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Being Ugly: Looks aren't everything. Except when you're in high school.
Sean Richardson, aged 17, has a large nose, widely different size ears, a weak chin and thick curly hair that he battles with everyday. He is obsessed with his imperfections that are all in his mind. He is absolutely normal looking. As a result of his distorted self image, he is insecure, lacks confidence with girls and a girlfriend is what he would most like in life. Not just any girl but Alicia Meyers who he believes to be beautiful, smart, sophisticated and seemingly unattainable. His concerned parents send their 17-year old son to a highly recommended adolescent therapist. Dr. G. as he likes to be called is anything but conventional.
At his first therapy session, Dr. G. clearly sees that Sean is not ugly and diagnosis him as having Body Dysmorphic Disorder - a neurosis that affects 1% of the population. To reassure Sean that he looks normal, Dr. G. then invites Sean to join him one evening so that they can meet some girls to solicit their opinions about his appearance. So begins the comic misadventures of Sean along with his 40-year old therapist who takes him under his wing and provides him with unexpected and off the wall experiences in order to ‘cure’ him of his neurosis.
Of course, it doesn't help matters that Dr. G. is also an egotistical, unabashed alcoholic. Sean goes along with it all believing that these wacky therapy activities might help him to get a better grasp of who he is as he awkwardly makes advances toward Alicia.
At his first therapy session, Dr. G. clearly sees that Sean is not ugly and diagnosis him as having Body Dysmorphic Disorder - a neurosis that affects 1% of the population. To reassure Sean that he looks normal, Dr. G. then invites Sean to join him one evening so that they can meet some girls to solicit their opinions about his appearance. So begins the comic misadventures of Sean along with his 40-year old therapist who takes him under his wing and provides him with unexpected and off the wall experiences in order to ‘cure’ him of his neurosis.
Of course, it doesn't help matters that Dr. G. is also an egotistical, unabashed alcoholic. Sean goes along with it all believing that these wacky therapy activities might help him to get a better grasp of who he is as he awkwardly makes advances toward Alicia.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 21, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 15, 2018
Fabulous mirror for each of us
With humor, truth, empathy, and evolving clarity within the agony and ecstasy of advancing through young adulthood, Lloyd Edelberg speaks for each of us in this great read.
This book is fun, reads fast, and leaves the reader wanting more. Any reader at any age will see his or herself in these pages, and will feel and remember their own growth. Wonderfully done.
With humor, truth, empathy, and evolving clarity within the agony and ecstasy of advancing through young adulthood, Lloyd Edelberg speaks for each of us in this great read.
This book is fun, reads fast, and leaves the reader wanting more. Any reader at any age will see his or herself in these pages, and will feel and remember their own growth. Wonderfully done.
January 17, 2021
This is Lloyd Edelberg’s debut novel. The story is delivered in first person at the frenetic pace of a neurotic self-doubting teenager who believes he is ugly.
The staccato style of his speech, his gratuitous cursing, and his wandering thoughts reinforce his identity as a member of Generation Z. That may sound exhausting, but it is artfully deployed to tell the story. Throw in an endearing yet unorthodox therapist, three of his gorgeous but insecure clients, and a cast if teen characters that could have been borrowed from the cartoon Zits makes for a snappy read. One can imagine that this book might have been the prequel to Dustin Hoffman’s role in the Graduate.
I would call this a very entertaining read that lands somewhere between the coming of age genre and comedy-drama. Edelberg has accurately portrayed a self-absorbed teen protagonist who is probably not that different than most of us at that age. Well done.
The staccato style of his speech, his gratuitous cursing, and his wandering thoughts reinforce his identity as a member of Generation Z. That may sound exhausting, but it is artfully deployed to tell the story. Throw in an endearing yet unorthodox therapist, three of his gorgeous but insecure clients, and a cast if teen characters that could have been borrowed from the cartoon Zits makes for a snappy read. One can imagine that this book might have been the prequel to Dustin Hoffman’s role in the Graduate.
I would call this a very entertaining read that lands somewhere between the coming of age genre and comedy-drama. Edelberg has accurately portrayed a self-absorbed teen protagonist who is probably not that different than most of us at that age. Well done.
May 25, 2019
Great Read
I absolutely loved this book. It brought back memories of the anxieties I experienced during high school. Exceptionally well written. Very funny. Mr. Edelberg is a very talented author.
I absolutely loved this book. It brought back memories of the anxieties I experienced during high school. Exceptionally well written. Very funny. Mr. Edelberg is a very talented author.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews