Trying Hard to Hear You

by Sandra Scoppettone

Book Overview

Faced with the revelation that her best friend is a homosexual, a sixteen-year-old tries to cope with her own and her friends' reactions toward him. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1555833675
• ISBN13: 9781555833671
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: Alyson Books
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Not the nicest people.

I liked it a lot. AFAIK, (I was a toddler at the time the book is set) it's a fairly accurate portrayal of what teenagers were like in the early '70s. But I have one issue with it.Phil and Jeff are both pretty crummy towards Camilla. First there's the bit when Phil misinterprets Camilla's *joking* put-down of Jeff's performance, and calls her on it. Instead of saying, "Oh, that's how we are," Jeff *agrees* with him that Camilla is immature! WTF? You don't betray your best friend like that, no matter who you're attracted to, or how strongly. Then they ditch her at the Strawberry Festival, and to top it off, Phil asks her out for the sole purpose of getting information about Jeff. What a jerk, toying with her emotions like that!Perhaps this was Scoppettone's way of showing that gay people have human flaws and frailties like the rest of us, but it just rubbed me the wrong way.

Great Book!

This is a book set in the early 70's. Though it takes place 30 years ago, the issues are still taking place today. It is about a large group of friend involved in a Drama program. Over the summer they find out two of their friends are gay. Immediately they turn on them, even their best friend, Camilla. Eventually the taunting leads to two deaths. This book really shows how a person's actions affect others. A simple books that any and every high school student should read and most would enjoy. I was hooked from the first page. I can't believe that people are treated this way. Well, I can believe, but I don't understand why. I really think everyone should read this book early on in life.

Trying Hard to Hear You

Fabulous. I'm so much in awe of this book. It's poignant, and realistic, and intensely, intensely moving. Scoppettone has successfully achieved a realistic voice for Camilla, which is very rare in a lot of books. I really don't know what to say about this book, except it's a must read for everyone. If you're in the slightest homophobic, it's a real eye opener. In my opinion, it should be a text in every secondary school.READ IT!

Great Book

I thought this was an awesome book. It was so realistic and sad. I liked how the author really described every situation so completely. I loved it!

This is a must read for young gays, and their friends

Being a gay teen, i can relate to most of the issues that were presented. I've given my copy to friend's to read, and overall most people have enjoyed it. The perspective is great, because it's not like any other gay coming of age novel that i know of.... though it's a little slow to start, it does get better...