TLC Book Tour: Early Decision by Lacy Crawford
Welcome to the TLC Book Tour stop for Early Decision by Lacy Crawford!
Early Decision tells the story of an independent college counselor, Anne, as she advises her group of students through the most difficult time of year for college admissions, and also the most difficult period of her life so far. Not only does she have to help her wealthy students and their entitled parents navigate the obstacle course of college application season, she also has to deal with her flaky actor boyfriend, her dissatisfied parents, and her own decisions about her future. Anne's students are vibrant characters: Sadie, the daughter of a guru and a high-powered lawyer, Hunter, the good-natured, but mediocre-student suburban son, and William, the son of a staunch conservative set on preventing him from living his dream of studying theater at Vassar.
There was a lot about Anne that I could relate to, since I also work with students learning to express themselves in writing. I found Crawford's portrayal of the world of academia to be incredibly bleak in places, but the heart of the book is really in the obvious care that Anne (and I assume, by proxy, Crawford) has for young people. And young people, no matter their background, who are just learning to find their voice and their place in the world, are an exciting bunch. I felt, as a reader of this book, invested in the future of each of the characters. I was exhausted and angered by the way the adults in these young people's lives, including Anne's, try to control their paths and live their lives for them. Reading the interview at the end of the book with the author, I realized just how sharp and articulate Lacy Crawford is, and how insightful she is about the often difficult world of college admissions. Although I wasn't sure about the book at the beginning, thinking it may be overly sensationalist and unconscious of the privilege inherent in the world it presents, by the end I was won over and ripping through the final pages. This a fun read, but one with both head and heart.
Publisher: William Morrow
Date: 2013
Genre:General Fiction
294 pages.
Where I got it: From the publisher and TLC Book Tours
 |
| Click on the image to purchase the book from my Powell's partner account |
There was a lot about Anne that I could relate to, since I also work with students learning to express themselves in writing. I found Crawford's portrayal of the world of academia to be incredibly bleak in places, but the heart of the book is really in the obvious care that Anne (and I assume, by proxy, Crawford) has for young people. And young people, no matter their background, who are just learning to find their voice and their place in the world, are an exciting bunch. I felt, as a reader of this book, invested in the future of each of the characters. I was exhausted and angered by the way the adults in these young people's lives, including Anne's, try to control their paths and live their lives for them. Reading the interview at the end of the book with the author, I realized just how sharp and articulate Lacy Crawford is, and how insightful she is about the often difficult world of college admissions. Although I wasn't sure about the book at the beginning, thinking it may be overly sensationalist and unconscious of the privilege inherent in the world it presents, by the end I was won over and ripping through the final pages. This a fun read, but one with both head and heart.
Title:Early Decision
Author: Lacy CrawfordPublisher: William Morrow
Date: 2013
Genre:General Fiction
294 pages.
Where I got it: From the publisher and TLC Book Tours
I love when author interviews enhance a book like that. I'm glad that you found so much to appreciate in this one!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being a part of the tour. I'm featuring your review on TLC's Facebook page today.
Thanks, Heather!
ReplyDelete