Tashjian, Janet. The Gospel According to Larry. New York: Laurel Leaf/ Random House. 2001. ISBN: 0-440-23792-0
Plot Summary:
Josh Swenson is a super-bright guy who is very socially aware and is very much against the materialism of American society. Josh begins by secretly posting his views using the name Larry. His website begins with a small following and gains popularity among many people. Fans begin to want to know who the writer really is and Josh begins posting photos of his possessions, of which he owns but a few. Josh and his best friend/ love interest Beth get involved in a Larry centered meeting group at school, but Josh holds on to his secret identity despite, and because of, his growing popularity. The U2 lead singer Bono comments on Josh’s website and suddenly the popularity of the site becomes international and Josh has to work so much harder to keep his true identity a secret. Following a music festival dedicated to Larry and his ideas, the pressure becomes even greater. A zealous fan begins to track him down and eventually exposes him. This outing of Josh as Larry has huge impacts on his privacy and his personal relationships with his family and with Beth. Everything seems to going poorly and Josh seeks to take desperate measures in order to take himself out of the spotlight without compromising his own views.
Critical Evaluation:
The story is a rather interesting one and is well-written. The reader is always wondering what is going to happen to Josh next and is amazed at the way he manages to eventually outwit everyone. The messages that Josh puts out on his website are nothing new, there are many people saying the same thing, and these views may find an accepting audience in any age group. The large issues of personal privacy, relationships, and abuse by fans/the media crop up throughout the book. For the entire book Josh has to live like a fugitive constantly covering his tracks and leaving false trails so that he may retain some level of anonymity. Once he is discovered, the way in which he regains his anonymity is perhaps his most clever move. The fugitive-like feeling one gets from the main character adds a sense of excitement and danger which, along with the social message, makes the book very appealing to all levels of readers. Since the protagonist is an older teen, this book is especially appealing to that particular group of readers.
Reader’s Annotation:
Josh is a socially aware genius who spreads his anti-consumerism philosophy via the internet under the pen name of Larry. Larry’s website becomes popular after getting a plug from U2’s Bono and many people want to find Larry’s identity. Josh does everything he can to keep from being discovered and once he is, does everything to disappear.
Information about the author:
Janet Tashjian was born in 1956 and lived much of her life in New England. She has a BA and A MFA from the University of Rhode Island and Emerson University Respectively. Tasjian currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and dog.
She is a full-time writer and the author of a number of books for teens, among which are True Confessions, and Multiple Choice. Among her awards and honors are an IRA Children’s Choice award, and a Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book. She has also produced the book My Life as a Book, which is a cooperative effort with her son who did all of the illustrations.
Genre:
Coming of Age/ Social Commentary
Curriculum Ties:
Social Studies
Booktalking Ideas:
1. Discuss the steps Josh takes in keeping his identity a secret, and the reasons he does this.
2. Focus on the relationships that are impacted by the knowledge that Josh is Larry and the way in which fame changes relationships.
3. Discuss the social message of Josh’s website and the aspects of the culture that Josh has a problem with.
Reading Level/Interest Age:
14+
Challenge Issues:
None
Challenge Defense Ideas:
Should a challenge arise:
1. Read the book.
2. Be Familiar with the policy of the ALA and your institution.
3. Make a note of the contents of the work and how they fall in with the collection development policy of your institution and the standpoint of the ALA.
4. Gain an awareness of the awards, reviews, and criticisms of the work, as well as other works by the same writer.
5. Know the process for materials challenges at your library.
Why did you include this book? :
In addition to having heard favorable comments in a number of places, I simply liked the title and thought it might be an interesting read.
Author’s Website:
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