Perks of Being a Wallflower

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER
by
STEPHEN chbosky
Published by: POCKET BOOKS, Simon and Schuster Inc., 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New
York, NY 10020.
Copyright 1999 by Stephen Chbosky
BOOK JACKET INFORMATION
standing on the fringes of life ... offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks
like from the dance floor.
This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a
provocative new voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks Of Being A WALLFLOWER
This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters
are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know
to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and
trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and
mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture
Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.
Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, powerful
novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.
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stephen chboskygrew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the University of Southern
California's Filmic Writing Program. His first film, THE FOUR CORNERS OF NOWHERE, premiered
at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival and went on to win Best Narrative Feature honors at the Chicago
Underground Film Festival. He is the recipient of the Abraham Polonsky Screenwriting Award for his
screenplay EVERYTHING DIVIDED as well as a participant in the Sundance Institute's filmmakers' lab
for his current project, FINGERNAILS AND SMOOTH SKIN. Chbosky lives in New York.
the perks of being a wallfloweris his first novel.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author's
imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or
dead, is entirely coincidental.
For my family
acknowledgements
I just wanted to say about all those listed that there would be no book without them, and I thank them
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with all of my heart.
Greer Kessel Hendricks Heather Neely Lea, Fred, and Stacy Chbosky Robbie Thompson
Christopher McQuarrie Margaret Mehring Stewart Stern Kate Degenhart Mark McClain Wilson David
Wilcox Kate Ward Tim Perell Jack Horner Eduardo Braniff
And finally ...
Dr. Earl Reum for writing a beautiful poem and Patrick Comeaux for remembering it wrong when he
was 14.
THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER
part 1
August 25, 1991 Dear friend,
I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn't try to sleep with that person
at that party even though you could have. Please don't try to figure out who she is because then you might
figure out who I am, and I really don't want you to do that. I will call people by different names or generic
names because I don't want you to find me. I didn't enclose a return address for the same reason. I mean
nothing bad by this. Honest.
I just need to know that someone out there listens and understands and doesn't try to sleep with
people even if they could have. I need to know that these people exist.
I think you of all people would understand that because I think you of all people are alive and
appreciate what that means. At least I hope you do because other people look to you for strength and
friendship and it's that simple. At least that's what I've heard.
So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure
out how that could be.
I try to think of my family as a reason for me being this way, especially after my friend Michael
stopped going to school one day last spring and we heard Mr. Vaughn's voice on the loudspeaker.
"Boys and girls, I regret to inform you that one of