Suitabook

My life as a myth

Huston Piner

Reading: If the topics feel close to home, agree to pause and talk as you read; you could also discuss how Nick's family is affected by the war without assuming the story's resolution.
Themes: Identity and public image: Jesse promises Nick a new image, and Nick later faces expectations attached to his public reputation. The overview presents a tension between Nick's own wishes and an image created by someone else, but does not establish the story's judgement of that change.
Nick and Bobby: Nick wants to explore his attraction to Bobby, and their developing romance is set against possible social prejudice. The relationship is a central strand, but the overview's question about whether their love survives does not establish the answer or the book's broader stance.
Depression and family impact: Nick experiences bouts of depression, while the Vietnam War continues to affect his family. These are stated elements of Nick's circumstances; the overview does not explain their causes, detail or resolution.
Worth knowing: The story includes bouts of depression, prejudice, family effects of the Vietnam War, dangerous school events, underage drinking and pot smoking, and psychedelic explorations.