What do you think?
Rate this book
The Dumb Class: Boomer Junior High
If Grease was a rather lighthearted view of the local hoody kids in the nineteen fifties-sixties era, The Dumb Class is a dark-humored, irreverent look at those bygone days. It is funny, poignant and a page-turner from start to finish. The Dumb Class tells about the desires, fears and joys of baby boomer teenagers finding their way along as they deal with the world of parents, siblings, neighbors, teachers, businessmen, doctors, and, of course, the police. They create their own milieu which is somewhat impervious to the society around them as they experiment, and in fact gain some expertise, with sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll years before the hit recording by Ian Dury popularized the phrase. Hoods, elites, nerds, weirdos and freaks make up the characters in this sardonic junior high school baby boomer tale set in 1960. We were just a bunch of greasers trying to have a good time and, well, sometimes, we did. An entertaining and fun read that will be much enjoyed by the boomer set and other kids, too.
- GenresFiction
265 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2018
28 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 24, 2018
The Dumb Class: Boomer Junior High is a really nice book about a group of teenagers, growing up and facing life in junior high, during the sixties.
The style is almost confessional as if we’re going through someone’s diary, where all the daily episodes are reported, without a need to justify them. It’s just real life happening and it’s a nice, refreshing touch, by this author. He does not intend to make this a feel-good book or a story with a moral background to it. It’s just a bunch of teenagers figuring out life, in all its different areas. I found it interesting and the writing style was a perfect fit for the story and for the characters. They were strong and believable (and that can be quite hard to achieve when real life teenagers are so complex). The plot is fun and it has a great pace. All good reasons to give it a go.
The style is almost confessional as if we’re going through someone’s diary, where all the daily episodes are reported, without a need to justify them. It’s just real life happening and it’s a nice, refreshing touch, by this author. He does not intend to make this a feel-good book or a story with a moral background to it. It’s just a bunch of teenagers figuring out life, in all its different areas. I found it interesting and the writing style was a perfect fit for the story and for the characters. They were strong and believable (and that can be quite hard to achieve when real life teenagers are so complex). The plot is fun and it has a great pace. All good reasons to give it a go.
May 7, 2019
Author Mike Hatch delivers originality and spunk with his The Dumb Class: Boomer Junior High; a retrospective coming of age story that unflinchingly provides readers with a gritty, humorous, and boldly creative romp through life with a group of Junior High school friends.
Taking place in the 1960s, the story follows “baby Boomer” friends Bill Jones, Eddie, Jeff, and Harley through their formative years in Boomer Junior High school. Events are detailed by Bill Jones who is also the story’s protagonist. As a whole, the teens are a cast of tenacious, drinking, smoking, sexing and scheming set of youth whose friendships and wit carry them through many escapades and life experiences. Jones, in particular, makes for a captivating character to follow. He has wit and a peculiar charm and albeit. Although in the lowest of the class designations in the junior high school, “the dumb class” he seems to be one of the smartest and conniving.
Instantly intriguing from its outset the story draws your attention along with piquing the interest with an opening scene of a crudely humorous debate about the female anatomy, being held by the group of friends, which serves to bring the diverse main players into focus and sets the tone for the story as one replete with humor, raw depictions of life and teen behavior. As the story progresses, it follows their adventures, experiences, and explorations fueled by raunchy desires, cursing, teen angst, drugs, alcohol as well as other diversions like revenge. As characters, their unique personalities and interactions drive the story forward, while heralding authenticity via infused bits of historical and cultural references.
Overall, I found that The Dumb Class: Boomer Junior High offers not only an entertaining read but a multifaceted look at the cultural and sociological avenues of life that teenagers of the 1960’s encountered and explored. As a matter of fact, I personally found the story to be a somewhat reminiscent combination of Stand By Me, Grease and Porkies. Just a word of warning, this is an adult-themed read as the level of sexuality in this book is quite graphic especially for fourteen and fifteen-year-olds. However overall, I enjoyed the read and kudos to author Mike Hatch, who did well in portraying his tale. He artfully brought this memorable coming of age story to life with humor, well-fleshed characters and era-appropriate vernacular. I do recommend this book for mature readers who enjoy dark themed humor.
Taking place in the 1960s, the story follows “baby Boomer” friends Bill Jones, Eddie, Jeff, and Harley through their formative years in Boomer Junior High school. Events are detailed by Bill Jones who is also the story’s protagonist. As a whole, the teens are a cast of tenacious, drinking, smoking, sexing and scheming set of youth whose friendships and wit carry them through many escapades and life experiences. Jones, in particular, makes for a captivating character to follow. He has wit and a peculiar charm and albeit. Although in the lowest of the class designations in the junior high school, “the dumb class” he seems to be one of the smartest and conniving.
Instantly intriguing from its outset the story draws your attention along with piquing the interest with an opening scene of a crudely humorous debate about the female anatomy, being held by the group of friends, which serves to bring the diverse main players into focus and sets the tone for the story as one replete with humor, raw depictions of life and teen behavior. As the story progresses, it follows their adventures, experiences, and explorations fueled by raunchy desires, cursing, teen angst, drugs, alcohol as well as other diversions like revenge. As characters, their unique personalities and interactions drive the story forward, while heralding authenticity via infused bits of historical and cultural references.
Overall, I found that The Dumb Class: Boomer Junior High offers not only an entertaining read but a multifaceted look at the cultural and sociological avenues of life that teenagers of the 1960’s encountered and explored. As a matter of fact, I personally found the story to be a somewhat reminiscent combination of Stand By Me, Grease and Porkies. Just a word of warning, this is an adult-themed read as the level of sexuality in this book is quite graphic especially for fourteen and fifteen-year-olds. However overall, I enjoyed the read and kudos to author Mike Hatch, who did well in portraying his tale. He artfully brought this memorable coming of age story to life with humor, well-fleshed characters and era-appropriate vernacular. I do recommend this book for mature readers who enjoy dark themed humor.
January 9, 2019
The Dumb Class: Boomer Junior High by Mike Hatch is set in the 1950's/60's. If you enjoyed Grease then this is your cup of tea.
The reader follows the story of Bill Jones and his friends through their time at Junior high. As we all know school life isn't always the easiest and as we follow the boys we witness their difficulties, highs and lows. The author has written this so cleverly, you can experience what the boys go through but also cause you to laugh out loudly at times from the capers, they get themselves in.
There is no way you can see where the story is taking you, it makes it hard to put the book down, it's that entertaining. The humour is dark at times and the language is a tad crude but it goes with the theme.
Whether you grew up in this era, have a love for it or in need for a fun read, I absolutely recommend this!
The reader follows the story of Bill Jones and his friends through their time at Junior high. As we all know school life isn't always the easiest and as we follow the boys we witness their difficulties, highs and lows. The author has written this so cleverly, you can experience what the boys go through but also cause you to laugh out loudly at times from the capers, they get themselves in.
There is no way you can see where the story is taking you, it makes it hard to put the book down, it's that entertaining. The humour is dark at times and the language is a tad crude but it goes with the theme.
Whether you grew up in this era, have a love for it or in need for a fun read, I absolutely recommend this!
October 21, 2020
Entertaining
This was lots of fun. Since I grew up around the same time period, I thought I would have been able to relate to this story. Apparently we grew up in different worlds, because other than a few of the references to stars and music, nothing was vaguely familiar. That may be because I grew up in the country and this story took place inside town limits. But it was fun to read. The characters are interesting and sometimes funny. I enjoyed it.
This was lots of fun. Since I grew up around the same time period, I thought I would have been able to relate to this story. Apparently we grew up in different worlds, because other than a few of the references to stars and music, nothing was vaguely familiar. That may be because I grew up in the country and this story took place inside town limits. But it was fun to read. The characters are interesting and sometimes funny. I enjoyed it.
December 25, 2018
Childhood
Growing up poor didn't allow much time for being a child. This book brought back a lot of memories of that time to me. I however was expected to be an A student so that the " white trash" label would boot stick to me. It always amazed me, the assumptions people made just because we did not have much money.
Growing up poor didn't allow much time for being a child. This book brought back a lot of memories of that time to me. I however was expected to be an A student so that the " white trash" label would boot stick to me. It always amazed me, the assumptions people made just because we did not have much money.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews