By: S. E. Hinton Publisher: Puffin Average Rating: Binding: Mass Market Paperback Label: Puffin Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 192 Publication Date: November 01, 1997 Reading Level: Young Adult
Product Description: Written over forty years ago, S. E. Hinton’s classic story of the struggle between the Socs and the Greasers remains as powerful today as it was the day it was written, and it is taught in schools nationwide. Now available in a great new package with an improved trim size, a stunning new cover, and bonus material. Designed with classroom use in mind, the new edition will maintain the same pagination as the previous edition.
Amazon.com Review: According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser. This classic, written by S. E. Hinton when she was 16 years old, is as profound today as it was when it was first published in 1967.
A great book, but a little bit of a repetitive story The Outsiders is a classic tale of the struggles between two gangs in Oklahoma. The gang known as the "Greasers" are characterized by their long, silky, and greasy hair. This group is the lower class, but yet much smarter than the upper class. The upper class gang is the "Socs" or Socials. This story shows the life and tensions between these two gangs. After Johnny, a member of the Greasers kills a member of the Socs even greater tensions rise. This leads Johnny and Ponyboy, whom the story revolves around, to hide out and try to stay away from the police. While in hiding something tragic happens to Johnny, leaving an unthinkable fate. As the gangs are furious with the losses, they declare a rumble. After this rumble, a miraculous thing occurs in the story. Something that is so thrilling you will have to read it to find out! I really enjoyed this book, although it seemed to be almost an exact replica of West Side Story. That factor in a way took the fun out of reading parts of it, as you could almost guess what was going to happen next. Though for readers not familiar with West Side Story, this book is a fantastic tale of love, hate, and tension. Though I felt it was repetitive, it was very compelling and kept you turning the pages. It also left you wanting more at the end, though the ending was purely fabulous. I recommend this book to young adults and teens who enjoy enticing stories and stories with many genres. This book is a good purchase, and you will not be disappointed!
one of my favorite books of all time For me, this is one of those books that you can read over and over and over, and even though you know the ending, you still can't put it down and you wish that maybe this time, there'll be a different ending.
I won't bother writing a detailed review about this book because I'd probably go on and on about it. I read it in my early teen years, and though it was never really relevant to my life (the setting, for one, is completely different from what I'm used to, and I was always somewhere in the middle of high school cliques - not on the outside, but not on the inside, either), but even then, I couldn't help but care deeply for each of the greasers. Ponyboy and his friends & family were flawed, but still likable, and they made me want the best for each of them.
Highly recommended. I can't say that enough.
Relevant Teenage Tale Author S.E. Hinton writes with a keen sense of teenage fears, emotions, and alienation from the world of adults. The story concerns the divide between the richer Socs and the lower-income Greasers in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The main character is Ponyboy Curtis, an orphan who is likeable, tough, fearful, and into his Greaser gang. Ponyboy and his peers must deal with a confusing mix of school, friends, the socs, the law, and problems at home. Ponyboy gets jumped by a group of Socs (increasing his coolness), and later finds himself mixed in when his friend Johnny kills a Soc in a confrontation. The two flee, but more trouble follows. This story has nearly all the elements; teenage alienation, machismo, broken homes, alcohol, violence and tragedy.
A couple friends and I read this book in 7th grade in the 1970's, and despite our stable, gang-free existence, we identified strongly with Ponyboy and his Greasers. Readers today may develop a similiar identification, although the story seems a bit tame by today's gang realities of drug dealing and violence.
Really bad book, a total waste of time writing or reading it. S E Hinton wrote this 128 pages book when she was 17. I thought she would have written something interesting or truthful of the life of teens in the US. How wrong it turned out to be! There is no plot, no interesting thing happening, just meaningless street fights and crazy violence. And throughout book, it shows how badly the writer is equipped with writing skills, if any skills at all. It told so many things which are unbelievable and unreal. How often do you see two skinny teenage girls, when one 6.2 foot bad boy offered them Coke, one of the girls would throw the Coke on the bully's face in return for his hospitality? Probably the this poor writer did and resulted in her forever brain damage which resulted in this crazy improbable tale. The main character's first name is Ponyboy and his brother Sodapop. I don't think there are many people in this world can find more stupid names. The names also made the whole crazy story unbelievable. What a waste of time in writing this thing called novel! An insult to anyone with any degree of intelligence. Strongly advise anyone not to waste his or her time and money.
Pony will always be gold. I have no idea why this book resonated so deeply with me. I was not raised in Oklahoma, I was not a teenage boy when I read it. My parents were alive and well and I didn't run with a gang...I liked the Beatles, and didn't care about Elvis, but I identified so much with Ponyboy that it might have been me telling the story. I've read this book at least a dozen times, and enjoyed it just as much each time as I did the first time. Maybe it's because this book taps into the angst of our teenage years. Even if you aren't in a gang, aren't a greaser or a soc, most teenagers go through a period where they feel like they just don't belong. Like they are on the outside looking in. Like they are different from the crowd. I think the book appeals to the masses for that reason alone. Although Ponyboy is unique, he's sensitive, he's smart, he is acutely aware of his differences...he is still the 'everyteen', easy to relate to. I recommend it to young readers, ages 12-17.
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