Doing It (original 2003; edition 2012)

VOYA P5Q3
This is a colorful, exlicit, sexually-charged book about the sexual adventures of several teenagers in a variety of awkward predicaments. Because of it's pretty vile language and outrageous situations, the book is very controversial. Personally, I would not recommend this book to anyone, as I don't like the way it normalizes disgusting ways of talking about bodies and people, especially women. However, I did like how girls had just as many sexual urges and feelings as boys did in this book, which counters the idea that women should always be, do and think modestly.

" In order to stop her from talking as much as anything else, Jonathon kissed her. Deborah kissed him back, pushing herself into him. Mr. Knobby rose up at once." (194) ( )

I never quite understood all of the British slang, and I never really quite enjoyed my experience reading this, but it was very well written, well thought-out, and there were brief points of humor about it I did like. Mostly though, I was annoyed and disgusted by the protagonists. I was horrified at least twice while reading. ( )

I think the only thing I appreciated about this somewhat raunchy book was getting to hear some of the boy's inner thoughts, namely those that were not so pornographic. I did like Burgess' honesty and felt like there was a great deal of truth to it, though I couldn't help but hope that the guys I know aren't aren't like that - teen-aged or not. I thought that the way that the boys interacted with each other in the couple of scenes when they confided in each other was a positive element. It was nice to see that kind of loyalty and display of emotion.

The different perspectives of the boy's lives, as well as the very different situations they were facing, added a nice element to the book and showed the different ways that they all chose to deal with things and deal with the consequences of their actions.

Ben was my favorite character and despite his foolish affair with his teacher, he stood out as the best example. Jon's fat jokes towards Deborah were harsh, and Dino's - well Dino's lack of...everything, was over the top and quite frankly concerning.

Overall, I think it is an okay book and can be used for good, but I couldn't help but feel like I was watching a really bad reality show and wished I could separate myself from the crass icky-ness that was these boys raw, unadulterated ideas and thoughts about sexuality. ( )

4Q 4P
Told from the perspective of three teenaged boys (best friends, of course), this tale explores the murky world of teenaged sex. All three boys are entirely preoccupied with sex - how to get it, who to have it with, and how to extricate themselves when it gets rocky. From the popular boy dating the top girl, to the awkward class clown who likes the chubby girl, and even on to the dark world of sleeping with a teacher, this book covers it all.

Overall this is an uproariously funny tale that is often highly reminiscent of high school years - raging hormones, confusion, and a distinct preoccupation with sex. Though the content and situations are often raunchy and a bit crude, these are situations often faced by teens, albeit some more than others. This makes the book an honest, often endearing, sexual coming of age tale. ( )

3Q, 3P
I think this book occupies an important place in the YA canon and I applaud the author for bravely and unflinchingly taking on the topic of teenage sexuality. I think added value comes from the fact that so much of the book is told from a male perspective, since there are precious few YA books about sexuality that might appeal to male readers. This book is quite explicit, particularly in comparison to other YA literature. I personally grew weary of reading about sex with every single chapter. Since that's the focus of the book ( in addition to how teenagers, parents, teachers, and sexual partners interact with each other) I shouldn't have been surprised at the constant discussion of sex, but I did tire of it. Likewise, I found the relationship of one character, Ben, with his teacher, Miss Young, to be very disturbing to read. To his credit, Burgess imbues Ben with a healthy sense of doubt, discomfort, and growing fear about having a sexual relationship with his teacher. That, I think, saves the narrative from utter disaster. However, being a high school teacher myself, I really struggled through their story. It unsettled me in the extreme. Readers unfamiliar with British idioms might really struggle with Burgess's very realistic and natural dialogue. However, the main idea being conveyed should still bleed through the culturally-specific references and idioms for most readers. I could see myself recommending this book to a teenager or young adult whom I knew well and OUTSIDE of my role as an educator if it seemed like an appropriate recommendation for that reader. ( )