Chris Crutcher is a literary icon in the field of young adult
literature. With his first book, Running Loose published in 1983,
Crutcher established a reputation for giving young adults a voice in
realistic fiction. Since then, Crutcher has written a number of books
with spot-on depictions of young adults growing through hard times,
including Ironman, Whale Talk, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, and Stotan!
In Chris Crutcher: A Stotan for Young Adults, Bryan Gillis and Pam B.
Cole examine the life, career, and works of this young adult advocate.
This volume opens with a never-before-published comprehensive portrait
of the author's life, gleaned from numerous conversations with Crutcher.
The authors explore Crutcher's childhood, his adolescent years, his life
as an adult, and his career as a family counselor and examine how those
experiences became fodder for his stories. The authors also discuss
Crutcher's encounters with censorship and his philosophical stance.
Gillis and Cole also analyze Crutcher's novels, short stories, and
novellas, examining his literary craft and such social themes as
bigotry, identity, sexuality, relationships, and loss-themes almost
always positioned within a sports story. The most comprehensive study of
Crutcher's life and work to date, this book benefits tremendously from
the cooperation of Crutcher himself. Generally reserved about private
matters, Crutcher talks candidly about his life and how his experiences
helped shape his character and his stories. His cooperative spirit gives
voice to a book that will appeal not only to teachers and librarians but
to students who have been enthralled by the works of this generous
writer.
