Journal Entry 1 by FifthElement from Warrensburg, Missouri USA on Thursday, February 05, 2004

Back: A heroic story of friendship and belonging. Ponyboy can count on his brothers. And on his friends. But not on much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is beating up "greasers" like Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect - until the night someone takes things too far...


This is one of my all time favorite books that I still pick up and read from time to time. I had lost my first original book and decided to replace it this year. In doing so I thought I should also share it with other readers and see what they think. So Bookring on the way... 

Journal Entry 2 by FifthElement from Warrensburg, Missouri USA on Friday, February 06, 2004

To join this bookring please PM me with location and if you will or will not mail internationally. Be sure to check list before you send out the book to make sure no changes have been made.
Here are the participants:

DianeO - England - anywhere------------------------Finished
DEESSE - France - Europe---------------------------Finished
RoryG - Finland - Europe/anywhere------------------Finished
Dozer - Malaysia - anywhere---------------------------Has book
chivers - Brasil - US/Brasil/Canada
ryushin - Brazil - anywhere
FifthElement - Missouri - anywhere 

Journal Entry 3 by FifthElement from Warrensburg, Missouri USA on Monday, February 23, 2004

Put into the mail going to DianeO in England. 

Journal Entry 4 by DianeO from Chesterfield, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Friday, February 27, 2004

Received today - thanks! A lovely brand new copy! I will start this tomorrow - only 180 pages so should be able to read it pretty quickly. 

Journal Entry 5 by DianeO from Chesterfield, Derbyshire United Kingdom on Saturday, February 28, 2004

Well, I was surprised as to how much I enjoyed this - actually read it straight through in one sitting! On discovering it was first published in 1967, I had assumed it would be "old-fashioned" and irrelevant - but I was wrong. The message behind the story is still true today, and I really cared about what happened to each of the characters. Thanks for sharing this book! Ready to go to France! 

Journal Entry 6 by DEESSE from Erstein, Alsace France on Monday, March 08, 2004

Received on Saturday - thanks DianeO and FifthElement!
I'm looking forward to reading it, but I've got half a book and another bookring book before, so it might take some time. 

Journal Entry 7 by DEESSE from Erstein, Alsace France on Monday, March 22, 2004

It was a capturing story, and I think it's still up-to-date though it was written in 1967. I might try to read the German translation with my pupils next year.
Part of the author's answer when being asked "Why do you think the book has remained so popular through the years?" really gets to the point in my opinion: "The concept of the in-group and the out-group remains the same... The uniforms change, and the names of the groups change, but kids really grasp how similar their situations are to Ponyboy's."

I'll send it on to RoryG in Turku (Finland) this week.

Update: It's on its way since yesterday! (23.03.04) 

Journal Entry 8 by RoryG from Helsinki, Uusimaa Finland on Friday, June 04, 2004

I have been waiting for this. It has been on its way for quite some time... Looking forward to reading it. 

Journal Entry 9 by RoryG from Helsinki, Uusimaa Finland on Tuesday, June 08, 2004

This one just got to me. I don't know what it was, but I couldn't stop reading once I started. I just have to get my own copy now. I haven't been crying overe a book for awhile... And the thought that stuck was the pointlesness of violence.

Thanks so much for FifthElement for organizing this bookring. I really loved this book :)

I'll send the book to Dozer tomorrow. 

Journal Entry 10 by Dozer on Tuesday, June 22, 2004

It arrived! Will be my next TBR despite having more than 30 TBRs.