Is the book go ask alice based on a true story

The precise authorship of go ask alice is still a bit of a mystery. How to write a novel based on a true story alice osborn. Lucy in the sky by anonymous was written in the same style as go ask alice, a fictional story supposedly based off of the diaries of a teenage drug addict whose life spiraled out of control and ended with death. Despite the lack of any evidence in the book that the diarists name is alice, the covers of various editions have suggested that her name is alice by including blurb text such as this is alices true story and you cant ask alice anything anymore.

Lines from go ask alice that, in hindsight, should have tipped me. It is, however, a highly personal and specific chronicle. For all its strengths, still alice belittles the reallife. Feb 26, 2015 still alice, directed by ricard glatzer and wash westmoreland, was adapted by the pair from a novel of the same name by lisa genova. As a professor with dementia, julianne moore is brilliant. It is the story of a troubled young woman who seeks solace in drugs and the counterculture. This is for my english class banned book week assignment. Alice is played by actress julianne moore, who won the academy award. Only parents can decide if they want their children to read go ask alice. Feb 23, 2015 the film tells the story of a 50yearold harvard linguistics professor who is diagnosed with early onset alzheimers disease. Names, dates, places and certain events have been changed.

Jul 03, 2014 go ask alice was published anonymously in 1971, but in the last two decades, it still lives in the top 25 most frequently banned books, according to the american library association. Apr 28, 20 this book actually sounds almost exactly like go ask alice the way shes introduced to drugs is almost the same. The book is written in diary form, but the author is anonymous. Though go ask alice is a classic, its not a good book.

The alice network with kate quinn a writer of history. Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end. The credibility of go ask alice as a non fiction memoir has always been debatable over the years, but when a book comes out with a near mirrorimage plot of the first, you know somethings really fishy. I dont know what is, im guessing its fvck you and other four letter words, i dont have the book with me but ill give you the answer later in the week. Go ask alice was published anonymously in 1971, but in the last two decades, it still. When the family moves for the collegeenglishprofessor fathers new job, alice apprehensively approaches the unfamiliar and befriends another shy girl, beth, who shares her outsider status. While the books origin was once steeped in controversy, it is mostly forgotten now. This quiz is based on the anonymous book entitled, go ask alice. It graphically describes the waking hell into which the main character descends, her heartfelt but futile battles to. The narrator tries to change her image several times throughout the story. But those of you old enough to remember the latter portion of the 70s might remember that beatrice sparks, the editor of go ask alice, also edited a bunch of other alarmist books aimed at teens, all supposedly taken from teenagers diaries. Now streaming on youtube is a 1973 movie based on the once alleged true story of a young drug addict named alice.

Go ask alice was written in the 1970s, a decade with a very unique sense of style. Go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years. Still alice is a novel about alice howland, a cognitive psychology professor at harvard, who finds out at age fifty that she has alzheimers disease. Like a blink of an eye the main character turns towards drugs, sex, and running away. Go ask alice was the product of beatrice sparks, an author who has come out with a number of teens who saw their lives ruined by their bad choices offerings, each one presented as a true story, often in the form of a diary of an anonymous teen. The diary begins right before alices fifteenth birthday. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading go ask alice. Go ask alice is a 1971 novel by beatrice sparks that bills itself the reallife diary of an anonymous teenage girl. Yet it was originally promoted as nonfiction, its still sold as by anonymous and the copy i have has this is alices true story on the cover plus the blurb on the back, the foreword and the psychologists comment at the back everything is still packaged to make out this is nonfiction. Go ask alice quiz trivia quiz sparks, beatrice funtrivia. Based on a 15yearolds diary, go ask alice is the intimate account of one girls fatal journey into the world of drug addiction. Alice maries body was found that day, and eddie jr.

Beatrice sparks, whom is known to the general public as the editor of go ask alice, populated the false impression that this book was based off of the diary of a. The book that defined my teen anxiety turned out to be a. Still alice novelist lisa genova shines spotlight on early. The story starts off like any other book, with a normal day and a normal family. This weeks episode of the podcast was all about go ask alice, and all i can say is.

It is not a definitive statement on the middleclass, teenage drug world. This is the true story of a young girl caught in the chaos of the drug scene. Beth returns from camp, but alice finds that beth has changed. Is the book go ask alice based on a real girls diary. It is famous for its drugs are bad message, being banned for references to sex, rape and drugs, and almost certainly being a fake. Go ask alice is based on the actual diary of a fifteenyearold drug user. Make your own 1970s project to wear or use as decoration. Go ask alice which, btw, was insanely popular when i was a kid is a work of fiction that is commonly attributed to a therapist not a psychologist named beatrice sparks. Beatrice sparks whose other books included jays journal the real. The story is about a sixteen year old girl with a loving family and a good start in life.

The movie is based on the book of the same name that was published in 1971. The book was written in 1967 and the song was originally written around 1965. What plot elements in the help are based on true stories instead of. Aug 08, 2017 what book am i recommending these days when friends ask.

Apr 25, 2014 go ask alice is a 1971 novel by beatrice sparks that bills itself the reallife diary of an anonymous teenage girl. Truth can be stranger than fiction, but maybe not as entertaining. A shocking true story for fans of reasons why kindle edition by anonymous. Go ask alice bears the authenticity of its present day, even if its own authenticity has been discredited. The entire book is supposedly a set of entries from a young girls diary. Go ask alice which, btw, was insanely popular when i was a kid is a work of. There are a few chronological errors and some things that just dont make sense.

Jan 04, 2008 go ask alice was the product of beatrice sparks, an author who has come out with a number of teens who saw their lives ruined by their bad choices offerings, each one presented as a true. Nov 30, 2008 i read it around two years ago for my english class, our teacher said that the book is based on a true story, but nobody knows the reasons why she died. Alice gets a job working with chris, and the two become best friends. Kris from sf, ca this song was not written about the book go ask alice.

Alice and chris are both dissatisfied with the establishment and their own families. Go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years after. Go ask alice teaches you what can happen when you get into drugs and its hard to stay away from them once you have started and know how easy it is to get ahold of them. In the 1970s, this fake diary scaredand temptedteenage girls all. Novel gazing the book that defined my teen anxiety turned out to be a lie the sobering message of go ask alice had a huge effect on my lifeand then i found out the real story. Go ask alice is a novel by youth counsellor beatrice sparks, first published in 1971. With over a million copies in print, this book has become a classic. The sobering message of go ask alice had a huge effect on my lifeand then i found out the real story. Reyna marie to clear the matter, this novel was not based on a true story, nor is the events following alice s life, or characters factual. She is a pretty typical teenage girl in the late 1960sshes mostly concerned with school, boys, her hair, and fitting in okay, thats pretty typical for any decade. This is appropriate for all ages, it is good for everyone to know what can happen if you get into drugs, and it can scare young kids away. Go ask alice is still awash in controversy, 43 years after publication. Attributed to anonymous, the book is in diary form, and was originally presented as being the edited real diary of the unnamed teenage protagonist.

It has sold over four million copies, was adapted as a tv movie with william shatner, and is still in print over 40 years later. Even now im not really sure which parts of myself are real and which parts are things ive gotten from books. Go ask alice is based on a true story about a teenager who becomes addicted to drugs. Grace brought it with her from the great society when she joined up with jefferson airplane in 1966. Returning to it as an adult feels a bit like youre taking part in a piece of pop culture in the vein of scared straight or reefer madness. Lines from go ask alice that, in hindsight, should have. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Alice s parents worry about alice s hippie appearance. If you dig a bit deeper, go ask alice can be loosely deemed a parable because, by definition, a parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lessonand we think antidrug propaganda fits that description pretty well. Because it grabbed me from the very start and wouldnt let go. The book go ask alice was the reallife diary of a teenage girl. Nov 20, 2003 based on a 15yearolds diary, go ask alice is the intimate account of one girls fatal journey into the world of drug addiction.

The song white rabbit predates the book go ask alice. Even the title hints at the fact that if you doubt that drugs are dangerous, all you need to do is go ask. Go ask alice is a 1971 fiction book about a teenage girl who develops a drug addiction at age 15 and runs away from home on a journey of selfdestructive escapism. Alice crimmins born 1939 is an american woman who was charged with killing her two children, 5yearold eddie and 4yearold alice marie, known as missy, who went missing on july 14, 1965. Beatrice sparks, whom is known to the general public as the editor of go ask alice, populated the false impression that this book was based off of the diary of a young girl, whom fell into the elaborate and dangerous life of a drug addict. There are several books with 70sstyle crafts macrame, string art, clothing items, etc.

Sep 03, 2009 according to, go ask alice was based on an actual diary of an anonymous teenage girl who died of a drug overdose in the late 1960s. Back in 1973, though, most involved with this may still have thought they were depicting a true story rather than an amalgam of kids on drugs scare story. Alice is not only a celebrated professor at the height of her career, but is also a worldrenowned expert in linguistics. No, it was released as a true story but in reality a woman named beatrice sparks wrote it. Oct 14, 2014 for all its strengths, still alice belittles the reallife tragedy of alzheimers catherine shoard. The book that defined my teen anxiety turned out to be a lie. The key to writing a novel based on a true story is in how you spin the story to make it enjoyable for readers. Reading go ask alicethe socalled real diary, first published in. Poignant and unflinchingly honest, her story is a tragedy that is repeated in towns and cities across the country. It sounds like the author is trying to recreate the magic of go ask alice because that book to me was a very realistic depiction of the life of someone struggling with drug issues, even though it is fiction. Yet it was originally promoted as nonfiction, its still sold as by anonymous and the copy i have has this is alice s true story on the cover plus the blurb on the back, the foreword and the psychologists comment at the back everything is still packaged to make out this is nonfiction. Go ask alice 1973 offers an antidrug message with a side. As such, we hope it will provide insights into the increasingly complicated world in which we live.