Hotmail‘Today Book Club’ selection: 'Be More Chill'
Ned Vizzini’s new novel features an in-brain computer that gives social advice. Here’s an excerpt
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Judy Blume has been writing about children and young adults for more than 30 years. Her books "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret," "Blubber" and "Freckle Juice" have sold more than 75 million copies. And she recently received the National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters — a high honor shared by authors Toni Morrison, John Updike, Eudora Welty, Stephen King and others. Blume was invited on the “Today” show to offer her recommendation for the “Today Book Club” November selection. She chose Ned Vizzini’s “Be More Chill,” a story about a quantum computer that lives in your brain and gives you real-time social advice. Blume and Vizzini discussed the book on “Today.” Here’s an excerpt:
Part 1 – Pre-Squip
The room is bright and alive at 8:45 am — I can almost ignore Middle Borough High School’s zombie fluorescent lighting. Mr. Gretch is up at his desk, a tall bald head with wisps of hair and a beard. He’s accompanied by a newspaper and a cactus; in about 20 seconds he’s going to take attendance. To my left is Jenna Rolan, the Coolest girl in class.
Jenna is already talking: “She was like, ‘I’ll only do it if you beat me in pool!’ And then of course she intentionally lost in pool. What a slut!”
Jenna likes to talk about her friend Elizabeth, who is a “real” slut. In fact, when I think about it, Jenna never talks about her family, or TV, or when work is due, or the ins and outs of procuring concert tickets, like most girls. She just talks about how Elizabeth is a slut.
“You should’ve seen what she was wearing. It was like a garbage bag with a condom on top—”
“Bwer her her!” Anne laughs. Anne is the second-Coolest girl in the class, which is math. She sits in front of me so she’s always twisting back in her chair to talk to Jenna, which reinforces the fact that Jenna is Coolest and she is second-Coolest. Girls are very territorial.
“Ka-yur-uhhhh,” Mr. Gretch clears his throat from the front of the room. “Abbey.”
“Here.”
“Asu.”
“Here.”
“Atborough.”
“Here.”
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“Here.”
“Caniglia.”
Christine raises her hand. I look over at her. She looks beautiful. “Here.” I look down.
“Duvoknovich.”
“Here.”
“Goranski.”
“Here.”
“Heere?”
Oh yeah.
Here comes the fun part, the part that has been stressing me since they started taking attendance (in fifth grade). I can’t say “here” in response to my name. It confuses teachers. I raise my hand quietly and say: “Present.” Somebody snickers up by the front of the room. Are they snickering at me? Are they? Can never be too sure. I pull out one of my preprinted Humiliation Sheets, write the date up top and put a tally mark next to the Snicker category. I cover the page tightly so Jenna can’t see. Then I re-tune my ears to listen for copycat snickering.
Excerpted from “Be More Chill: A Novel” by Ned Vizzini. Copyright © 2004 by Ned Vizzini. Published by Miramax. No part of this excerpt can be used without permission of the publisher.
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