When I heard about Chris Crutcher and his works I thought, "Who would want to read a bunch of books about jockstraps and athlete's foot?"
I was never much of a sports type of guy, and reading novels about sports would surely bore me to death. So upon reading Whale Talk I was skeptical about enjoying the book, but once I dug in I was instantly hooked, and read the whole novel within the course of two hours. Crutcher's novels are more than just about sports, they're about the lives of teenagers who must face the hopes, the dreams, the fears, the adversities, that go along with becoming a teenagers AND then some. The young adults in these novels face more than the everyday teenager norm; they have to face death, sickness, stereotypes, racism, drugs, child abuse, sexual abuse, life-changing injuries, gangs, and the things you here on T.V. but never think it would or could happen to you. These sort of horrific things do happen, and it could happen in you city, in your neighbor hood; it could have happened to the quiet girl in the back of you high school English class or the super slick famous jock who played in every sport, but these sort of taboo matters are usually kept under wraps because it is too hard to talk about for either the victim or for the general public. I believe what Chris Crutcher is trying to do is bring these subjects out into the open, so that young adults can know that these serious matters do happen and that they are reality. But along with these terrible hardships I think that the characters in Crutcher's give hope for all teens out there; when each of his characters are at their lowest point, with some help, and sheer will, spirit, and determination they are able to get back on their feet and face their particular adversity with full force.
Chris Crutcher was born on July, 17, 1946 in Cascade, Idaho, which is small logging town in the mountains of west central Idaho. He is the middle of three children. Although his parents were both readers, Crutcher read only To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee in high school. Crutcher earned a B.A. degree in sociology and psychology from Eastern Washington State College, where he also spent much of his time swimming. He is a distance runner and swimmer; athletics appear throughout his works. Crutcher taught in an alternative school in California, returned to Spokane, Washington, where he worked as a child and family therapist, he is now a full-time writer who works with the Child Protection Team in Spokane. Crutcher has never married and lives alone.
After nine books and nearly twenty
years as a novelist, Chris Crutcher has done more than prove his ability to
tell a strong story. He's earned a reputation for writing fiction with a
factual base --- real-life stories that ring true for readers.
Why is the truth so important to Crutcher? "[Because] I grew up with a lot
of really well-meaning people telling me a lot of lies that felt good at the
time," Crutcher says, "but they ended up coming back to bite me in
the ass. Too often, the adults in your life don't tell you the truth --- they
don't tell you what the world is really like. So a lot of what I do when I
write is describe the world as I see it, rather than how I might like it to
be."
With twelve years as an educator and nearly two decades as a licensed therapist
and child protection advocate under his belt, Crutcher's take on the truth can
be unyielding and controversial. He has witnessed brutality --- abandonment,
incest, torture, rape, suicide, murder --- and much of what sees eventually
finds its way into his work.
But controversy, according to Crutcher, is a byproduct, not a goal. "I
don't consciously look for those subjects," he says, "but I do write
about the things about which I'm passionate. I work with people who have been
savaged for who they are. If they're ever going to make it, they're going to
have to learn how to stand up for themselves. That starts with telling the
truth as you see it."
Not all truth is well received. During a dinner conversation with Texas high school
educators the night before an author event, Crutcher was asked about "A
Brief Moment in the Life of Angus Bethune," a short story adapted to film
by New Line Cinema in 1995. "This person hadn't seen 'Angus' and asked
what it was about," Crutcher says, "so I said it was about a fat kid
with gay parents."
For the rest of the evening, the hostess followed Crutcher in search of a
private moment, which never transpired. "At breakfast the next morning,
about 5:30 AM, the waitress walked in saying telephone for Chris
Crutcher," he recalls. It was his hostess.
"She said, 'When you talk with the kids today, will you mention anything
about homosexuality?' I said, 'Not unless they ask.' She said, 'Good. We
don't mind rape and incest, but we'd rather not talk about being gay.' If there
is a pervasive sickness in our culture," says Crutcher, "it's that
we're afraid of the wrong things."
Fortunately, Crutcher doesn't give in to those fears. "One thing that
happens when I'm writing a story is I get immersed in it. By the time I'm two
or three chapters into a book, my characters are real people to me. They may do
things that surprise me, but I can't remember a time when I
hesitated."
Does Crutcher's work as a therapist influence his writer's voice? "I see
the two as being intermeshed," he says. "When I work with a client in
therapy, I try to tether myself to something, then dive into their problems.
That's the process in therapy --- the two of us diving into their pain, then
trying to find a way back out. I'm really an observer, and that's an honored
spot."
"It's the same with a writing a story for my readers. I'm an observer,
diving into what drives my characters. Of course, there is more control with a
story. And that's one of the reasons I write. It's nice to control the outcome.
But in therapy and in writing, I'm trying in every way I know how to let
people know that they are responsible for everything they do. In the term
'responsibility' the root word is 'response.' You can't control
everything that happens to you, but you can control your responses. Those
responses dictate whether you're in control, or whether someone else is."
Once we take control, Crutcher says, success is within reach. "When it's
all done, you're either whole or you're not because of what YOU did about it.
That's the truth. And all my books reflect that. Kids are asking, 'Who will
listen to me? Who will tell me the truth?' It's a tall order, but I do my
best not to tell a lie. When kids ask real questions, I'll go for real answers
--- every single time."
Taken from http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kvander/crutcher.html and http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-crutcher-chris-2.asp
Works
Crutcher, Chris. Running Loose. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books, 1983.
Louie Banks is a senior who's on the varsity football team. He not the best, but good enough to be first string, and along with all this luck the prettiest girl in school asked him out on a date. Life is perfect for Louie, well, sort of, except for the fact that Boomer Cowans, another member of the Trout high school football team keeps punking him, but it's okay. Life is running smoothly for Louie. But everything goes wayside when Louie's less-then-respectable coach decides to play an illegal move on the opposing star player, in order to take him out of the game. Louie doesn't condone this unsportsmanlike conduct and takes a stand. He's thrown of the team, and is shunned by his fellow classmates and by the town of Trout. It doesn't matter because he stood up for his beliefs, and is given moral support from his best friend Carter, the star quarterback of the football team, his compassionate parents, and especially from his girlfriend Becky. He couldn't be more on top of the world despite the fact, but Louie's life is again shaken when tragedy strikes. Everything after the tragic incident seems to be a downward spiral for Louie, and most people think he's crazy. With the all the help he can get, will Louie shed his anger to everything, to everyone, and to the world? Will he be able to forgive and start believing in life again?
Crutcher Chris. Stotan!. New York: HarperCollins, 1986.
Four close friends, a week of pure training and conditioning hell, and an experience they will never forget. This is what it is to be a Stotan. Walker, Lion, Jeff, and Nortie take on their coach's experiment of Stotan Week which is a rigorous week long training regiment to push themselves beyond the limits of the swimming spectrum. They also learn about each others lives, the dreams the hopes, the fears, and the terrifying secrets. One of these secrets comes out for one of them and tragedy strikes for another, and they must draw on the strength from Stoat Week and draw strength from one another to face the adversaries of being a teenager and of life.
Crutcher, Chris. The Crazy Horse Electric Game. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1987.
Willie Weaver is at the top of his game. He's the baseball champion in his league, is great friends with a quirky and humorous guy who always has his back, supportive parents, and he has the greatest girl in the world as his girlfriend. The perfect life. Then it all comes crashing down when freak boating accident leaves him paralyzed on the left side of his body and gives him a speech impediment. Pretty soon he is let down by his father, who expected too much of him, and his girl friend who is to afraid to say anything to him, just like his body let him down. Feeling like a burden and an out cast, Willie has nothing left to lose and decides to get away from this misbegotten town, by way of Greyhound. He ends up on the means streets of Oakland were he is beat up and left penniless and homeless. Lacey, a black pimp who moonlights as a driver, for one reason or another helps Willie, gives him room and board, and enrolls him in OLMC High, ONE MORE LAST CHANCE HIGH. At OLMC he meets a wide array of people, including thugs, hardasses, stoners, and teachers, and through these people, and through Lacey, Willie is able to regain mental and physical health. With all this new found hope and new friends, will Willie be able to have the courage to go back to what he left behind?
Crutcher, Chris. Chinese Handcuffs. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books, 1989.
High-School junior Dillon Hemingway's life has been a tragic whirlwind for the past couple of years. He witnessed the suicide of his older brother, his mom left with his sister, and he's been up against a pack of hardcore bikers who want to turn him into road kill. But that's the past. Now Dillon has a good outlook on things concentrating in triathlons in hopes of competing in the Ironman one day, much to the chagrin of his dim-witted principal who thinks he's a slacker and just plain no-good.
Dillon is the manager and "physician" for the girl's basketball team and he's attracted to Star player Jennifer Lawless, but can't seem to get a relationship going other than just being friends. It's not his fault as Jennifer is unable to get close with him because of a horrible secret that is eating her mind and body away. Dillon and Jen learn about each other's lives as they know each other better and also the dark secrets that they've been holding in for so long. Only together can they survive what they are about to face and break the chains of wrong that's been done to them.
Crutcher, Chris. The Deep End. New York: W. Morrow and Co., 1991.
When
child and family therapist Wilson Corder takes 4-year-old Jerry Parker as a
client, he knows the work will be heart-wrenching - Jerry's sister was abducted
and murdered and he was the only witness. But he has no idea his life will soon
be in as much danger as Jerry's or his sister's.
Taken
from: www.chriscrutcher.com
Crutcher, Chris. Athletic
Shorts: Six Short Stories. New York:
Greenwillow Books,
1991.
Six short
stories of teenage athletes from Crutcher's other novels, who face more than
just sports. These characters have to deal with pressure, hate, prejudice,
racism, love, life, and death. These short stories are about the truth, the
everyday that happens in the world, the brutal and honest truth. But these
stories also capture the bravery and the valor of Crutcher's that makes you
want to root for them. You will be part of each of the story because it's that
real and hopefully make you see the world a little differently and maybe put a
smile to your face.
Crutcher, Chris. Staying Fat
for Sarah Byrnes. New York:
Greenwillow Books, 1993.
Eric
Calhoune and Sarah Byrnes have stuck together since junior high when everyone
else had turned their backs on them. Eric is considered big. No wait, he's just
fat. Really fat. Sarah was the residential "freak" because of the prominent
burn scars she received from an "accident" concerning a boiling pot of
spaghetti. They were outcasts. They were recluses. But they had each other as
friends and as moral support. Now it's the year of high school and Eric is
still big, but he's also big in swimmer. With swimming, a loving supporting
mother, and a potential love interest with the girl of his dreams, everything
seems to be falling in place for Eric. But his best friend, who's been there
for him since the beginning suddenly goes catatonic and Eric must dig into
Sarah's haunted past, and help her through her troubles of the present, for a
more hopeful future.
Crutcher, Chris. Ironman. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books, 1995.
Beauregard Brewster, Bo for short,
has a quick temper. When his jerk football coach, who is also his English
teacher taunts him for missing his pass, Eric steps up and calls him the hole
at the gluteus maximus. He is booted off the team and
gets dangerously close to expulsion from school after a couple of other close
calls with Coach Redmond. He decides to place his sports prowess on competing
in triathlons and becoming and Ironman. He also has to attend Mr. Nak's early-before-school
Anger Management group were he meets a bunch of hardcases whose lives haven't
treating them well and Bo soon finds that he can relate to these guys. It is in
this wondrous class that he meets and falls for Shelly, a girl training to be
an American Gladiator, whose life has been spiraling downwards ever since she
was able to breathe, but has since been able to pick herself up and shoot for
her dreams.
It is in Anger Management that he gets to the root of his fears and anger: his cold, distant, and cruel father, and with the help of his new found friends and the teachers who see him for who he truly is, Bo is able to face his demons and the triathlon he has been training so hard for.
Crutcher, Chris. Whale Talk. New York: Random House, 2001.
T.J. Cutter is a pretty smart guy and he's way out there when it comes to athletics. Only he doesn't play any organized sports at his school because he doesn't believe what they represent. To him sports rule his high school and the people who run the sports council are bigoted, and have way to much power and authorization and too little brain power to use it properly and the most of athletes are just like the coaches and the council. So he stays away from the sports but with the suggestion of a really decent teacher, T.J. starts up the Cutter High Swim, only the school doesn't have a pool. No matter, because they're going to do it anyways. On his quest, with a rag-tag group of outcast swimmers, T.J strives to get the coveted letterman jacket, and prove to everybody that jocks aren't the only ones who can carry the jacket. Together, the Mermen, grow on each other, learn about each other's lives, and face the opposition, the bigotry, and the hatred that is against them.
Crutcher, Chris. King of the Mild Frontier : An Ill-Advised Autobiography. New York: HarperCollins, 2003.
For those who want to know the real poop behind this popular author's characters (and, to some extent, his character), this is the book you've been waiting for. The cover photo tells it all: a white picket fence in the background, for all the world as straight and orderly and stereotypically 1950s proper as the author's maddeningly rational father, "Crutch," wanted things to appear. But looming in the foreground is toothy, smiling Chris, the short-fused emotional time bomb who regularly exploded into anger and tears. Protective of his alcoholic mom and at almost constant odds with his strict and demanding dad, Crutcher describes incidents and telling episodes from his formative years. His signature wit was sharpened in response to both his feelings of inadequacy and his competitive nature, honed by participation in high school and college sports. He addresses issues about his use of profanity in his writing for teens. Tough and tender reminiscences focus primarily on family, social, and school conflicts, but lessons derived from his career as a teacher, therapist, and writer are also described. Hyperbole lightens the mood as the author portrays himself as a young crybaby, academic misfit, and athletic klutz, utterly without self-aggrandizement. Abrupt transitions, some convoluted sentences, and nonlinear progression may challenge some readers, but the narrative holds undeniable appeal for the author's fans and demonstrates the power of writing to help both reader and writer heal emotional/psychic wounds.
Taken from www.amazon.com.
Crutcher, Chris. The Sledding Hill. New York: Greenwillow
Books, 2005.
Eddie Proffit, 14, is a prototypical Crutcher protagonist, a misunderstood teen who in quick succession has lost his father and best friend, Billy, in accidents. And he must deal with Mr. Tartar, who is both a feared English teacher at school and the minister to a flock of Protestant fundamentalists at the Red Brick Church. However, the author's approach to these familiar themes is fresh and fun, beginning when Billy, recently deceased, opts to keep his newly omniscient eye on Eddie, taking advantage of opportune "windows" to communicate, initially scaring Eddie into voluntary mutism but eventually working with him to bring about...the climax of the book. This centers around the use of Crutcher's faux novel, Warren Peece, in class and the community-wide uproar over it.