Up Country

by Alden R. Carter

Book Overview

Sixteen-year-old Carl uses his talent with electronics both to shield himself from his mother's alcoholism and promiscuity and to try to make enough money repairing stolen stereos to get into engineering school later. Carter avoids the temptation to offer easy solutions to the problems of children with alcoholic parents or to caricature his adult characters. A solid, inpreachy novel.--School Library Journal.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399215832
• ISBN13: 9780399215834
• Release Date: June 1989
• Publisher: Putnam Publishing Group
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

A Tale That Touches the Heart -- Not Just for Teens

Read this book in college, and the story and characters touched my heart. I still read it and it's still the same poignant, beautiful story I remember. I feel for Carl and his plight. he is a likable character. I felt sorry that his mother was a drunk and sexually promiscuous so Carl, age 16, had to escape by inventing a dream life and a fantasy sweetheart, and cheered when he moved up north with his farm-boy cousin and the cousin's folks, and he and his cousin became great pals and he even found a real girl to love -- the athletic blonde country beauty next door. This should be a made for TV movie starring Cody kasch -- DanaZack on "Desperate Housewives" as Carl, David Gallagher -- Simon on "7th Heaven" -- as Robert, Carl's cousin, and Hilary Duff as Signa, carl's sweetheart

Up Country is such a wonderful book!

^^ I really would... I mean, the thoughts and feeling are so real and thought out to what a real sixteen-year-old boy in that situation of having and alcholic/protisute mother... I can really relate to how he's acting and feeling... I would tell anybody to add this book to their collection!!!! :)

Superb!

Up Country is probably one of the most treasured books I own. I can relate to Carl's feelings and emotions, and every time I read it, the same situational segments of the story still make me laugh out loud. I would recommend Up Country to anyone, based on it's superb characterization and thought.

POWERFUL!

I used to not like books this book changed my mind! a must read. Very touching and a great wake up call to life!

Amazing!

I read this book for an 8th Grade book report, and I have read it over and over again. Everytime I read it I get the same feelings I had the first time I read it. Carl Staggers feels what a real 16 year old boy would feel if he were in that same situation and it amazes me how well the auther expressed that.