The Things I Did for Love - Softcover

Conford, Ellen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0553273744 ISBN 13: 9780553273748

Publisher: Starfire, 1988

Synopsis

Self-conscious about her height and despairing of ever finding a romantic companion, Stephanie begins a school project to analyze love and makes some surprising discoveries.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 7-10 The title is sufficient to ensure this book's initial popularity. Moreover, Conford's empathetic depiction of adolescent confusion and her deftly humorous narration will guarantee it continued momentum. Stephanie, 16, is smart and thoughtful but klutzy. At five feet nine, she considers herself the ``incredible hulk,'' doomed to be dateless. Spurred by a required research project for her psychology class, she determines to investigate the what and why of Love. Best friend Amy disappoints Steffie by falling so hard for a mohawk-haired motorcyclist that her I.Q. falls 40 points. Then Trevor, the high school ' s Don Juan, surprises Steffie by turning her interview with him into a suave come-on. Steady but unromantic friend Jon disturbs her with his jealousy. But most of all, Steffie dismays herself when she falls for the unlikely Bash, a leather-jacketed school dropout. With two loves aflame, she abandons the research project, ``preferring experience to analysis,'' eventually concluding that, ``There is absolutely nothing rational about love.'' Laced with pithy observations, tense moments of crisis, and lively dialogue, this well-realized agony of love should be an applauded addition to most collections. Katharine Bruner, Brown Middle School, Harrison, Tenn.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

From the moment Stephanie asks herself, in the form of a school project, "Why do fools fall in love?" her own personal life becomes fraught with disaster and mishap. Her platonic relationship with Jon seems headed for more turbulent waters; Trevor, the kind of boy a parent dreams of for a daughter, starts to put the moves on her; and Bash takes her on motorcycle rides where more than the turns are scary. It's three against one, and while Stephanie figures out just who it is she loves, readers will have a fine time trying to outguess Conford's fast moves and broadly comic scenes. Despite a bit of a cliche regarding Bash (the tough dropout with the heart of gold dates back at least to James Dean), this book will help lift the back-to-school blues. Ages 11-up.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Starfire
• Publication date: 1988
• ISBN 10: 0553273744
• ISBN 13: 9780553273748
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 137