My Life as a Body by Norma Klein: This is one of the few books I read as a young teenager that actually holds up to adult scrutiny. It was a Christmas gift from my mother that I didn’t read right away lest I give her the impression that I liked it. The main character, Augie, is the shy, cerebral and artistic daughter of two Manhattan intellectuals. A senior in high school, Augie’s most consuming issue is her virginity. She reluctantly begins tutoring Sam, a wheelchair-bound California transfer whose physical limitations are overshadowed by his brain damage. When Sam’s mental fog lifts, he and Augie begin a sexual relationship. The book follows Sam and Augie through their initial awkward stages, and their struggle to remain connected once Augie begins her first year at Rhode Island School of Design. Zillions of books later, Klein’s perspective remains unique. Augie is neither dreamy nor romantic and the physical details of her sexual relationships are delivered with a bluntness that borders on detachment.
– Guest post by Sandra
