Off the Shelf 0607-18

Looking for Alaska
By John Green
© 2005

If you have ever wondered what it might be like to go away to high school, then you should read Miles Halter’s story. Miles leaves his safe but boring life in Florida to attend his father’s Alma mater in Alabama. He is looking for the “Great Perhaps”, a phrase that he learned in his quest to know the last words of famous people.

What Miles finds when he arrives in his new life is not what he necessarily expected but much of what he had hoped for. He develops an almost immediate friendship with his roommate, “Colonel” Chip Martin who anoints him with the nickname “Pudge” on day one. The Colonel takes Pudge under his wing and introduces him to his group of friends and to all the nuances of the school and its surroundings. Most importantly, Pudge is introduced to Alaska Young, the girl down the hall, and in Pudge’s mind, quite possibly, the “Great Perhaps”.

Pudge tells his story in two parts - before and after. He winds his way through junior year in his new surroundings with his new friends and experiences, leaving the reader to wonder what the main event might be. Before and after what?

Once revealed, the reader learns, with Pudge, that the “Great Perhaps”, although exciting and exhilarating is not always satisfying and sometimes even disturbing. Pudge finds that looking for Alaska is more difficult than he ever thought it would be.

My recommendation: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Submitted by J. Lewis, Financial Aid Facilitator