BOOKS

Hey everyone! It’s Lauren again, this week we are going to delve into the book Generation Dead by Daniel Waters.

Generation Dead is a smart and witty book that tackles typical issues that today’s teen face, weaving them with humor and sarcasm to create a thought-provoking novel. Will my family love me if I am different? Will my friends? How can I fit in when no one will give me a chance?

Everyone says that high school’s the best time of their lives, but for some, it might just be the best time of their afterlives. Teens all over the US have been waking up after they die and no one knows the reason. High school is hard enough, but fitting in when you're dead is near impossible.

Imagine the reaction when Phoebe, a living girl, falls for Tommy, the leader of the dead kids. Daniel Waters brings the serious issue of high school bullying forward in a sharp and original way. How far will the dead kids go to be accepted? How far will people go to keep them out?

Question and Answer Time!

1) Which of the characters do you most identify with? Tommy, Phoebe, Adam, Margi or Pete?

GL Lauren: I am going to go with Phoebe. I accept myself even though I am a little strange and a little different. We both have a small group of important friends, but they are a mix of different types and cliques. I also have never had an issue falling for people different than me…so I could see myself with Tommy.

2) Have you ever experienced a time when someone treated you unfairly because you were different? How did that make you feel? Did this better help you understand the dead kids?

GL Lauren: My junior year I gave myself blue highlights. I have curly hair, so it kind of weaved in and out of the curls and I loved it. Well one day, I was walking down the hall and some fresh-y said really loud, “Geez, her hair looks like fungus.” And I simply turned around, gave her a look, and said, “Don’t be jealous.” It was great. Anyway, this isn’t the best example, but you get my point. Just because I was being myself people were making fun of me.

3) Were you cheering for Tommy or Adam to be with Phoebe?

GL Lauren: I liked Tommy till about mid-book and then I switched over to Adam. Which, as it turns out, was a good choice. I could never decide whether Tommy was using her for his own purpose or if he genuinely liked her.

4) Have you ever had a crush on someone outside your group, your clique, your type? Whatever you want to call it, what happened?

GL Lauren: I was a theater/newspaper kid and I definitely had a crush on this jock, we shall call him Brian. One day, I don’t know how, I decided to ask him out and he said, “yes.” Surprising, right? Anyway, it didn’t work out. It turned out he lacked a personality which doesn’t fly with me. But the point is, I put myself out there and tried something new. A different flavor of ice cream if you will, lol.

*~Lauren Linhard~*

6/15/2008 1:33:00 AM