Bad Boy: A Memoir

I really like this book because it talk about all lot of things that maybe sometimes you had past true them. It feels great when you get to read this book and khow that you' re not the only person that past true does kind of problems.I would recomend this book to all the people that like to read real story's that are related to them . I would like to read other books that Walter Dean Myers wrote!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Walter Myers is a troubled African american growing up in Harlem in the 1960's, where mos tof his life is fighting with other boys, the other half is spent reading books and writing poetry. Through he's teenage years and through school being 12 years old and entering high school he notices that he's speech is not up to standards and gets picked on for it. He runs into a litte touble for awhile with his new friend delivers a certain package. Through books and poetry Walter Myers finds out how to be a man, what he wants to be when he gets older, and how blacks play a role in harlem society in the 1960's.
The style of the book BAD BOY by Walter Dean Myers is a very slow paced book for the first couple of chapters, so for people who like to get into a novel and get to know all of the charactors and know what goes on in thier lives you can figure it out very easy. Than it dramaticlly gets very exciting with all of the fighting happens and the characters make mistakes and pay for them. It exploits the mind of the main character and gets into what he really thinks is right and wrong in society today and in the 1960's. You must have to get into these parts to further understand the novel Bad Boy. The beginning of this book is not very exciting nore moving, the book somewhat ends in a mystery which is very clever and unique, it ends and it makes you think about what could have happend to the character and where he/she is now.
I believe in my own mind that this book is very unique in the way that it doesn't give you to much information about the characters but just enough to always keep you on your guard and guessing what happens next. THe book does have some uninteresting parts that slow your reading down and bore you a little bit, but quickly something happens to a character that gets you write back into the book so you cant put it down. The plot was very good and so was the setting of the book, I like how it takes place in a rural area like Harlem. I would deffinitly recommend this novel to any one who think there are tough or anyone who likes poetry and dramatics, and you will get a roud awakinning and not be able to put the book down.

Having written short biographies of Malcolm X and other public figures, Myers recounts his own experience growing up in Harlem in the 1940's-60's. Myers apparently missed the turmoil facing the African-American community in Harlem during the time of Malcolm X. It is a soft spoken voice with which he describes his experiences and conflicts.
The author describes his high school experience in a mostly white school; his athletic ability and love of basketball which helped him be accepted to some degree; and the frustration over the conviction that he was intelligent yet not able to earn the grades he knew he should. He divided all his spare time between playing basketball, reading for pleasure and writing-he would disappear for hours into the worlds his favorite authors created and/or trying to produce poems in the style of the various poets he was reading.
The beauty of this memoir is that Myers not only relates his own experience, his own frustrations, his opportunities and disadvantages, but he describes his growing love for literature, from reading pop romance novels aloud to his mother and sneaking comic books, through Nordic fairytales. Later he was introduced to higher quality literature by teachers who took an interest in him; they introduced him to Camus and de Balzac and Shakespeare, and a wide variety of other authors. Myers eventually became aware of the legacy of Langston Hughes and James Baldwin and other black writers, although he did not know about them until much later.
Myers' story should inspire young adults of teenage to pursue their interests, even if their friends do not understand them.
Hearing Myers' experiences related on audio brings them alive.
Actor Joe Morton (who also read an excellent version of Monster on tape) gives the teenage Walter Dean Myers a voice.

Bad Boy is a motivating memoir in many ways. wriiten by Walter Dean myers, this book has positive values and an interesting story. i really loved it because the book had situations which i could relate to easily. for instance "Walter, go directly to the principals office!" go to the principals office was a very familuar statement to me when i was young.

young walter roams the neighbhoods of Harlem of New York. in the 1950's and 60's as a curious and intellegent young boy. the book has multiple settings but a good portion is in Brooklyn and the other parts in New York.

walter himself is the obvious main character. as a child he was adventurous but very prone to peer pressure at school. At home he loved to read. as he grew up throughout the book he gaines maturity and intellegence along with some responsibility as any growing person does. As we all know walter dean myers, being an African American auther, has dark skin. He also has dark brown eyes and is around six feet tall.

Bad boy, by Walter Dean Myers, was an enjoyable book to read. It teaches the reader a great lesson on how you should proceed trying to reach your goals no matter what the world thinks of you. Walter as a young boy grew up in the streets of Harlem were he played ball and was attached to his church. But as he started to grow up he realized his passion for writing. He was a student at Stuyvesant high where his years were troublesome. Although he had a speech disability that interfered with his reading it didn't affect him as a writer. Yet he still strived to complete his best. He did so by reading the work of other great writers like Anatole France, Thomas Mann and Balzac and comparing their work to his. But his passion for books soon lead him to the mistake of dropping school several times so he could read all day. Since Walter grew up in poverty he wouldn't have a chance to attend a college. So with that on his shoulders he realizes he will probably end up with a job like his fathers. The fact that Walter didn't socialize as much as others the streets lead him to hazarders encounters with gang members. In conclusion to the book Walter finally lives outs his dream becoming a writer of children books. Therefore achieving his goal of becoming a well respected author in which his writing touches the hearts of millions.

This book is great I think everyone should read this book

because it shows how Walter lived his own life when he was a child . Also this shows that walter was a great writer.

I will recomend this book to all the children the book that you wrote and showing them how it is to be a bad boy and how it is dangerous to almost getting shot with a friend that sells drugs!!!

Bad Boys by Walter Dean Myers would receive 4 stars for reality, suspense, flare, and an on the edge of your seat story line.
Bad Boys is about a young boy named Walter whose life really only revolves around his family, school, friends, and his secret love of literature. Walter has a big problem with getting into mischief. He is always sitting in the corner or having his mother?s request to come in. But, his biggest problem is that when he gets home his mother is never happy with him, and her being an abusive alcoholic sometimes she would get rough with Walter.
Walter is an exceptionally bright student but with one problem, he has a speaking impairment. This impairment cannot be detected by Walter, but to everyone else it is a large distraction. Despite his speaking, Walter gets excepted to a higher grade and excepts the request. Through his new grade Walter learns the difference between being white and being black. Although Walter is black, he never knew that, that was looked at as a bad thing to most whites. Besides Walter being taunted about being black, he would also be taunted if everyone knew he loved literature and poetry.
At Walter?s new school, he begins to slowly grow up. He begins to skip school sporadically and begins to hang around a new friend. He slowly is persuaded by his family to change his ways.

I just finished reading Olivia Goldsmith's "Bad Boy" tonight. I finished it with a great big sigh of "ah, how sweet!!!". But from start to finish, I was rolling with laughter.
This novel is about a woman who has a somewhat-nerdy-Mr. Nice Guy best friend. He turns to her for help with his outward appearance-love life turmoil. She assists, coaches, and changes him but it backfires. It turns her computer-logo wearing, bicycle riding, workaholic best bud into a killer ladies' man that can seduce any woman with a smoldering "James Dean" leer. Eventually, after his successful makeover (and a number of women), Tracie (the main character), realizes how much she loves him. But..the plot thickens when she wonders if it might be too late.
I don't want to give away the ending but I recommend this book to anyone who has ever wanted to change their looks, be attractive to the opposite sex, had a best friend, or has ever fallen in love. This is a fabulous book but it's to be expected from such a great writer as Olivia Goldsmith.
Read this book but be sure to go back and read "First Wives Club", "Flavor Of the Month" and the entire collection of Goldsmith novels.

I loved this one from Olivia Goldsmith- she takes a break from her ensemble novels and focuses one one main relationship. The novel focuses on Tracie Higgins, who sets out to make over her best friend because he has no luck with women. Tracie ends up falling for him, and the journey from friends to couple is rocky and amusing! The characters are great and likeable, and the writing smart and funny. Highly recommended for fans of romances!

Walter Dean Myers describes his early life and how he came to be a writer. Not an easy path, but one that I am glad he has shared. This book is pretty scary in some parts because with just a little variation of events in his life, he might not have made it out alive. Being poor, and Black, would have dictated a narrow and limited life for him if he had not found books; though then, as now, he had to be careful not to set himself apart too widely from the people around him. This memoir is recommended to mature readers or would-be writers, age 10 to 100.

The book about Walter Dean Myers is great bacause he Shares the problems and feelings that he has with his family. I Recommend this book because he also helps to understand what to do or not do and if it is right to do it.He also gives you ideas to see to not care about being a black person. It is a nice book to read.

The book about Walter Dean Myers is great bacause he Shares the problems and feelings that he has with his family. I Recommend this book because he also helps to understand what to do or not do and if it is right to do it.He also gives you ideas to see to not care about being a black person. It is a nice book to read.

I recomend this book to all the people that love to read great books! This is a great book it talks about Walter lives from his childhood to hisadulthood memories. I RECOMEND THIS GREAT BOOK TO EVERYONE !!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT A LOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I recomend this book to all the people that love to read great books! This is a great book it talks about Walter lives from his childhood to hisadulthood memories. I RECOMEND THIS GREAT BOOK TO EVERYONE !!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT A LOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the first book by Olivia Goldsmith that I have read and really loved it!! I loved to see how the characters interacted and the fun Tracie had in trying to transform her friend Jon into "Jonny". It showed how people can be manipulative, funny, and go for what they want. By the end, there is a joyous revelation of sorts! It is a fun read and most of you reviewers seem to have missed the point of the book! Too Bad=)

I was thrilled to see a new Olivia Goldmsmith book... I snapped it up immediately, and began to read it. Having loved everything she'd ever written, I knew that I was in for a treat.
Or was I?
I was stunningly dissapointed with this novel. It contained none of the elements that make Olivia such a fun read. For example, the characters were one dimensional, at best. Tracie was a poor knock-off of Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones, but with out the humor or pithy insight. Ordinarily, Olivia Goldsmith develops her protagonist so well that you are empathetic, no matter how imperfect the character is. Compare Tracie with Sig in "Marrying Mom" and you'll see the disparity in developement. In the case of Bad Boys, I simply didn't CARE what happened to anyone.
Usually Olivia is fabulous at tying up the minute details. Her books generally leave no loose ends. But there were scads of loose ends in this book. What was the deal with the waitress? She seemed to be the only one with an interesting story. And what happened to her friend Laura? Was she ever going to get together with Phil? And what was the impetus for Phil's change? What happens to Jon's dad? And how did her mom die, and will she ever find closure?
As well, where were the surprising plot twists? And why no antagonist in this novel? Half the fun of the Olivia Goldsmith novels is watching justice being dispensed to the wicked. WAnd where were the wicked??
My advice? Stay away from this book. It never fulfills its promising premise. Do yourself a favor and re-read the First Wives' Club.

This book is a great book to read because Walter writes

good books to read.This shows that Walter is not embarrased of himself about telling his life to other people

who read his books.

I will recommend this book to teachers and students around the world!!!

This book is a great book to read because Walter writes

good books to read.This shows that Walter is not embarrased of himself about telling his life to other people

who read his books.

I will recommend this book to teachers and students around the world!!!

I really recommend this book to all teenagers because it talks about having problems with our parents. It is also about beggining puberty and getting interested on boys or girls. The book connects to our lives in one way or another. The book is one of the best books I had read.

I didn't find much "bad" about Olivia Goldsmith's character, Jon. I found him rather annoying. All he did was whine. "Tracie WHY don't the girls like me. Why why why." Because you are an annoying character that should have never been written, that is why. I wanted to smack him across the head. Seriously, I am most relieved that the initial hype this book has generated has worn off, and most readers are now starting to see that this is a book that indeed was hacked out rather quickly to make a bit more money off the success of Goldsmith's previous work. It is not a good piece of fiction. And as for the comparisons to Bird's "The Boyfriend School," indeed they are justified. Goldsmith has taken a fine piece of humorous fiction, and changed a few minor details (enough to destroy the heart of TBS), and called it her own. The main characters have the same occupations, Tracie/Gretchen both work as newspaper feature writers, they both have boyfriends that are in the music business, and from beginning to end the similarities would take a book to list. And the book is called "The Boyfriend School." I guess it is legal in literary circles, but it doesn't seem quite ethical. As has been said about "Bad Boy," and quite succinctly, save your money. If you want a funny read, find "The Boyfriend School." It is out of print, but will be WELL worth the effort to locate it.

This book is excellent you should read this book because it shows about Walter's life when he was a child. Also this shows that he was a great person.

I will recommend this book to every student and teacher!!!

I had never read anything by this author before, but I read a decent review of this book and decided to give it a try. I didn't expect it to be great literature, and of the five books or so that I read a month, I usually enjoy one or two that I label as "mind candy." I knew that this book would fall into that category, but I didn't expect the writing to be on a fifth-grade reading level! Boring, completely predictable, and terrible, elementary dialogue. I could see the ending coming from the first chapter. Save your money, folks.

If I had not known that Olivia Goldsmith had written "Bad Boy" I would have thought it was a first time novel from a novice writer. I really have enjoyed her previous novels, but this one left me puzzled. It was missing something important---heart. That spark that makes us really care about her characters. I didn't care about Tracey. I didn't care about Jon. They both seemed rather insipid, and if they were actually friends of mine, I would dump them in a heartbeat. The only remotely interesting character in the entire book was a formulaic waitress that recurred throughout the book, and frankly, I can't even remember her name, so she wasn't all that remarkable. After the first two chapters, things really got slow. I think naptime at the nursing home would be more lively. There was just no life in this book. And quite frankly, I don't know how the author ever thought she knew anything about the great state of Washington, but she doesn't have a clue! Here's hoping that Goldsmith's next book makes up for this clunker.

This book was a huge disappointment. After having read the blurb on the back cover, I was intrigued. The premise was a creative take on an old story, and I was really hoping that Goldsmith could pull it off. However, 4/5ths of the way through the book, I still hated the heroine. Tracie is just TOO clueless for words, and most of the time, I just want to slap her upside the head for being so mean and thoughtless. She has NO redeeming features. Phil is an absolute idiot until Tracie's friend Laura begins helping him change to win Tracie back... but by the time he becomes exactly what she wanted him to be, she's decided she's in love with Jon, who really deserves a nice girl like Laura, not some thoughtless twit like Tracie. The chemistry in this book is all wrong, the heroine is an idiotic airhead, and it's just entirely inconceivable as even remotely realistic.

I generally read romance novels for quick, easy reading, but I've hated this one from beginning to end, and I don't think that the main couple should have ended up together. It's really letting Tracie off too lightly for her moronic behavior. Sorry, this one only gets a 2/10.

Olivia Goldsmith's books usually have me intrigued from the first page. I read the first chapter and kept thinking "something's wrong". I read the second chapter and decided that someone else is writing for Olivia. I'm not looking forward to reading the third chapter. As of this moment, I doubt very much that I will continue with this farce. Ms. Goldsmith should be ashamed that this book was published under her name. Perhaps, it would have been better received by the reading public if she had used a pseudonym.

Walter has a speech impairment and is not able to talk properly without messing up. In his life, he tries so hard to fit in. His classmates make fun of him becuase he is unlike the other students. During his lifetime, he goes through many struggles but is able to go on with his life.

Finally folks are getting the courage to say what I haven't had the guts to say! Why is it that bad books are published just because the author has had a previous success? Bad Boy is a perfect example where I feel my money was taken by a publishing house under false pretenses. It is time for publishers to JUST SAY NO to bad books! Bad Boy really is a BAD BOOK! I have been steaming for months over this very issue and this very book, and hope Goldsmith's editor and publisher stand up and take notice. Bad Boy isn't worth the paper it was written on, and it is clear that not much thought was put into the outline, completion and editing of the manuscript. As a serious and copious reader, I think I deserve better. Read Goldsmith's other books, they are pretty darned good. This one really is a stinker.

I usually like Olivia Goldsmith's books, but this book was not even comparable to 'First Wives Club' or some of her other books. It was horrible! The plot was silly, the characters just plain stupid, and very predictable. Don't waste your money.

This book was horrible! The main character is self absorbed and one dimensional. Her nerdy best friend is in love with her, for reasons that are unknown to me, because she treats him like...and takes him for granted. She doesn't seem to mind that her "boyfriend" Phil uses her and is interested in other girls.
The editing was horrible, just like the plot line. Just because Tracie and her friends are stupid enough to stay with "bad boys" doesn't mean every other girl in the world is. And it does seem kind of shallow of Tracie to realize she was in love with her friend Jon after she made him look hot. GOD THIS BOOK ANNOYED ME. I only finished because I have a pact with myself to finish any book I pick up and begin to read. Oh and the only reason I bought it was because it was 75% off.God it was definitley a waste of...I would not wish this book upon anyone.
If you still want to read it, even after I warned you about it, you are in for lots of boredom and pain.

This was the first book I read by Olivia Goldsmith. I was in love with it from the first page to the last. It is a perfect book for a rainy day or at the beach relaxing. The book had everything to make you smile. When I finished the book I couldnt wait to get more of her books. Right now Im reading Pen Pals. Its quite interesting I recommend it to anyone who loves novels about hardships, and getting through tough times. I have to agree with Nelson DeMille Bad Boy is "Olivia Goldsmith at her best- funny, sexy, hip, and very clever."

This was the first book I read by Olivia Goldsmith. I was in love with it from the first page to the last. It is a perfect book for a rainy day or at the beach relaxing. The book had everything to make you smile. When I finished the book I couldnt wait to get more of her books. Right now Im reading Pen Pals. Its quite interesting I recommend it to anyone who loves novels about hardships, and getting through tough times. I have to agree with Nelson DeMille Bad Boy is "Olivia Goldsmith at her best- funny, sexy, hip, and very clever."

Awful! Awful! Awful! The girl lead in this book (Tracie) is a self-centered, shallow, egomaniacal b...h. She treated the male lead (Jon) like trash, turning him into something she thought was the ideal man. For someone like her, maybe he was. I agree that this book is predictable, but I kept reading hoping for Tracie to get some comeuppance, but of course in the end, Jon turned out to be as big an idiot as she turned him into and lowered himself to take her back. I don't care how long you have been in love with someone, if it took them completely changing you to find out they loved you, they never loved the REAL you to begin with and I thought the character of Jon started out that smart, but in the end the author turned him into nothing more than a horny, desperate man that would settle for someone that wanted to change him. Don't waste your money or even bother to check this out of the library!

Kind of slow reading, with conversational gems few and far between. Not up to Goldsmith's normally witty style--seems kind of tired, and plods along at times like an old horse at the end of a hard work day. Needed major editing. I would not recommend purchasing this book, perhaps borrow from a friend or library, but not worth adding to your own collection. I would not recommend. Read only if extremely bored, or while snoozing at the beach.

I was looking forward to a wickedly fun read, and was very very disappointed. This was a rather dull and rather long drawn out affair, which seemed hastily written and full of characters with pointless lives, and who exist in the book for pointless reasons. The cover is nice, but as has been said, you can't judge a book by it's cover. Olivia Goldsmith can write, and can write very well, but took a dive on this one.

Bad Boy, Bad Book. I heard in my library discussion group it was taken from an earlier book by another author, and I read the Boyfriend School, and boy oh boy it is lifted right from it. Geez! Is this legal? Bad Bad Author. Don't spend your money on a bad boring book which the author cannot even come up with her own ideas. If she was caught shoplifting this book, she would be in jail for ten years. Can books be given a negative star rating? -10.

Based on the wonderful early publicity on Bad Boy, I eagerly picked up my copy. What a horrible shock! I am pleased to see some more realistic reviews coming out. Bad Boy really truly is a bad copy of Sara Bird's "The Boyfriend School!" There is so much that is wrong with Bad Boy, I can honestly say the only thing I liked was the cover design.