|  | Author: Blake Nelson
Publisher: Scholastic Press
List Price: $17.99
Buy New: $5.54
as of 11/24/2009 10:40 CST details
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Seller: goodwillnyonline
Rating:  35 reviews
Sales Rank: 538058
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Reading Level: Young Adult
Pages: 224
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9
ISBN: 0545104742
EAN: 9780545104746
ASIN: 0545104742
Publication Date: May 1, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 26-30 of 35
 I also wanted to destroy all cars at some point February 7, 2009
V. D. Alfred
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
James is the typical rebel teenager, but with a twist of writing genious, an anti-consumer manifesto, and realistic high school drama in the middle.
At the beginning I thought the book was going to be boring, because of the constant rants, but I was wrong. I kept reading... and finished the book in just three settings during one afternoon. That says it all: fun and funny!.
James language of anger about the growing consumist nonsense society and his actual real problems of the teenager made me remember when I was his age. The value of the pages comes from James writing character: he has a purpouse, he sees the world differently than the other young boys (the Garbage-eater guy doesn't count!) and makes very funny and sarcastics comments that made me laugh many times.
And he has some true points too! We are becoming "buy-bigger-of-everything" machines who believe that just because we buy environmental friendly products or just use a hybrid car we are heroes... but we are just wrong and crazy! I felt his testosterone flowing and I also wanted to destroy all cars... just for a few minutes though!
Why I didn-t give it 5 stars:
For my taste, it could have had more drama, more story, and... I think it's one of those novels that would deliver more in motion... In my opinion, this story would be much more fun if it were adapted to a short film or even as a pilot for some school-college TV series that could mark the difference in the teenage shows offered these days on TV, because of the very original protagonist.
Overall, I consumed it fast, and I enjoyed it in an afternoon of deep thinking about our world and my late teen adventures.
I'm too old. What do I know about how many stars it deserves? February 6, 2009
jd103
I have to admit I don't read teen books or know anything about what teens are like these days (though if the book is accurate, some things haven't changed that much) so I don't know what the target audience will think of this book. Heck, I even like Bob Dylan who gets mocked a couple times here.
No, I picked this up solely because of the appealing title. Never owned one, haven't driven one in 25 years, hate what they've done to both human society and the natural world.
The book's in the good for short attention spans form of diary entries, class papers, and internet quizzes written by a teenage boy named James who agrees with me. His rants about cars, overpopulation, and consumerism are not only absolutely correct--they're also very funny. When you're not laughing, you'll probably be empathizing with his awkwardness and pain about relationships with girls and family. The latter subjects actually make up more of the book than his opinions.
The book had me concerned for awhile that his passions and concerns were going to be explained away and he'd 'grow out of it' to become the very type of person he rants about. Fortunately, he just grows. Hang in there, James--as the book's epigraph from Thomas Jefferson tells you, "Every generation needs a new revolution."
Quirky Title - Unique Reading February 1, 2009
Irishman65 (NYC, USA)
In this novel with an extreme title, James alternates between making you think and making you laugh with his extremes; his viewpoints about our consuming lifestyle are insightful and his own inabilitiy to avoid consumerism is telling. Not to mention, the everyday issues of liking a girl (named Sadie) and struggling to get along with his dad. You learn from James and you root for him. His everyday problems take on a new feel as you understand this young man sees what is happening in the world around him, even as one reviewer noted, he becomes more centered around himself. I think the move away from the rants was in part, to help with resolving the novel to an ending and honestly I enjoyed how the novel progressed and feel author Nelson must be quite the humorist. As I read, I could hear James in my head and the variety of entries kept the use of the diary approach interesting, even for someone like me, who prefers a straight narrative.
Unique voice January 29, 2009
Cathe Olson (In the kitchen)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
James is a 17 year old high schooler who feels that the planet is being destroyed by cars and the consumer culture. Rather then working on useless (in his mind) canned food drives and bike path committees like his ex-girlfriend, he spends his time writing angry essays and defacing thrift store clothes to make a statement.
I choose this book because it speaks out against America's consumerist culture and I love books that help people become more aware. The book started out really good. I loved James' essays about why we should destroy all cars and the person who influenced him. I loved his commentary on his teachers and his ex-girlfriend. But as the book went on, James got more and more self-centered. Was he really interested in the state of the world or was he just trying to get attention. He was so against cars but didn't have a problem getting rides in them--but refused to own one himself. I did like the characters voice and I liked the story--I just would have liked to see a little more character growth. In all, a good read.
The Angry (and Funny) Young Man January 28, 2009
Ken C. (MA)
With DESTROY ALL CARS, Blake Nelson gives us the classic "angry young man" in the form of protagonist James Hoff. As contrarian as Holden Caulfield ever was, James rants against CONSUMER AMERICANS (he likes to shout them down in caps, you see). In a typical soliloquy, James riffs on his friend, Gabe's, mother:
"People like Gabe's mother -- who is perfectly nice, by the way -- cannot imagine life without all the petty luxuries of the moment. She drives around, wasting gas, wasting everything she comes in contact with, consuming at a ridiculous rate, all because she has never had reason to stop and consider her lifestyle. She is a CONSUMER AMERICAN. She drives a car that gets THIRTEEN MILES TO THE GALLON. She goes to the mall EVERY DAY to buy USELESS CRAP, because that's all she knows to do. That's what the TV tells her to do. That's what the other moms do."
While this line of thinking could get old, it never does in Nelson's deft hands. You see, 17-year-old James is in love with Sadie Kinnell, which luckily complicates his job as an "angry young man." Meanwhile, author Nelson provides ample variety with his diary format. Some entries come in the form of papers James writes for his old English teacher, Mr. Cogweiller (many of these hilarious papers end with the words "Not handed in"). Some entries appear like a play with dialogue between James and Sadie or other characters (like his dad, whom he struggles to get along with).
James faces typical teen problems, but they all seem fresh and new from his righteous and beguiling viewpoint. Underneath the anger is a heart of gold and a sensitive soul. The voice, then, takes over in this novel, and the reader cannot help but cheer for James, whether it's in his effort to win Sadie's heart (good luck) or to break up America's love affair with its consumer culture (better luck still).
DESTROY ALL CARS is not a beautifully-written story filled with glorious descriptions, but it's got heart and personality. It also uses disarming humor to score some serious points about our habits. For the high school crowd and up, it should provide irrestible, anti-establishment, page-turning appeal. Recommended.
Showing reviews 26-30 of 35
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