Has anyone read this book? It's the supposed true story of a teenager, although I think it's true, but was heavily edited. I've heard rumours it was could have been Diane Linkletter, but again, just a rumour (from the IMDB), but it's the only lead I've ever heard up to this point. I'm really curious to know WHO Alice really was.

Asking if anyone has read Go Ask Alice is a bit like asking if anyones read The Bell Jar. But anyway. Beatrice Sparks, the 'editor' and owner of the copyright is probably the author.

In an October 1979 interview with Aileen Pace Nilsen for School Library Journal, Sparks claimed that Go Ask Alice had been based on the diary of one of her patients, but that she had added various fictional incidents based on her experiences working with other troubled teens. She said the real "Alice" had not died of a drug overdose, but in a way that could have been either an accident or suicide. She also stated that she could not produce the original diary, because she had destroyed part of it after transcribing it and the rest was locked away in the publisher's vault.

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i like when alice and her friend to come home to find their respective boyfriends fagging out on each other.

I know it kind of is made up, but it just seems so real, the emtions and feelings associated with it, just feel real. I can't explain it. It's very weird that Diane Linkletter died October 4, and 'Alice' stopped writing Septemeber 21, it says in the epoligue that Alice died 3 weeks after her decision to not keep a diary. How strange is that?

Are you a fucking moron? You must be. I can't even address the multitude of ways. JESUS.

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No, I just have hope and am optimistic. I mean I like to think that it's real, I've the book over and over since I was 12, I don't want to readily admit it's a fake, unless all avenues are explored.

I found Beatrice Sparks address and phone number. PM me if you would like it. She's 91 and still living in UT. I'm thinking about calling her, but I'm afraid that she'll fall or something on the way to the phone, I know that's an awful though, but if what people say are true, she'd deserve it. Actually, I do rememeber her book 'Voices' in 1973, called homosexuality a problem...the CUNT!

You're all a bunch of morons.

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ignorance is no excuse for stupidity

maybe we can have 'Rip...' deal with the shit...

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ignorance is no excuse for stupidity

What shit?

Haha! I remember reading that part and thinking I misunderstood it.

I got that book in 6th grade and the teacher was like "that might be a bit inapporpiate; i'll need your parent's permission". Never finished the book.

I read this when I was about 12 and thought it was amazing. The idea that it wasn't actually real made me so upset when I found out (at 14 or so) because I realised I'd been identifying with a fictional character when I thought I wasn't the ONLY one ever to have felt so messed up....yada yada.

Anyway, it's still worth a read.

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haha I read this when I was about 15 and when I got to the end I was like, fuck off!

It was my favorite book for a good three years (12-14)

It's not really a true journal. An author wrote it....sorry if that ruins anyones whole take on the book.
She was a clever writer though.

hahaha

Did you ever get round to reading "Jay's Journal" by Beatrice Sparks as well? It was supposed to be a diary of a teenager who ended up going to the dark side after dabbling in the occult. Again, it turned out to be a composite sketch, Beatrice Sparks made a living out of doing loads of these "composite sketch/morality tales" - "Go Ask Alice" and "Jay's Journal" were only the tip of the iceberg. I also remember her doing this risible "fact based" tale of a teenage girl who contracted AIDS after her first sexual encounter, which was a thinly veiled morality fable along the lines of "if you have premarital sex you may very well die". Really, Beatrice Sparks was the literary equivalent of Robert Englund.

If she has another novel in her, I'm looking forward to an "erstwhile cub scout discovers emo, wears black and subsequently kills himself after discovering Fall Out Boy" journal.

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*Huggy Ragnarsson Is My Co-Pilot*

"coming up on kittyradio, an erotic thriller featuring Shannon Tweed..."

I always remember the part when alice stops eating because she can't stand the thought of food in her mouth being chewed up and what not. Good times.
Ooh. Did Beatrice Sparks ever write an eating disorder diary? I love those

She does, it's called Kim:Empty Inside.

You guys do have some good points though. I read that Jay's Journal and discovered it was CRAP. But it actually was very roughly based on a, believe it or not, REAL PERSON! Alden Barrett. So, despite how fake and shitty that book is, it was still based upon a real person. Type in to yahoo Alden Barrett Jay's Journal and you'll find some stuff about the kid. He was never into the occult. He was never into satanism. He was just a shy, very smart kid who killed himself.

Actually, in that book the girl was RAPED. She didn't have premarital sex. The book was called It Happened To Nancy, I thought that book was chessey, and unrealistic. She just seemed to fake, but yet again it says in the front it's a 'true story'. The woman is crap for the most part, but I just want to know who 'Alice' really is.

I own the video of the movie. It's one of my most prized possessions. It's all old and worn, but that movie scared the SHIT outta me when I was a little kid, (it was a "Movie of the Week" circa 1971 or so).

William Shatner (plays Alice's dad) and Andy Griffith are in it.