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Life: An Autobiography as Told by Jack Gunthridge
by
Jack Gunthridge
(Goodreads Author)
From their young days playing house to becoming heads of their own households while still in their teenage years, Jack and Christine's lives are linked, and Christine quickly becomes the love of his life. There is no doubt of his love for Christine, and he bluntly exposes his feelings for her to his readers, taking them by the hand into the heart and soul of the unrequited
...more
Paperback
,
114 pages
Published
February 2nd 2008
by Createspace
(first published February 1st 2008)
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Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
305)
Mar 18, 2009
Beth F.
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Shelves:
goodreads-first-reads
,
young-adult
,
dudes-named-jack
,
2009
,
death-by-teen-angst
,
abuse
,
hated-it
,
tnbbc-spring-2009
I’m feeling a little ill at ease after having read this and am torn between a bad rating with a review full of high-arching boomers (a euphemistic phrase used by my parents to describe gratuitous use of the F-word) and a bad rating with a review that attempts to logically explain what bothered me about this book.
The premise is fairly simple to understand. During his senior year of high school, Jack was required to write an autobiography for a school assignment. This book is the result of that a ...more
The premise is fairly simple to understand. During his senior year of high school, Jack was required to write an autobiography for a school assignment. This book is the result of that a ...more
view all 4 comments
Why doesn't Goodreads give you an option for a negative rating? If I could, this one would definitely get one. And I'm a generous rater! This book was so awful it actually made me feel a little ill. Life is a very short little book--the sort that a quick reader could finish in about an hour. It took me TWO WEEKS to read this book because it disgusted me so much that I'd have to put it down and come back to it later. Not only is it very poorly written, but the story is just bland and unbelievable
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The intro says that this book is an adaptation of a screenplay -- and that sums it up pretty well. This book was easily read in a few hours. I would have liked to see more character development, richness of storyline, well just more.
I'd like to score it -2 stars.
Did you notice that nearly 30% of the 5star ratings are from the author himself?
I'd like to score it -2 stars.
Did you notice that nearly 30% of the 5star ratings are from the author himself?
Reading this book is like a 5 hour conversation with THE COUPLE. Do you know 'the couple?' They were those people you knew in school who'd been together since they were born, you never see them apart, their names are permanently fused together. Say it with me: "JacknChristine." They have no individuality and you don't know them as anything else except THE COUPLE. Sounds interesting, right? Wrong. This book is so self-absorbed that it becomes extremely boring after the first chapter. Jack and Chr
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I don't know where to begin a review of this book - it was just so unenjoyable. I guess the best part was that it is so slight- that the pain was over quickly. If I could give it a zero I would.
First off - this is not an autobiography; the author clearly states that in many places and in the test. Then why approach it that way? I got the feeling the author was a bit full of himself - as shown in the structure, as well as the writing.
THe characters are totally unbelievable - not high schoolers an ...more
First off - this is not an autobiography; the author clearly states that in many places and in the test. Then why approach it that way? I got the feeling the author was a bit full of himself - as shown in the structure, as well as the writing.
THe characters are totally unbelievable - not high schoolers an ...more
This book was "free" on my kindle, and since I'm going into education, I thought it would be interesting to read something from the perspective of a teenager. Some of it was interesting, but it seemed to repeat the same things over and over. Nothing terribly dramatic happened, there was no climax. The girlfriend was especially annoying, and I wanted to slap her! It sincerely hope that all teengae girls aren't this manipulative and sex-crazed. I was impressed with the integrity and morals of Jack
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This is one where I would have liked to give a negative number in the rating. As to review, I'll say it never got me. Probably more fantasy than anything else. Did you notice that the author himself gave two 5 star ratings? So without those, this book is rated below a 3, consider that.
I found this book to be slightly entertaining though I did find it hard to read at times. The story had problems moving forward because it would constintly go back to the same ideas. At times I felt as if I read the same passage in 6 different spots. Though this may have been the purpose of the book the new point of views did not give any information that the first view gave.
The overall plot of the book was so centered around sex that it was hard to connect with anyone in the story. As soon as ...more
The overall plot of the book was so centered around sex that it was hard to connect with anyone in the story. As soon as ...more
I am not quite sure why this is getting such poor reviews… I suppose to each, their own. I found this book, while short (what can you expect from something that is suppose to be a high schooler’s assignment), quite enjoyable. This book aptly depicts adolescent relationships with all the drama and how everything seems much more life and death. Teenagers often think that the relationship that they are in is going to last a life time, while the rest of adults look on, knowing that the possibility o
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This book is pure crap. Talk about overanalyzing a relationship to death. Jesus, that's all this book was, Jack and Christine overanalyzing their relationship together and each other. They kept going over different parts over and over again, as if they hadn't been covered in the last chapter.
Christine's character really bothers me. She has basically been a tease to Jack his entire life. She has purposefully hurt him, but she justifies it as her way of doing it to make him stronger. She has repe ...more
Christine's character really bothers me. She has basically been a tease to Jack his entire life. She has purposefully hurt him, but she justifies it as her way of doing it to make him stronger. She has repe ...more
I put this book on my kindle because it was free and looked interesting. I flew through reading the book. I think it is because the way it is written is unique. It is kind of like reality TV in book form. I continued to read thinking that something shocking was going to happen. It really never did though, but it kept me interested enough that I continuted reading in hopes of something amazing. It is not a book I would read again for sure, but something kept me interested. It is about a boy writi
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Oct 11, 2008
Jack Gunthridge
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
(Review from the author)
Recommends it for:
Anybody who has ever been in love.
There is a part of me as an author that hates saying what my books are about. Life is about so many things. It's about trying to figure out relationships. It's about being in love and not really knowing how to act when you are in love. For some reason people do stupid things when they are in love. These stupid things go against everything that being in love is about, but we do it because we are crazy in love. There is that element to this book.
There is also a part of this book that is about tryi ...more
There is also a part of this book that is about tryi ...more
Feb 08, 2012
Cyndi
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ya-lit-class-genre-shelf
I'm not sure how to rate this book. It is so very different from anything I have read before. It is supposedly written by an eighteen year old for a school assignment to write his autobiography. I can see how this could be that but I also see it as a cleverly disguised way for a young adult to springboard a career to just be famous in the day of utube and reality shows.
Jack is self-obsessed Jewish boy like most normal teens or is that his excuse? He supposedly has won high school awards for his ...more
Jack is self-obsessed Jewish boy like most normal teens or is that his excuse? He supposedly has won high school awards for his ...more
Mar 19, 2009
Texas Jax
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Young adults and older
Recommended to Texas by:
Authors Den
There seems to be a part of us that sees our parents in us. We either see their strengths or weaknesses. It is not enough that we are just trying to escape our past, but we are trying to escape our parents’ pasts as well (p75).
Written in a voice so honest and rich that to truly appreciate what is being offered one must experience it, Jack Gunthridge’s Life: An Autobiography As Told By Jack Gunthridge is a modern literary masterpiece. Presented in narrative form, this work reads like having a con ...more
I received a copy this book through the Goodreads giveaway program. I found LIFE intriguing and different.
The book is a memoir of sorts. The main voice belongs to Jack, but several of Jack's friends--who are also witnesses to the story of his life--chip in to help him tell the tale. Jack is a high school student on the verge of fame. LIFE tells us of us life up through the end of high school. I'm not sure if this is a fictional memoir or not, but it's a fairly engrossing story either way.
The vo ...more
The book is a memoir of sorts. The main voice belongs to Jack, but several of Jack's friends--who are also witnesses to the story of his life--chip in to help him tell the tale. Jack is a high school student on the verge of fame. LIFE tells us of us life up through the end of high school. I'm not sure if this is a fictional memoir or not, but it's a fairly engrossing story either way.
The vo ...more
Going into this book, I was expecting a romance. Instead, I got a dysfunctional relationship. Jacks love for Christine is admirable, but the question I found constantly on the tip of my tongue was why? Is he in love with her because they've been together (and I'm not talking relationship wise) so long? I don't doubt he truly believes he is in love with her, but I don't think he actually is, especially as towards the end of the book he is almost questioning their compatability. Surely if he loved
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wow so i had won this book and i had recieved it right smack in between exam time for me so i didnt even get to open the package. My last exam finished on wednesday and starrted reading Life yesterday. i finsished the book in one sitting. it was a really good book. it had such raw ,unscripted vibe that i felt that a lot of people could relate to this book. i usually read a lot of fantasy book, this book was a good refreshment from all the fantasy i read and i enjoyed quite a bit. i think this bo
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I liked it to a point the book left me with out a conclusion which i guess was part of the point. My mind kept going back to the preface while reading. I wanted to know what happened in the life of the fictional writer to promt having to make this autobiography public. I asume he went on to become an ego maniac like they all feared and this was put out to show that he is human and also served to remind him that he is human and could feel and what not. yes i know, not the point of the book but i
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For a free kindle book this wasn’t that bad.
It is sort of an autobiography of the early years of the authors life and his relationship with the women he has always loved. During the book we also hear bits from her point of few and it gives a very truthful insight into their lives and feelings for each other. I don’t think this is an amazing book but for a free kindle book it was good. I enjoyed its honestly and the fact that it reflected love in a way that was not fairytale like, but coming from ...more
It is sort of an autobiography of the early years of the authors life and his relationship with the women he has always loved. During the book we also hear bits from her point of few and it gives a very truthful insight into their lives and feelings for each other. I don’t think this is an amazing book but for a free kindle book it was good. I enjoyed its honestly and the fact that it reflected love in a way that was not fairytale like, but coming from ...more
Life: An Autobiagraphy as Told by Jack Gunthridge is a touching, thought provoking, almost tragic story. Very sweet. I read it with a friend out loud. It made us laugh, made us cry, it made us discuss and argue. It was a very enjoyable read. It was so good! And from an author's point of view, I felt that it was such a great piece of work, that I called friends and fellow writers and DEMANDED that they drop what they were doing and read the book IMMEDIATELY. And they all agreed.
I believe that Lif ...more
I believe that Lif ...more
Feb 04, 2010
Dawn
added it
The way this was written was interesting... as an autobiographical high school assignment. I liked the way the different characters took turns writing, which often made for some comedy. The relationship between Christine and Jack started out sweet, but was pretty unhealthy. It definitely had the feeling of high schoolers in love- completely gaga, playing games, jealousy, lust. These two characters had tragic young lives, but despite their messed up relationship, got each other through their most
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This is a short book which I found both lacking and somewhat honest. The feelings were honest, but the over analysis of the relationship isn't, in my experience as a middle school and high school educator typical of teenagers. Also, Jack's love is more than a little stalkerish, and more than a little unhealthy. However, that level of obsession can also be realistic of teens. So, I can't say that I liked the book, but I didn't dislike it either.
I won this from the first reads giveaway.
I am glad I did. It was a good book and I either know others who have gone through about everything in the book or are going through it. I also was able to identify with a bit of it myself.
I am glad I did. It was a good book and I either know others who have gone through about everything in the book or are going through it. I also was able to identify with a bit of it myself.
Really interesting premise and character pov! Written as a school project...tell the story of your life from 0-18. Jack captures his story, his girlfriend and others who pipe in their viewpoint. 5 stars for originality!!!!!
I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and I wish it had been longer but other than that, I really liked it.
This was a cute story. It was written from a few different points of view, which made it interesting.
Got this on First Reads...not my usual genre but i liked it....
Also in Nook Archive.
I just can't do it captain.
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Technically I am an internationally award winning filmmaker. I became an author when I turned one of my screenplays into a novel. I don't really make a distinction between my film work and my written works. It's the 21st century. Everything is a text and a way of telling a story. It doesn't matter to me if the words I write are never seen by an audience the way they are in my films, or if they are
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