Janice Erlbaum "Girlbomb" Book (2004)
Details: Used paperback book, some bend lines on cover and one of the pages dog-eared to mark a spot, but otherwise little wear and spine is not broken, mild shelf wear to cover on edges
Short Description: “A wry, mesmerizing portrait of being underprivileged, underage, and underdressed in 1980s, New York City, Girlbomb provides an unflinching look at street life, survival sex, female friendships, and first loves.”
Grade: VG (cover) / VG (pages
*Trigger warning(s) for original book preview content below (abuse, drug use)
Full Description: “At fifteen, sick of her unbearable and increasingly dangerous home life, Janice Erlbaum walked out of her family’s Brooklyn apartment and didn’t look back. From her first frightening night at a shelter, Janice knew she was in over her head. She was beaten up, shaken down, and nearly stabbed by a pregnant girl. But it was still better than living at home. As Janice slipped further into street life, she nevertheless attended high school, harbored crushes, and even played the lead in the spring musical. She also roamed the streets, clubs, bars, and parks of New York City with her two best girlfriends, on the prowl for hard drugs and boys on skateboards. Together they scared coke at Danceteria, smoked angel dust in East Village squats, commiserated over their crazy mothers, and slept with one another’s boyfriends on a regular basis.
A wry, mesmerizing portrait of being underprivileged, underage, and underdressed in 1980s New York City, Girlbomb provides an unflinching look at street life, survival sex, female friendships, and first loves.”
Faculty Excerpt: https://www.writingclasses.com/faculty/excerpt/girlbomb
Author: Janice Erlbaum is a longtime columnist for BUST magazine and a volunteer at a shelter for homeless teens. She lives in New York City with her partner, Bill Scurry, and their three cats, and you can find her at www.girlbomb.com
Quotes: “A fast and engrossing read in the spirit of Girl, Interrupted.”—Entertainment Weekly
“Janice Erlbaum has all the stuff that cult icons are made of. Women everywhere will find their Basketball Diaries in Girlbomb.”—Koren Zailckas, author of Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood
“Gripping…. a wry, compelling memoir of what it means to stand up for yourself, especially when no one else will.”—BUST
“How satisfying to watch Erlbaum survive adolescence and produce a smart, engaging book.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Erlbaum’s survival is hard-won, the journey rendered with page-turning intensity.”—New York Post
“Gritty…perversely riveting. You want her to survive.”—The Washington Post Book World