I cannot even say how much I enjoyed this book. Although I picked it up for my younger sister (10), at 14 I had a great time with it. While not drowning in romance, or that kind of drippy friendship that most new literature is pressing on us these days this book managed to get across the kind of relationship any teenager needs. Insightful, smart, humorous, and an easy read, this is a great book for anyone who feels like they don't belong, are being discriminated against, is an artist, or likes cooking. What an incredible book!!!

Koertge is one of America's finest writers of books foryoung people, and Confess-O-Rama keeps his string of hitsgoing. Tony's mother has a knack for marrying men who die too soon, starting with Tony's father and going right through his 3 subsequent stepfathers. Now, as Tony and his mom are recovering from the latest death and living [temporarily?] in West Paradise, CA, Tony meets an unusual group of high school artists and begins sharing his problems with a phone service called Confess-O-Rama, little suspecting that his voice and others will become source material for a performance piece.

Anyone who likes poetry with wit, imagination, and humor will not be let down by Koertge's latest. Koertge is a master of conveying a lot with a little, and his spare style is a perfect vehicle for his humor. This is poetry that is honest and readable. If you like Billy Collins, you'll love Koertge, the unacknowledged master of the West Coast Stand-Up School of Poetry. And unlike Collins, Koertge employs a broader range of subject matter in his poetry, and he knows when to end a poem.

im 13 and i read this book a couple days ago. all i need to say is that anyone remotely in their right mind has to read this to know how funny it is. especialy being a girl. i understood everything in the book so its not like it was new to me or anything about the way guys act and what they might do, say, or think about behinde closed doors. the only bad things about the book was when they talk about food so much and how fat he is. its so gross! that wasnt neccasary at all. the other really sick thing was that walkers- the lead character- mom is a striper and hes like 15 or 16 and he goes to the joint to wathch his mom!!! how sick is that?!!! the tittle really has nothing to do with the story so dont judge it by its cover. if you do, you really wony want to read it but im extreamly happy i did. definetly read it no matter what mood your in or if your a guy or whatever cause its totaly worth it! definetly a 13-19 or 20 reading age book. just read it!!!!

I really liked Ron Koertge's book, The Brimstone Journals. It was an interesting quick read about suburban high school kids and it gave me some insight into the mindset of kids who plot shooting rampages. I was equally intrigued by what the author wrote at the back of the book, "Usually I choose characters and settings that are humorous and off beat. The Brimstone Journals, however, chose me. I began the book before the tragedy in Colorado, and the characters woke me up at night."

There are fifteen haunting student voices. All are seniors at Branston, a suburban high school. This story, written as journal entries, focuses on the many problems that suburban teens find themselves struggling with. The journal opens with the geeky kid, Lester, playing with his father's gun and toying with the idea of "getting back" at the jocks and girls at his school who have "dissed" him. Damon is one of those jocks and is also very controlling with his girlfriend, Kelli who is struggling to break his hold on her. Then there is Sheila, who wonders if she's a lesbian because she loves her best friend, Monica. Boyd is an outcast at school and neglected and abused at home by his alcoholic father. Joseph is an environmentalist and the offspring of two "weird" parents who "drink a lot of wine and boogie to the Grateful Dead". Allison is being sexually harassed by her stepfather, who her mother makes excuses for when she complains. Kitty is the fat girl, Jennifer, a religious zealot and Meredith has "loose morals". Neesha, Tran and Carter are the minorities. Neesha has black revolutionary leanings, Tran, Vietnamese, is under pressure by his immigrant father to fulfill the American dream and Carter is a rich black kid who flaunts cashmere sweaters and drives an expensive sports car. The plot centers around a plan by the geeks to do a "Columbine" at their school targeting the minorities, jocks and anyone else who crosses their newly-formed secret brotherhood. Interesting, easy to read, good insight into suburban high school life.

I loved this book. I connected with all the different characters, they were just like kids at my own high school. This is a must read for any teen, and even any parent of a teen. It seemed so true. Almost as if the author wrote it from being a student at my school.

Robert Koertge's book Brimstone Journal is remarkable. His choice of format (journals) was very effective. It allowed you as the reader to understand each character emotionally and personally, as well as draws you into the fictious world of Branston High School. Brimstone Journal is written as a collection of journal entries from what seems like 15 typical high school students: the cheerleader, the jock, the promiscuous girl, the rich boy, the fat kid, the smart one, the lesbian, the anorexic.... and the ANGRY Boyd who has created a list to get rid of anybody who ever blew him off or made him mad. However, as you engage yourself in each entry, you discover the hidden demons that are eating these students alive bit by bit. Boyd who has just met a new and dangerous friend Mike has developed a list of enemies and with Mike's help has devised a plan to take them all out. Many characters begin thinking of joining Boyd and his plan, and others find themselves wanting to buy weapons from him to put an end to their problems. Entry by entry you become closer and closer to the Big Day when Boyd will put his plan into action. Will someone tell? Will Boyd succeed? Will they survive? You will never know unless you read Brimstone Journal. The characters in this book would appeal to high school students. Due to some of the content and language, I feel this book would be appropriate for grades 9 and up. Through the eyes of 15 teenagers, this frightening situation becomes reality. 5 stars all the way!

A Review by Trisha

This book is about a kid named Ben who has a disease called Cerebral Palsy. He meets a stoner named Colleen and soon finds himself in love with her, but she doesn't return the feeling. But feelings change and Colleen sees things in a new light after she nearly loses it all. To keep their new relationship afloat Colleen needs to give up the drugs that she depends on. Can she do it or will she fall back with the same crowd? Read the book to find out.

The best part about this book is the realistic way the author portrays Colleen. She's addicted to more than one drug but she doesn't realize how bad she really is until she nearly dies, and even then she still wants the drugs. That is how a lot of drug addicts are: they get really bad and don't notice it until it is to late. The pace of this book is well balanced, the only part that I thought was boring is when Ben's Grandmother falls ill and nothing really happens for a while in the story but right after that part the book picks up where it left off and stays that way for the rest of the book. The ending of the book is not the best one I've ever read and I didn't personally like it. It leaves you hanging a little too much and doesn't explain where the characters end up.

I like this book over all and I think that it was well written and the unlikely love story would make it good for a romantic person. The drug aspect of the book would make it good for people who want to understand what drug addicts go through.

Sex, drugs, and rock and roll. What a unique read. I have not read a book like this lately. It is thought provoking for adults and so requires a mature young adult to understand. The moral of the story really requires students to be able to overlook the language and some of the activities of the main characters, but there is a great lesson to be learned about life. The life lessons could include: don't do drugs; acceptance is a beautiful thing; and/or be who you are.I really enjoyed reading this novel and I enjoyed that it made me think about young adults and how they deal with life.

stoner and spaz is by far one of the best books i've read.. i found it interesting from begining to end and would suggest anyone who's young or young at heart should read this story of love and friendship.

Does the mere presence of nudists leave an afterimage, an after-sensation, in the air, the water, the grass, the wood they have touched? Apparently the "fundamentalists" in Koertge's poem "Fundamentalists Group Rejects Nudist Campsite" believe so. Do the "unheralded organs" really all long to be "the Penis, who is treated so gently"? Is it possible that the man in the moon "is not poised up there, / but hanging from a dark noose"? In the world of Koertge's fine comic poetry, the answer is yes. Or perhaps, as in his poem on the "old days" when names described what you were, you'd like to stand alone with Mr. Koertge [Mr. "Cur Cheese"?] as the young maidens walk past with "Mr. Cook, Mr. / Archer, Mr. Golden Pants." In Koertge's world, all those monkeys at typewriters are exploring "the great subjects of Monkey / Literature," which are not the banana and the tire, but humiliation and grief; according to his "dirty postcards", no one is "having a wonderful time." "Making Love to Roget's Wife" is a rare commodity in American poetry: a collection of comic verse which is not a collection of foolish limericks or asinine rhymes, but rather a sensitive and pointed look into the comedy of life and imagination, and suggestive of the more tragic aspects of those worlds as well. And only here can you learn how many dresses Roget's wife stepped out OF when she was stepping out ON Roget

This book is funny, and about Jesse, and his grandpa. Growing up in texas, Jesse is a wannabe cowboy, who looks up to his grandpa, who was a true cowboy. His grandfather is geting old, and is starting fires when he falls asleep, cooking beans, and his mother is thry to send him to a old age home. Jesse thinks that he is fine at a real home, and not at one with only old people. I really enjoyed the book, with its funny times, and kind of sad times.

I thought the book was awful I do not recomend it to anyone

Entwined in the story of summer love is a tale of the young man coming-of-age and an illustration of how we are all human. Billy travels from Missouri to there is on the to spend the summer with his uncle. His plan is to get some practical experience working with animals that would provide him with a big step toward fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian. When he first arrives he has no idea that his career plans will change, he will fall in love with a beautiful girl named Cara Mae, or that his gay uncle, Wes, will turn out to be the only person who can give him honest answers about life and love. Billy's story leaves the reader with no pat answers. But, then again, nobody has ever found truely pat answers for growing up. The novel provides points of departure for discussion with young adults about life, love, and themselves. It isn't a book that make every reader happy, but it can leave readers satisfied that life has more than one option.

This book is hilarious. The jokes, dialogue, and plot always kept me reading. I read it in one sitting and laughed so hard. I would recomend this book to anyone with a sense of humor.

why does it say that this book is for 9-12 year olds? hello? it deals with a whole lot of sexual situations that are definitly inappropiate for 4th graders!