Perks of Being a Wallflower
weblogpomoOne of the books that got me through growing up when I didn’t think anyone understood me was Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. I’ve read this book about 7-10 times since it came out in 1999. A movie starring Emma Watson and Logan Herman came out in 2012, but movies are rarely as good as the book.
I’ve had a total of 2 copies of the original book, one that got lost over time, and one that I kept full of words scribbled in the margins, and highlights from different points in my life. Last year, I finally also bought a copy of the 20th Anniversary edition, which included a new letter from Charlie where he talks about how he’s been the last 2 decades.
Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book. This is not an exhaustive list, because if I wrote every single quote I’ve ever liked… this will just go on and on.
- I just need to know that someone out there listens and understands.
- I am both happy and sad and I am still trying to figure out how that could be.
- We accept the love we think we deserve.
- Not everyone has a sob story, Charlie, and even if they do, it’s no excuse.
- I usually like songs you can’t dance to.
- It’s like he would take a photograph of Sam, and the photograph would be beautiful. And he would think that the reason the photograph is beautiful was because of how he took it. If I took it, I would know that the only reason it’s beautiful is because of Sam.
- I think it’s bad when the most honest way a boy can look at a girl is through a camera.
- Old pictures look very rugged and young, and the people in the photographs always seem a lot happier than you are.
- I don’t know if you’ve ever felt like that. That you wanted to sleep for a thousand years. Or just not exist. Or just not be aware that you do exist.
If you haven’t read the book, I hope that this entices you to give it a read. This book means a lot to me, and I am hoping it changes the life of more people out there like it did mine.
Side Note(s):
- This post is Day 8 of the WeblogPoMo2024 challenge.
- This book explores themes of mental health, substance abuse, relationships and the complexities of growing up. It is told through the eyes of its introspective protagonist, Charlie via letters he sends to “a friend.”
- 25 years later, and I very much still appreciate this book.
- Due to its themes, this book was banned in 2003 in Fairfax, VA by a group called Parents Against Bad Books. Then the book was challenged in TX, referencing the same reasons the previous group made.
