World Famous Comics: The Heroic Life of Al Capsella
The Heroic Life of Al Capsella
By: J. Clarke Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 160 Publication Date: November 15, 1997 Reading Level: Young Adult
"Al comes across as a low-key Holden Caulfield. Quietly humorous in places, the book, like The Catcher in the Rye, emphasizes the main character’s internal musings. Engaging, perceptive Al is a fellow worth knowing." --Publishers Weekly
Amazon.com Review: Having parents at all is embarrassing enough, but what if your parents are the weirdest people on the planet? Poor Al Capsella! His efforts to appear "normal" to the outside world are thwarted at every turn by his eccentric parents. Why can't they trim the lawn like all of the other families in the neighborhood? Why must his mother always wear that biker outfit? Why does his bookish father harass Al's teachers for their teaching plans? If you liked The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4, Al Capsella's razor-sharp wit is sure to tickle your funny bone. Author J. Clarke takes a common teenage angst ("oh my god, my parents are so strange!") and exaggerates it ever so slightly to create a delightful romp inside the mind of a stressed-out 14-year-old.
Boy From Aus Having read this book when I was in year 10, it was a great eye openeer for me, with the revelation of the significance of how we perceive 'normaility'.
At a time in every teenager's life where they are struggling to find meaning, udnerstanding, this was a useful read...
4 years later, it still remains as a book that turned me into a bit of a rebel, yet allowed me to realise that we can try to be normal, or we can try ot be different...just be yourself....that's the beauty of life...........
Great Book! This is a very dry account of a teenage boy's struggle to get by in his teenage years and his quest for normalcy. It is hilarious! This is a very interesting book, it isn't just funny, it is also a complex look at teen angst, what it means to be normal, there are parts of it that I laugh about when I just think about them. Al Capsella Takes a Vacation was also really funny.
It had no plot - a waste of time I had to read this book for 8th grade summer reading. I couldn't believe what a dumb story it was. It made no sense but was quite funny. Maybe I just don't get it.
Witty, dry adolescent boy's view of adults in his life A witty, dry adolescent boy's look at the adults in his life. At times laugh out loud funny. I enjoyed the vignette style and the absurd yet believable characters, especially the grandparents. A most entertaining read.
A very funny book about an adolescent boy. I laughed out loud at the narrator's funny voice, as he describes trying to be normal and unnoticed as he goes through adolesence. He refers to his parents as "Mr. and Mrs. Capsella," and is especially funny in his interactions with them.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
