The book was cheaper to buy from Amazon and ship to Australia rahter than paying the exhorbitant prices for books that we pay for here in Australia. This is a school text book and it was a great deal from a great vendor with a great price and service.
Thanks again.

I bought this book for my 11 year old daughter. I read it when I was a kid and absolutely loved it. My daughter loves to read and at first, didn't know if she would like this book. Once she started, she couldn't put it down. She loved it too. We then had to buy the movie!

I first read this book in junior high for an English class of all classes. At this period of my life, I was going through a lot of teenage angst and emotions. When I started to read this book, it profoundly effected my life. The main character, Ponyboy Curtis represented how I felt when I was in junior high. I could empathize with the emotional turmoil that character was going through. I loved this book and till this day, love it. I highly recommend this book not only because it is thoroughly enjoyable, it also dealt with the emotions that teenagers go through whether they are a greaser or a social.

I read THE OUTSIDERS for the first time when I was a teen myself, just a little bit younger than Ponyboy and Johnny. This book had a huge impact on me at that age. I fell so deeply in love with Hinton's simple, vivid writing style. Never had teenagers like me felt so real and present on the page. I couldn't stop telling my mom about it and how good it was and why. I'm sure she still remembers those nights. It is an oft-challenged book, unfortunately, and thinking about it now, I would have been devastated if someone had told me I couldn't read it or had come and taken it out of my library. I can't imagine not having read it then and I have read it so many times since. It's truly a classic and deserves the praise it's gotten over the years.

Ponyboy Curtis is a Greaser. He lives on the wrong side of town. He acts tough, dresses tough, and lets his hair grow long to look tough. He lives with his two older brothers, Darry and Sodapop, and they barely make ends meet. Darry and Soda work hard to support themselves and let Ponyboy stay in school so that at least one person in the family can graduate high school. Pony's best friend is a sad boy named Johnny Cade who's been beaten around one too many times and spends a lot of time looking over his shoulder, anticipating the next blow. The only family these boys have are each other. Pony, his brothers, and their motley group of Greaser friends watch each other's backs and defend each other when necessary. Particularly when the Socs (rich kids from the other side of town) come looking for trouble. Dangerous Dally, funny Two-bit, somber Steve. Through Ponyboy's eyes we catch a brief, eloquent glimpse into the life of a group of teenagers the world seems to have forgotten, who take life's knocks on the chin and somehow keep going.

I picked a small, worn copy of THE OUTSIDERS up off the shelf of a tiny used bookstore in Texas and took it home with me because I felt like the kids on the cover might be worth knowing. How right I was. This story of small-town prejudice and class warfare set in the 1960s has never really aged. The first time I cracked it open I was immediately enchanted by the magical language these kids seemed to speak, a language full of "greasers" and "Socs," "savvys" and "tuffs." I couldn't tear my eyes away. It is a coming of age story and a commentary on the dangers of going through life with blinders on, of judging people who are different from you before you know them. Of not wanting or caring to know them. Every character in this story is backed up against the wall, struggling to survive, and I cried more than once at the injustice of it all. And yet, when you come to the end, you feel the indomitableness of hope, the possibility of change, and the beauty of the human spirit. THE OUTSIDERS has been challenged several times on the grounds that it includes rough language, violence, references to cigarettes, alcohol, and for depicting broken families. And we would never want young adults to know that such things exist or, heaven forbid, that they may encounter them in their own lives. *eye roll* I get so angry when I hear hogwash like that. Never mind that it's beautiful, and real, and good. That it will teach its readers about how to treat their fellow human beings, how hatred and fear do nothing but destroy, and how the sunset looks the same no matter which side of the tracks you're from. That's the kind of book I want to read. That's the kind of book I want my children to read. And no one is allowed to tell me no.

My daughter had to read this for her summer reading list. She absolutely loved it and was trhough it in no time.

When I read this book in the early 1990s it was the coolest book on the Year 9 high school reading list. I really enjoyed reading this novel, and how about the amazing cast for the film, imagine trying to get all of them in one film now! Full credit to Susan Hinton, she was published in her late teens, and she inspired me to write.

This book arrived in Italy as a gift quickly and in good condition. Thanks!

The story was written more than 40 years ago. The author was but 16 years old at the time. But this story is still the quintessential adolescent coming-of-age novel, a story that essentially introduced the genre as we know it today.

And it still holds its place at the top of the genre. A worthy read for adolescents and those parents that might need a refresher on the workings of the adolescent mind - maybe a quick view back into their perspective on the world. (Although the parents of today's adolescent generation probably read this book when they were adolescents.)

Anyone who hasn't read this book has missed out on a classic, and those who have read it would do well to reacquaint themselves. Quick read and worth the time.

After all these years of loving the movie, I finally decided to buy the book! What years I've wasted..

From page one I got lost in S.E. Hinton's world of greasers and socs and how despite all the years that have passed and with the evolution of technology and science, this novel still applies to kids today. The names and name-calling may be different but the struggle has remained the same. The Outsiders truly is a classic in American literature. This isn't just recommended reading for schools, but for everyone. That's what a classic means - timeless and ageless. Enjoy!!

In the novel The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton provides the reader with a warm, realistic and captivating view into the world of a young adolescent boy named Ponyboy Curtis. Ponyboy is forced to meet the normal struggles of a fourteen year old young man while in a disadvantaged situation. Ponyboy's parents' recent death in a car accident leaves him to be raised by his two older brothers, twenty year old Darry and sixteen year old Soda Pop. The older brothers work and maintain a home while Ponyboy attends high school. All of the brothers belong to a gang of friends nicknamed the "Greasers". The Greasers are considered the lower class members of their community. United with four other close "Greaser" friends, the brothers must navigate the ups and downs of everyday life while also encountering opposition from their rivals, the Socialites or "Socs". The continual tension between the Greasers and the Socs culminates in a violent situation that changes the lives of the boys drastically.

S.E. Hinton skillfully guides the reader through the story from the perspective of Pony Boy. Hinton's use of a conversational tone and casual language makes one feel as if they are walking with Ponyboy through each and every encounter. His experiences include everything from a temporal trip to the drive - in movie, to the intensity of a street fight or "rumble" in the park with the opposing street gang. Hinton's descriptive narrative enables the reader to not only picture the story as it unfolds, but it also allows the reader to endure the emotion of the characters. Ponyboy reveals his innermost thoughts regarding his feelings about his friends, his brothers and his status in society. He also divulges his thoughts about girls, revealing his affection for the beautiful Socialite Cherry Valance. Cherry is a young lady with whom Ponyboy has a chance encounter. This situation gives Ponyboy the opportunity to see the Soc's in a different light, thus allowing him to gaze upon the reality that everyone shares the same basic joys and struggles despite their socioeconomic background.

While S. E. Hinton's , The Outsider's is an excellent engaging novel a few negative aspects of the book need mention. The story includes description of the young men drinking alcohol, smoking and committing acts of violence and other crimes. Hinton's descriptions of these activities are necessary to the storyline. However, it would need to be reinforced with the young reader that while the illegal and otherwise negative activities described appear intriguing, they are still inappropriate ways to cope with the struggles of day to day life at any age. In addition, Hinton's use of slang, while skillful, may prove confusing for today's reader. The reader would best approach this book with some knowledge of the slang and colloquialisms of the era described (1950's). Overall, The Outsider's is an excellent read and is highly recommended.

Shipping took longer than I expected but the book condition was as I expected for a new book

The novel, The Outsiders, written by S.E. Hinton was a very intriguing book. This novel shows the differences of two gangs, the Socs and the Greasers. It is also a story about three brothers who lost their parents in a car accident. All the characters in this book will have to go through very interesting challenges and obstacles in this book.

The main character in this book is Ponyboy Curtis. Ponyboy is the younger brother of Sodapop and Darry. Sodapop is the middle sibling of the Curtis family. When Ponyboy's parents died, Darry, the older sibling, takes care of Ponyboy and Sodapop. Ponyboy is very academic and is a star on the school track team. Ever since Ponyboy's parents have died in a car crash, he became very rebellious to Darry. Ponyboy and Darry fight very often. Throughout the novel Ponyboy will realize that Darry is not that bad as a parent figure and he will learn to live with him. Sodapop is a high school dropout and is the happy-go-lucky sibling of the family. Every character in the book shows great respect for Sodapop because most of the time, he kids around but when he is serious, people listen to him and take his advice. Sodapop always listens to problems that Ponyboy is having. He also makes sure that Darry is not too hard on Ponyboy. Throughout the novel Sodapop became more serious and did not kid around as much. Darry had to drop out of school and work two jobs ever since his parents died so he can take care of Pony and Soda. Darry gave up his dream of attending college so he can be the father of the family. At first, Darry was not a good parent because he was letting Pony and Soda eat chocolate cake for dinner and stay out for as long as they wanted but later on in the novel, Darry will learn how to become a caring parent. When Ponyboy is sick, Darry will bring him soup and sleep with him to make sure he is okay. Ponyboy's best friend is Johnny and Johnny is part of the Greasers. Johnny's parents do not care for him as much as Darry cares for Sodapop and Ponyboy. Johnny really did not know much about the world until he read the book Gone With the Wind. Johnny started realizing the good parts of life through nature. Dally is probably the most troubled Greasers of them all. Dally does not care for anything but he does feel guilty for other people's mistakes. Two-Bit is also part of the Greasers and he is the joker of the group.

The chapters of The Outsiders were broken down very well. I would say that the turning point of the novel happened in chapter 4. In chapter 4, the Socs were drowning Ponyboy in a fountain but Johnny did something extreme to help save Ponyboy's life. In another chapter, Ponyboy and Johnny saved a bunch of kids from a burning church. This really showed how brave and caring Ponyboy and Johnny really are. Even though Johnny was brutally injured in the fire, he said it was all worth it saving those kids. When Johnny was recovering from his injury, all the Greasers went to his hospital room and made sure that Johnny had every thing he wanted. In another chapter, the Greasers and the Socs wanted to settle everything for the last time with a big rumble. This was a very exciting part of the book because it finally solved all the problems between the Socs and the Greasers. At the end of the book, the Curtis family realized that when times are tough, that they should stick together.

A major theme in this novel is loyalty. Johnny showed how loyal he was by saving Ponyboy when he was drowning in fountain. Another example of loyalty is when the Greasers helped Johnny recover from his injury by getting him anything he wanted. Another theme in this novel is leadership. Johnny showed a great deal of leadership when he saved the kids from the burning church. Darry is also a leader because he helps take care of Ponyboy and Sodapop. The last theme in this novel is the separation of social classes between the Greasers and the Socs. The Greasers are the lower class and the gang that lives on the east side. The Socs are the higher class that lives on the west side of town. Throughout the novel, you will learn that even though the Socs and the Greasers look like two completely different gangs but the main character Ponyboy will learn that everyone has problems and people are not always different on the inside.

The Outsiders really shows the importance of friendship and how friends are always there for you. I liked everything in this book except that there are too many characters in this book to remember. I would still recommend this book and I think it is a must-read.