Teenager
- Downloads：1343
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-07-09 08:51:42
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Bud Smith
- ISBN：0593315227
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
Two teenagers， in love and insane， journey across the United States in this Bonnie and Clyde-like adventure， pursuing a warped American dream， where Elvis is still king and the corn dog is the "backbone of this great country。"
"He told her he was a one-woman man and she was it for him。 Teal said that was good because he was it for her。 It and It。 Both of them were It。"
Kody Rawlee Green is stuck in juvie。 Tella "Teal Cartwheels" Carticelli is packing her bags for Rome--on the orders of her parents， who want her as far from Kody as possible。 But teenage love is too strong a force for the obstacles of reality。 And the highway beckons。
Leaving their abusive pasts behind them in Jersey， Kody and Teal set off on a cross-country road trip equal parts self-destruction and self-discovery， making their way， one stolen car at a time， toward bigger， wider， bluer skies。 Along the road， of course， there's time to stop at Graceland， classic diners， a fairgrounds that smells of "pony shit and kettle corn， and time for run-ins with outsize personalities like the reincarnated Grand Canyon tour guide Dead Bob and the spurious Montana rancher Bill Gold。 On their heels， all the while， is Teal's brother， Neil Carticelli， who's abandoned his post in the navy to rescue the sister he left behind。 But does she really need saving？
These all too American tropes find new expression in Bud Smith's own freewheeling prose--and in Rae Buleri's original illustrations--filling Teenager with humor， poetry， and a joy that's palpable in every unforgettable sentence。
"He told her he was a one-woman man and she was it for him。 Teal said that was good because he was it for her。 It and It。 Both of them were It。"
Kody Rawlee Green is stuck in juvie。 Tella "Teal Cartwheels" Carticelli is packing her bags for Rome--on the orders of her parents， who want her as far from Kody as possible。 But teenage love is too strong a force for the obstacles of reality。 And the highway beckons。
Leaving their abusive pasts behind them in Jersey， Kody and Teal set off on a cross-country road trip equal parts self-destruction and self-discovery， making their way， one stolen car at a time， toward bigger， wider， bluer skies。 Along the road， of course， there's time to stop at Graceland， classic diners， a fairgrounds that smells of "pony shit and kettle corn， and time for run-ins with outsize personalities like the reincarnated Grand Canyon tour guide Dead Bob and the spurious Montana rancher Bill Gold。 On their heels， all the while， is Teal's brother， Neil Carticelli， who's abandoned his post in the navy to rescue the sister he left behind。 But does she really need saving？
These all too American tropes find new expression in Bud Smith's own freewheeling prose--and in Rae Buleri's original illustrations--filling Teenager with humor， poetry， and a joy that's palpable in every unforgettable sentence。
Reviews
Nicholas Pendleton
，
I really enjoy Bud Smith's writing and while I've liked his nonfiction books like WORK， I've had a hard time connecting with his novels。 But I'm glad I gave TEENAGER a try。 This takes me back to some of the great indie books and films I consumed as a young man in the early 1990s。 Highly subjective， poetic and surreal （Don't those all pretty much mean the same thing？ Kind of。 But English is a workhorse language。。。）， this stands with the best of what the Fiction Collective and Black Ice Books had I really enjoy Bud Smith's writing and while I've liked his nonfiction books like WORK， I've had a hard time connecting with his novels。 But I'm glad I gave TEENAGER a try。 This takes me back to some of the great indie books and films I consumed as a young man in the early 1990s。 Highly subjective， poetic and surreal （Don't those all pretty much mean the same thing？ Kind of。 But English is a workhorse language。。。）， this stands with the best of what the Fiction Collective and Black Ice Books had to offer in the day， without being too experimental or masturbatory。 For most of the narrative， we see the world through Kody's eyes--a world that loves to dash the dreams and expectations of those it finds too callow and vulnerable。 A world that loves to damage them young and send them on a collision course with violent destiny。 Big recommend。 。。。more
S。M。
，
Interesting。 Felt I was overlooking the characters' stories instead of being immersed in them。 Felt disconnected at times。 But it was a good plot， and the moving transitions were simple enough to follow。 It had to end the way it needed to。 P。S。 Fort Hall， Idaho， is a Native American Reservation。 There isn't much there but casinos and farmland。 Strange， the author picked that place as the epilogue。 Interesting。 Felt I was overlooking the characters' stories instead of being immersed in them。 Felt disconnected at times。 But it was a good plot， and the moving transitions were simple enough to follow。 It had to end the way it needed to。 P。S。 Fort Hall， Idaho， is a Native American Reservation。 There isn't much there but casinos and farmland。 Strange， the author picked that place as the epilogue。 。。。more
Christopher
，
Interview forthcoming at The Art of Everyone Interview forthcoming at The Art of Everyone 。。。more
Gerardo
，
This was a wild ride。 I am glad I picked it up。 Bud Smith took kids on the run to a whole new level！ I recommend it！
Justin Hall
，
THIS BOOK WAS WONDERFUL！I saw a review of this book as being touching or heartwarming。。。 I was not so sure， but it snuck up on me。 This was a road trip book and I love me a road trip book。 It has a real Romeo and Juliet feel to it but with easier names to pronounce。 My only slight gripe was that I spent the entire time trying to figure out the time it was set in。 It was probably revealed somewhere but I am assuming early 2000's。 The journey of Teal and Kody might not have made it as far in today THIS BOOK WAS WONDERFUL！I saw a review of this book as being touching or heartwarming。。。 I was not so sure， but it snuck up on me。 This was a road trip book and I love me a road trip book。 It has a real Romeo and Juliet feel to it but with easier names to pronounce。 My only slight gripe was that I spent the entire time trying to figure out the time it was set in。 It was probably revealed somewhere but I am assuming early 2000's。 The journey of Teal and Kody might not have made it as far in today's tech times。 The book is beautiful。 The art in the book is a great addition。 I love having this book on my shelf。 Big thanks to Bud Smith and his publishers for allowing me to read and review this book！ 。。。more
Elle
，
This book was so much better than my friend said it was。 I had to consider my friendship。 Only joking， but come on。 I love this damned book okay。
Bailey Tolentino
，
I’ve been trying to get back to this damn book for nearly two weeks now。 I just can’t。 It’s kind of similar to normal people for me because the characters are unlikeable and not well developed enough for you to really root for them and it got very boring very quickly… but it’s even WORSE than normal people because it’s like twice the length， the writing itself is nowhere near as good， the level at which it became boring was much more extreme， and it’s set in buttfuck America。 I simply cannot let I’ve been trying to get back to this damn book for nearly two weeks now。 I just can’t。 It’s kind of similar to normal people for me because the characters are unlikeable and not well developed enough for you to really root for them and it got very boring very quickly… but it’s even WORSE than normal people because it’s like twice the length， the writing itself is nowhere near as good， the level at which it became boring was much more extreme， and it’s set in buttfuck America。 I simply cannot let this book delay my reading schedule any longer。💀 This sucks because I really liked it when I started （first 125 pages or so were nice）。 。。。more
Peter Landau
，
I like these maniacs。 Don’t know if I’d want to party with them， but it was a good to join their cross-country death trip slick with puppy love。
Josh Dale
，
Truly a wild ride that had me at the mercy of every page turn。 The journey is wanderlust， starting and ending at vastly two different places。 While there are convenient moments， unexplained fortunes， and a closing act guarded within plot armor， it’s fair to imagine that Kody and Tella are the most fascinating humans to ever exist。 Smith has made a great American novel。
Matt
，
Bud Smith can damn sure write。 “And why did they light up？ Just so something could snap its jaws and kill them easier？ No， they were trying to attract a mate。 That’s what it always was and you usually died from that too。”
G
，
This book was so weird？？？ But in a good way。 It truly feels like something that isn't my normal cup of tea， but I enjoyed it， a lot。 I don't know how to review it beyond that， but I'm really glad I randomly found it on display at the library and if you want a wild time check this out。 This book was so weird？？？ But in a good way。 It truly feels like something that isn't my normal cup of tea， but I enjoyed it， a lot。 I don't know how to review it beyond that， but I'm really glad I randomly found it on display at the library and if you want a wild time check this out。 。。。more
Sara
，
Brautigan， Vonnegut， Smith。
Mark
，
When Bill Callahan deems a book perfect （apart from one supposed typo）， then one shall read it。 If ever adapted to film， I hope he has a track in it！ I’ve always wanted to drive cross county。 Now I know that if or when I ever do， it will be quite dull， to say the least， in comparison to the trip in this exquisitely well written novel。 Made me appreciate my family a lot more as well。
Katherine Mary
，
Teenager was a breath of fresh air！。A Bonnie and Clyde-esque adventure takes two teens from New Jersey on a cross-country adventure。。Kody busts out of juvie and grabs Teal just in time， as she's about to be shipped away。 Both Kody and Teal have not had the best of home lives and find solace in each other。 。While Kody and Teal make their way away from the families that have wronged them， they begin a spree of crime- stealing， pick-pocketing and doing what they must do to survive。 In their journey Teenager was a breath of fresh air！。A Bonnie and Clyde-esque adventure takes two teens from New Jersey on a cross-country adventure。。Kody busts out of juvie and grabs Teal just in time， as she's about to be shipped away。 Both Kody and Teal have not had the best of home lives and find solace in each other。 。While Kody and Teal make their way away from the families that have wronged them， they begin a spree of crime- stealing， pick-pocketing and doing what they must do to survive。 In their journey， Bud Smith gives us a gritty， depictive picture of America as its own character as well。。This was like nothing I have read in recent years- I loved it！ 。。。more
Michael
，
I had to stop reading this one half way through because I got the covid brain fog which left me barely being able to read more than a few sentences at a time but now I’m on the other side of all that and I’m here to say that Teenager is as good as it gets when it comes to Bud Smith and that means that this thing is beautiful and heavy and perfect and I want to be cremated with it。 Take the ashes with me to the other side other side （not just the other side of covid brain fog but of life）。 I crie I had to stop reading this one half way through because I got the covid brain fog which left me barely being able to read more than a few sentences at a time but now I’m on the other side of all that and I’m here to say that Teenager is as good as it gets when it comes to Bud Smith and that means that this thing is beautiful and heavy and perfect and I want to be cremated with it。 Take the ashes with me to the other side other side （not just the other side of covid brain fog but of life）。 I cried my whole way through this。 For the good and the bad and the sad and not so good but not totally bad and the great。 Always crying for the great。 Do you like love？ I sure do。 Thanks Bud。 And thanks for responding to an email I sent you once。 。。。more
Skylar Hauge
，
Like the Bible
Cail Judy
，
Loved it。 A bull-horn sounds over the hills， announcing the arrival of this dark， romantic novel full of poetry and the bravado of youth。 You will find it hard to put down。
ay
，
An infinity + 1 + another infinity stars。
Daisuke
，
Marvelous。
Bart Schaneman
，
A damn fine beautiful book。
Derek Nicholson
，
This is such an awesome book - got bummed out anytime I had to put it down。 Felt like I was in the backseat watching the story unfold firsthand。 :）
Lauren Rochford
，
It reads like Hemingway and Bukowski decided to co-write a teenage love （？） story。 Insane and fun！ Great writing。 It was a nice break from my usual books。
Kevin Maloney
，
TEENAGER is one of those rare novels you spend your whole life looking for and hardly ever find。 On one level it reads like a new take on Badlands or Bonnie & Clyde。 Dig a little deeper and it's a comic indictment of American culture。 Dig a little deeper and it's a cosmic-poetic rhapsody about being alive and in love on Planet Earth。 Bud Smith writes like Kurt Vonnegut took acid with Charles Portis and tried to write an Odyssey for the 21st century。 A thousand stars。 TEENAGER is one of those rare novels you spend your whole life looking for and hardly ever find。 On one level it reads like a new take on Badlands or Bonnie & Clyde。 Dig a little deeper and it's a comic indictment of American culture。 Dig a little deeper and it's a cosmic-poetic rhapsody about being alive and in love on Planet Earth。 Bud Smith writes like Kurt Vonnegut took acid with Charles Portis and tried to write an Odyssey for the 21st century。 A thousand stars。 。。。more
David
，
This book is magic。 Be careful。
brandi g
，
this book has everything you could ask for: love， blood， an all-american road trip，the extreme level of naivety and desire only teens can exude。 FFO: true romance （both the film and the actual concept）， crimes （both light and major）， badlands （1973）， east coast dreams of going west， tight yet poetic sentences。
Will Gillette
，
Amazing
Erin Glover
，
Teal and Cody are teenaged lovers。 The story is a montage of Romeo and Juliet， West Side Story， and Bonnie and Clyde。 The story begins （this happens right away—no spoilers） with Cody shooting Teal’s parents in order to escape with Teal。 The father was sexually abusive to her and the mother knew， so in a way， the killing seems justified。 The two teens go on a rampage across the country， stealing cars， pickpocketing， and generally wreaking havoc wherever they go。 Yet their love for each other comp Teal and Cody are teenaged lovers。 The story is a montage of Romeo and Juliet， West Side Story， and Bonnie and Clyde。 The story begins （this happens right away—no spoilers） with Cody shooting Teal’s parents in order to escape with Teal。 The father was sexually abusive to her and the mother knew， so in a way， the killing seems justified。 The two teens go on a rampage across the country， stealing cars， pickpocketing， and generally wreaking havoc wherever they go。 Yet their love for each other compels them forward， even knowing they’ll eventually get caught and then who knows what will happen。This book really highlights the craziness of teenaged love。 Teal and Cody will do anything to stay together。 Including killing people。 It reminded me of just how insane you feel about high school lovers。I won’t spoil the ending。 But it could have been better。 。。。more
Sheldon Birnie
，
Great stuff！
Michael Smith
，
Great cover design。 Let’s start there。Listen， this is nice storytelling and a somewhat fresh take on what has become a fairly stale trope。 Nothing new， but nicely done。
Ben Loory
，
There was nothing Kody liked more than hearing of someone going West。
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Teenager
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Teenager&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Teenager&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0