Originally posted in 2009, David Carr did a favor for a mutual friend by answering questions for IndieReader’s then semi-regular column, “The Book that Changed My Life”. The IR website was just a few months old at the time and all he knew of me was that I was a fellow Montclarian and a friend of his friend, but he didn’t hesitate to respond.
We’ve re-posted here in tribute to David and our sincere condolences go out to his family and friends.
1. What is the name of the book?
The Outsiders, by SE Hinton
2. How old were you when you read it?
I read it right when it came out, so that would make me about 11.
3. What character did you most identify with?
Ponyboy, natch.
4. What was your favorite part?
When Ponyboy recites the Robert Frost poem to Johnny. they may have been greasers, but they were very literary ones.
5. Did you read it more than once?
I read it over and over that whole summer.
6. Why/How did it affect you?
I became a suburban hood.
7. Did you pass it on to anyone?
My hoodrat friends.
8. If you could change places with a character of fiction for one day, who would it be?
Chauncy Gardiner from “Being There”
9. What are you reading now?
Reading Cheerful Money by Tad Friend. I grew up about as far as you can from wasp culture so this deconstruction of one wasp family reads like very vivid and wonderful anthropology. And Tad Friend is a brutally funny, graceful writer.
Thanks David.