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Palo Alto

By James Franco
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Check link for latest rating. ( 12,332 ratings, 1,426 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Palo Alto by James Franco is a collection of interconnected short stories exploring the tumultuous lives of teenagers in the California town of Palo Alto. The narratives delve into the complexities of adolescence, highlighting themes of identity, rebellion, and the challenges of growing up. Each story offers a raw, vivid glimpse into the lives of these young people as they navigate their personal struggles.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by gritty tales of suburban adolescence, exploring themes of identity, rebellion, and the complexities of growing up. The narrative delves into the lives of teenagers navigating their tumultuous high school years, offering a raw and poignant examination of youth culture.

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From acclaimed Hollywood actor/director James Franco comes a stunning work of fiction - the coming-of-age of a whole generation.

From acclaimed Hollywood actor/director James Franco comes Palo Alto, a stunning work of fiction - the coming-of-age of a whole generation. Now a major motion picture.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Palo Alto is the debut of a powerful new literary voice. Written with an immediacy and sense of place, Palo Alto traces the lives of an extended group of teenagers as they experiment with vices of all kinds, struggle with their families and one another, and succumb to self-destructive, often heartless nihilism.

Franco presents his characters in all their raw humanity, while at the same time providing insight into the teenage mind. In the classic American tradition of story-cycles such as Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio, Palo Alto presents a stark, vivid, disturbing, but, above all, compassionate portrait of lives on the rough fringes of youth.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Palo Alto by James Franco has been described as mirroring the undulations of a teenage mind, capturing the chaos of adolescence with originality and sensitivity. The stories are noted for their crisp, spare, and beautifully written narratives that blend humour and sadness. Critics have praised Franco's ability to depict the recklessness and confusion of youth in a gripping and intense manner, likening his work to prominent authors such as Bret Easton Ellis. The collection is recognised for its raw, unsettling storytelling and its insightful portrayal of suburban American adolescence.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571273188

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 August 2011

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 10.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 220.0mm

Weight: 400g

Pages: 224

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction James Franco Literary Fiction

About the Author

As an actor James Franco won the Golden Globe award for his portrayal of James Dean in a tv biopic of the actor's life and has appeared in such diverse films as Pineapple Express and Milk. He plays the lead in Danny Boyle's new film 127 Hours and portrays Allen Ginsburg in Howl. He has collaborated with an artist called Carter in a conceptual film piece and has shown his work at the Dietch Projects in New York. Over the course of the last two years he has been awarded degrees in English Literature from UCLA, in Creative Writing from Columbia, in Filmmaking from NYU and has been accepted in the English Literature PhD program at Yale.

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