Hairstyles+of+the+Damned

= = = Hairstyles of the Damned by Joe Meno = Published by Akashic Books/Punk Planet Books (2004)

= Summary and Review =

In its syntax, first person narration, and personal growth of the protagonist (i.e. [|bildungsroman])//, Hairstyles of the Damn////ed// ghosts J.D. Salinger's [|Catcher in the Rye]; even using the popular term "phony" more than once. Set in the suburbs of Chicago, IL, the book is narrated by the [|protagonist], Brian Oswald. From the first page of the book Brian is portrayed as an average high school outcast; he lacks identity and fights to find it as his story unfolds. Brian’s relies on his friends, including Gretchen: an "ass kicking," mix tape making punk girl, an African-American "nerd" named Rod, who “had the largest record collection of anyone [Brain] knew,” a burn out named Mike who’s long hair was famous in their catholic school, Mike’s neighbor Dorie, and a skater named Nick Brian to help him cope with a dysfunctional home life and the pangs of adolescence. In //Hairstyles of the Damned//, Meno captures the essence of adolescence: awkwardness, identity issues, first crushes, puberty, and the power struggle between teens and adults. He uses a common theme to tie the events of Brians life together: music. Brian says, "When everything else was wrong that record made it right. I could go back to it, always. No matter what that record would make me feel alright"(50). As brian changes and develps over the course of the novel, so do his music tastes. From the punk rock music of Gretchen’s mixed tapes, to Rod’s Chet Baker Album, to Mike’s Pink Floyd tapes, or even his own collection of metal and classic rock, Brian's personal growth is always reflected in the music he listens to. The book even includes what look to be handwritten mix-tape lists reflecting Brian's emotions at the time. In the end, Brian's music taste is not the only thing that develops and changes--his identity and outlook on the world does as well. //Hairstyles of the Damned// is likely to touch on many young people's lives, and keep them reading. The growth Brian shows at the end, his profound realization that it is okay just to be //yourself// (sprinkled with a little hope for the future), is likely to inspire the [|MTV generation] to which the book is aimed to take some time and question their personal ideas about individuality and their place in the world. Overall, the intended audience of //Hairstyles of the Damned// is rather specific, but it is those adolescents who likely need to read a story like Brian's this the most.

= Recommendations for Teachers =
 * //Warning: __Hairstyles of the Damned__ is an honest look into the mind of a sixteen-year-old pubescent male. It contains a plethora of profanity, violence, drug use, alcohol use, and sexuality.//**

It would definitely take an educator with an intense value and respect for this book (equal in amount to the extra time on their ha nds) to propose teaching this book in their classroom. However, //Hairstyles of the Damned// would be useful for two types of people: 1)Those who need a refresher (or a first time look) at the mentality of a rebellious, teenage male, and 2) rebellious, teenage male students who refuse to read. There is something alluring to a student about a book which "speaks their language." Sometimes students reject reading fiction or realistic fiction because they cannot imagine the life of the protagonist. //Hairstyles of the Damned// could be used as a tool to help a particularly reluctant student realize that books can be interesting to read--especially when the main character is someone just like the reader. Also, //Hairstyles of the Damned// is likely to be aesthetically pleasing to a young adult reader, as it has short chapters and simple, blunt language. Recommendations? First, sending home a parental consent form recommended. Second, this book would be ideal for very specific cases which include a student who is not likely to read anything else. It is advised that an educator try //Catcher in the Rye// first, because, though is also controversial, it has a similar identifiable protagonist and colloquial language, but is much less likely to cause parental uproar. Or, //Hairstyles of the Damned// could serve a as a more modern example of a //bildungsroman//, and possibly be paired with //Catcher in the Rye// for some comparative analysis. //Hairstyles of the Damned// is ideal for a reluctant (possibly socially rebellious) student who later, with the help of an educator, will be able to find the symbolism and themes--and might actually be interested.


 = = = =

==

= About the Author = [|Joe Meno's Website] In addition to his writing career Joe Meno is a contributing editor to //Punk Planet// magazine. He is also a professor at Columbia College Chicago, a school he once attended, where he teaches creative writing. According to [|Rate My Professor], Joe does well in the classroom.

His first novel //Tender as Hellfire// was published when Meno was only twenty-four. Since then he has broadened his horizons. Aside from novels he also writes short stories and has a comic strip, Iceberg Town, which is featured in Punk Planet magazine.

Two of his novels have been //Chicago Tribune's Book of the Year:// //Hairstyles of the Damned// and //The Boy Detective Fails////. Others have been a Kirkus Book of the Year, Booklist Best (2006), and one has won the Society of Midland Author's Prize for Fiction (2005).

= Other Works by Joe Meno: = == =(Listed from left to right.)=
 * [|Tender as Hellfire (1999)]
 * [|How the Hula Girl Sings (2001)]
 * [|Bluebirds Used to Croon in the Choir: Short Stories (2005)]
 * [|The Boy Detective Fails (2006)]
 * [|Demons in the Spring (2008)]

= Hairstyles of the Damned Links = [|Book Preview on Google] [|Punk Planet Books: Hairstyles of the Damned] [|Hairstyles of the Damned on Amazon.com]  [|Wikipedia on Hairstyles of the Damned] = = = =

= Joe Meno Link s=  [|Joe Meno's Offical Page] [|Interview with Joe Meno by Douglas Light] [|Interview with Joe Meno by Bookslut] [|Joe Meno's Facebook Page] [|Joe Meno Wikipedia] [|Joe Meno GoodReads Page] [|Joe Meno on Rate My Professor]

[|Article about Teaching Controversical Texts] [|Punk Rock: Wikipedia Definition and History]  [|Punk Rock Blues: An Article about Joe Meno And Hairstyles of the Damned] [|Manic Panic]
 * Other Useful Links**

Book Reviewed By:
Andrea Smith Kendall Schuldt Rachel Diaz Tracy Brosseit 

Other Reviews:
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson