David Crabb

This is a poignant and funny memoir that should certainly appeal to gay readers and goths. There is nothing like the intensity of the infatuations you feel as a teenager, and Crabb describes them with honesty and flair, whether they are romantic, platonic or musical. Some more judicious editing would have improved the book, particular with relation to the drugs, which get a bit dull. However, this is never going to be a five star book: it tells a simple story quite well, and that makes it an enjoyable read without ever aspiring to great literature. Read it on holiday or when you're at home sick.… (more)

Originally seen on Emily Reads Everything

Bad Kid Cover
Bad Kid: A Memoir on Growing up Goth & Gay in Texas
By David Crabb

Publication date: May 2015

This isn't my normal kind of book. I don't read too many memoirs. I'm not opposed to them but I usually read more fiction. If all memoirs are as funny as this one was, I will definitely be reading more.

Just like the title says, David Crabb is gay and goth and growing up in San Antonio, Texas. David falls in love with the cute boy in his gym class the moment he sets eyes on him. They become fast friends, bonding over their mutual differences. Together they sneak out at night, party at clubs they are too young to enter legally, meet the wrong sort of people and get in tons of trouble. Its a coming of age story and a story about being an outcast. David has a long, hard struggle to figure out where he belongs. This book is filled with unrequited love, drug use and unsupervised teenagers. I could tell that I'm getting older because I spent the entire book wondering, "Where are the parents?!?" I also wanted David to wise up and figure out that he had terrible friends who were only interested in themselves. I didn't agree with many of the choices that David made. However, I empathized with his reasons for making them. I won't spoil the ending but I will say that I was satisfied by it. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Judgments aside, this book was hilarious. I actually laughed out loud and piqued the interested of my husband, Mr. Functionally Illiterate. Unfortunately, when he asked I couldn't adequately describe what I found so funny. Its impossible to explain the intensely awkward situations that David manages to get himself into. Yet, he escapes, unscathed, again and again. David masterfully and unapologetically describes his teenage years in all of their embarrassing. cringe -worthy, glory.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you like memoirs, I would highly recommend it.

Other memoirs you might like
A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel
Amateur Night at the Bubblegum Kittikat by Victoria Fedden

**DISCLAIMER**I received this book for free at TLA 2015.… (more)