Diary of a Teenage Girl... I have some of those

Diary of a teenage girl was difficult to read. Not because it wasn't intelligent, or thought provoking or honest or true. Phoebe Gloeckners semi autobiographical illustrated novel was so true to real life that I had to put it down. At times it became too difficult for me to read a lot at a time because it had this way of transporting me to an unhappy adolescent.

I can't really relate to what Minnie is going through considering she loses her virginity to her Mom's boyfriend in the first few pages and lives in San Fransisco with a single parent. (Not too many Midwestern values there) However I do know what it's like to be caught between girlhood and womanhood. Whatever that means. And the 'whatever' is what Gloeckner is exceptional at. The confessional style of the novel is familiar, I was a big fan of diary like books as a teen.  However I have never read one so true to the way it actually is figuring out how to grow up without losing your mind. Her brutal honesty and visceral language is uncomfortable, and it's supposed to be. I grew up writing journals since I was thirteen with the one condition that it was only for my eyes (thanks Mom) and that I would not censor myself. It almost feels like I'm snooping into someones personal affects without their permission and I should put it back where I found it. But it's published (and not anonymously... thank's Alice) so I guess it's okay. I think it's so brave that Phoebe put everything out there for anyone to read. The idea of doing that with my own journals sounds so scary I can't even think about it too long or else I get anxiety.

I really enjoyed the environment that Minnie is in. Here she is supposed to be rebelling against her parents and her parents are worse than her, still dating around (with not the most upstanding people), getting drunk, doing drugs, and embrace everything that was the Hait Ashbury experience. It's a surprise that Minnie didn't turn into Alex P. Keaton and end up voting for Reagan.  How difficult it must be to find your personal boundaries when there are none set for you. I think I could write an entire blog about how concieted and selfish her mother is. But I think that's the point, Minnie doesn't really know who she is or where she's going and that something to be embraced. Hell, even published.

All in all I wouldn't recommend it to someone who has a teenage girl, or maybe they should read it. But beware you're going to squirm. Being a teenage girl ain't pretty.

Here's a cool article from bookslut.
http://www.bookslut.com/nonfiction/2004_08_002976.php

Here's a funny article about comics that would make great teen flavored film including Diary. http://blogs.westword.com/showandtell/2011/06/five_comics_that_would_make_gr.php