would recommend unless you like action or page turners.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite book by Konigsburg, but I will say I still love the voices she gives to her characters. I loved the character of the mom. Worth a read if it comes into your hands. Super quick read.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

No

[Debbiedorowleygmail.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book probably 8 times in the 6th and 7th grade. I loved the idea of "concentric twins", that George was a bit of a smart-ass, and that he knew so much and could help Ben navigate through situations that were tough for him.
This was probably my idea of a Harry Potter type character, someone with special powers/information to draw on. I think I will read it again now, 45 years later, to see what I think about it.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may be my new favorite Konigsburg book (previously it was Mixed-up Files, natch). Ben is a gifted boy - a common character in Konigsburg books - who has someone else living inside of him: George. Konigsburg does a fantastic job of giving the two distinct personalities and a believable relationship, as well as dealing with the whole sanity issue by making it part of the plot: Ben's stepmother insists he must be schizophrenic and insists he see a therapist. The story involves Ben's ex-lab partner, currently involved in something underhanded that George can see but Ben refuses to acknowledge. More than that, though, the book deals with learning to both be content with yourself, however complex that self might be, while at the same time engaging the world in a constructive way. George and Ben struggle both over Ben's desire to fit in by humbling himself and his desire to abandon all social/familial responsibilty in order to bury himself in science (George is against both). In the end, of course, they reconcile and all is mostly well. While no part of the plot was surprising, and parts did feel slightly out-of-date, George is still a fantastic read.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do believe this is a cross-gender book, but I think it leans more on the side of boys, and it's not exactly contemporary fiction anymore, although the author's note in the 2007 edition indicates otherwise. It also has elements of mystery, so this one was a little more difficult for me to classify. It reminded me of some of the books I read as a teenager based around mental illness. Girl, Interrupted is the only one I can remember now, but I had a fascination with disease of all kinds. And while Konigsburg tackles some serious subjects in this book, she does it with her twisty wit that has always appealed to me.
This would be a great book to use in a discussion on standing up for what is right, or even just discussing consequence. While Ben appears schizophrenic to his stepmother and psychiatrist, his inner voice is the one that has its 'head' on straight. Themes of looking up to older, cooler students would also have wide application. There is drug use, so one would have to be prepared for that topic.
Drugs. Mental illness.

[Runa]

What a great book! I loved how it was written, one of Konigsburg's better ones [much like Silent to the Bone]. The ending bothered me slightly, as nothing's really resolved, but then again, that's just how life is. I just wish little Ben got help someday. It's a great look into the life of a schizophrenic, although part of me worries that it may not be entirely accurate, but I have no way of knowing. George just seemed slightly tame compared to what I've heard about schizophrenia. Nevertheless, well written, definitely sounds like a little boy's voice telling the complicated story of his life. Love! Just wish there was a sequel or something. Can't help hoping that everything gets fixed...