The Basketball Diaries

The Basketball Diaries is a 1978 book written by American author Jim Carroll, in which he chronicles the decline of a promising young, white basketball player in New York City in the 1960s.

Related Topics:
American - Jim Carroll - New York City

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Heroin use makes him seem like a "cool guy" to other users, but his euphoric states during basketball games makes him miss baskets, points, and games, and eventually he is forced off the team.

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Besides basketball, the book focuses on his sexual encounters with girls, his various legal and illegal money making ventures, and his thoughts on everything from war to religion. As a 15-17 year old, his insights are suprisingly thoughtful and original. His writing on addiction -- how it feels, what it means, how it changes him -- is especially arresting. It stands up to any adult's thoughts on addiction, which is all the more impressive considering his age.

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One quote:

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"I thought I could deal with, perhaps even come to understand my obsessions through some strained eloquence. I thought I could eventually pierce every veil through chance metaphor, but how many flowers can serve as metaphors for that initial mingling of blood and water encased in the barrel of a syringe? ... The fact is that instead of freeing myself through language, the language itself has become a hostage, and the room where we are held becomes smaller every day."

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The book was later made into a film in 1995 starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Related Topics:
1995 - Leonardo DiCaprio

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