Go Ask Alice

by Anonymous and Beatrice Sparks

Book Overview

A teen plunges into a downward spiral of addiction in this classic cautionary tale.

January 24th
After you've had it, there isn't even life without drugs...

It started when she was served a soft drink laced with LSD in a dangerous party game. Within months, she was hooked, trapped in a downward spiral that took her from her comfortable home and loving family to the mean streets of an unforgiving city. It was a journey that would rob her of her innocence, her youth--and ultimately her life.

Read her diary.
Enter her world.
You will never forget her.

For thirty-five years, the acclaimed, bestselling first-person account of a teenage girl's harrowing decent into the nightmarish world of drugs has left an indelible mark on generations of teen readers. As powerful--and as timely--today as ever, Go Ask Alice remains the definitive book on the horrors of addiction.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416914633
• ISBN13: 9781416914631
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 7.0"
• Age Range: 14 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 9 to 12

Customer Reviews

This is not an actual memoir.

It shouldn't be categorized as such and should be read with the understanding of its history and the period of time it was written in.

Propaganda and hyperbole, from someone who unfortunately believed in it when it first came out

I read this when I was 12 and struggling, loved it when I was an impressionable teen, the targeted audience, along with Jay's journal, about a boys decent into satanism. Now that I am 30 years old I understand it's over hyperbole propaganda. You don't get hooked on drugs your first time and Satanism doesn't make you want to commit suicide. Google the seven tenets of Satanism and tell me they're immoral. I'm not a satanists but this is ineffective rhetoric for our children, my generation and many preceding it have proved just that.

Relatable and heartbreaking

Read this in school and it's very relatable. Only book I've had to buy over five times. Every time I lend it out I rarely get it back. I'm happy the joy of reading spread far. Alice's story is heartbreaking and worth the read.

Do Not Buy

This book is a horrible piece of propaganda. It's written as a "true" story. But the identity of "Alice" has never been verified. This book was actually written by a religious woman who has "compiled" a couple of other accounts of Satan worship and abuse to scare people away from drugs and atheism. Don't read this and don't believe it.

Frustrating

The book is frustrating and so is the history behind the novel. I read it quickly and reading about the author and story behind it made me feel a little mad. Easy to read for someone with a shirt attention span, but can also stand the obvious adult writing as a teenager.

This book should be a part of the school reading curriculum.

I read this book in Elementry/ Middle School. It should be a required read for young people as it is probably the exact reason as to why (even though my life has had many difficulties) I don't do drugs. I did have a cigarette addiction and if people start to recognize nicotine as a drug, this book would probably prevent a lot of young people from ever starting bad habits. Oh and as for the book, very influential read. I'm 49 years old and still remember this book. I am a former kindergarten teacher assistant, a former daycare teacher, and am related to many English literature teachers which is why I chose to write my book review from this perspective.

This Book is Not "Real."

This book was written by a Mormon named Beatrice Sparks. She wrote several other "real" works of fiction about witchcraft, etc., all in diary/journal form. Someone said they would have liked to know the ending....there is no ending; or rather, you can make up your own ending. It will work just as well.

2/5

I think two stars is too generous. I was so excited to read this book for many reasons, but the main reason being that it’s advertised as “a real diary” and I’m probably the nosiest person on the face of Earth. But, I hated this. It was repetitive and boring. And honestly? I truly doubt this was a real diary. I probably would’ve DNFed if it wasn’t for that this book was only 189 pages. The longer entries were insufferable and I skim-read the majority of them.

I wish I knew more facts...when it comes to the ending

Great book couldn't put it down

Go Ask Alice

Go Ask Alice is based on a true story about a teenager who becomes addicted to drugs. The book is written in diary form, but the author is anonymous. It takes place in the sixties. The story starts off like any other book, with a normal day and a normal family. Like a blink of an eye the main character turns towards drugs, sex, and running away. The first time drugs came into mind was when the main character went to her grandparents for a visit. She was invited to a party, and the kids played a game dealing with bottles of soda. One of the many bottles had a drug in it. It turns out the innocent character had gotten a bottle with the drug inside. This was the start of her whole problem. Many tragedies happen, but what they are I will not say. You have to read the book and find out for yourself. It's a 188 page book of diary entries, and that makes it seem even shorter than it is. The anonymous author was able to connect to me. The character felt like I have in the past. If more teenagers read this book, then they would realize what drugs and sex can do to someone. I'm sure there would be many teenagers turned off of drugs. I for one hate drugs even more. I have seen what could happen to someone. I'm sure other teenagers can relate to the book as well as I have. We all have problems similar to the character. I, for one, enjoyed the book despite the tragedies.