History
About the Author
Stephen Chbosky was born in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania on on January 15, 1970 to Lea and Fred G. Chbosky. He has a younger sister named Stacy, who is married to director John Erick Dowdle.
As a teenager, Chbosky "enjoyed a good blend of the classics, horror, and fantasy. His own writing was heavily influenced by J. D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye and the writing of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Tennessee Williams.
Chbosky graduated from Upper St. Clair High School in 1988. In 1992, he graduated from the University of Southern California's screenwriting program. He wrote, directed, and acted in the 1995 independent film The Four Corners of Nowhere, which got Chbosky his first agent. He was accepted by the Sundance Film Festival, and became one of the first films shown on the Sundance Channel. In the late 1990s, Chbosky wrote several unproduced screenplays.
In 1994, Chbosky was working on a "very different type of book" than The Perks of Being a Wallflower when he wrote the line, "I guess that's just one of the perks of being a wallflower." Chbosky recalled that he "wrote that line. And stopped. And realized that somewhere in that [sentence] was the kid I was really trying to find." After several years, Chbosky began researching and writing The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Chbosky's first novel was an immediate popular success with teenage readers.
In 2000, Chbosky edited Pieces, an anthology of short stories. In the mid-2000s, Chbosky decided, on the advice of his agent, to begin looking for work in television in addition to film. Chbosky agreed to serve as co-creator, executive producer, and writer of the CBS serial television drama Jericho, which premiered in September 2006. Chbosky wrote the screenplay for the 2005 film adaptation of the Broadway rock musical Rent. In late 2005, Chbosky said that he was writing a film adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Chbosky wrote the screenplay and directed the film The Perks of Being a Wallflower, based on his novel. Production took place in mid-2011, and the film was released in fall 2012. It starred Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller, and Emma Watson. Chbosky was nominated in the Best Adapted Screenplay category for the 2013 Writers Guild Awards, and the film won the 2013 Independent Spirit Awards for Best First Feature, as well as the 2013 People's Choice Award for Best Dramatic Movie.
Chbosky currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
As a teenager, Chbosky "enjoyed a good blend of the classics, horror, and fantasy. His own writing was heavily influenced by J. D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye and the writing of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Tennessee Williams.
Chbosky graduated from Upper St. Clair High School in 1988. In 1992, he graduated from the University of Southern California's screenwriting program. He wrote, directed, and acted in the 1995 independent film The Four Corners of Nowhere, which got Chbosky his first agent. He was accepted by the Sundance Film Festival, and became one of the first films shown on the Sundance Channel. In the late 1990s, Chbosky wrote several unproduced screenplays.
In 1994, Chbosky was working on a "very different type of book" than The Perks of Being a Wallflower when he wrote the line, "I guess that's just one of the perks of being a wallflower." Chbosky recalled that he "wrote that line. And stopped. And realized that somewhere in that [sentence] was the kid I was really trying to find." After several years, Chbosky began researching and writing The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Chbosky's first novel was an immediate popular success with teenage readers.
In 2000, Chbosky edited Pieces, an anthology of short stories. In the mid-2000s, Chbosky decided, on the advice of his agent, to begin looking for work in television in addition to film. Chbosky agreed to serve as co-creator, executive producer, and writer of the CBS serial television drama Jericho, which premiered in September 2006. Chbosky wrote the screenplay for the 2005 film adaptation of the Broadway rock musical Rent. In late 2005, Chbosky said that he was writing a film adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Chbosky wrote the screenplay and directed the film The Perks of Being a Wallflower, based on his novel. Production took place in mid-2011, and the film was released in fall 2012. It starred Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller, and Emma Watson. Chbosky was nominated in the Best Adapted Screenplay category for the 2013 Writers Guild Awards, and the film won the 2013 Independent Spirit Awards for Best First Feature, as well as the 2013 People's Choice Award for Best Dramatic Movie.
Chbosky currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
Timeline of the Novel
Inspiration
The idea for the novel came from a difficult period in Chbosky's life. He was going through a rough break up and trying to find answers within his own life. The story began when Chbosky wrote the sentence, "I guess that's just one of the perks of being a wallflower". He "realized that somewhere in that ... was the kid I was really trying to find." Chbosky began writing the novel in the summer of 1996 while he was in college, finishing it two drafts later in the summer of 1998. The idea of anonymous letters came from a real experience; during his senior year in high school, Chbosky wrote an anonymous letter to Stewart Stern about how seeing him during a college tour had really influenced him. A year and a half later, Stern found Chbosky and became his mentor. Charlie is loosely based on the author, and Chbosky included "countless details" in the novel from the time he lived in Pittsburgh. The characters of Sam and Patrick were an "amalgamate and celebration" of several people Chbosky has met; Sam was based on girls who confided in him, and Patrick was "all the kids I knew who were gay and finding their way to their own identity." |
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Publication and reception
The Perks of Being a Wallflower was first published on February 1, 1999 by Pocket Books through its MTV Books imprint. It became the subsidiary's best-selling book, was included on school reading lists and gathered a cult following. Critical response was mixed; Publishers Weekly called the novel "trite", dealing with "standard teenage issues" in which "Chbosky infuses a droning insistence on Charlie's supersensitive disposition." Although Kirkus Review said it had "the right combination of realism and uplift", the reviewer criticized Chbosky's "rip-off" of J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. Chbosky said he "was not trying to mimic [Salinger's] style as a writer"; he saw "how readers could compare Charlie to Salinger's Holden Caulfield", but "they are very different people with unique problems and perspectives". Francisca Goldsmith of the School Library Journal said the novel "cleverly" makes the readers the recipients of Charlie's letters, and it "will engage teen readers for years to come."
With the announcement of a film adaptation the novel received more attention, reaching the New York Times bestseller lists. It entered the Children's Paperpack Books category on the June 23, 2012 list, with 1.5 million copies in print in November 2012. As of May 11, 2014 it appeared on The New York Times Top 10 list for 71 non-consecutive weeks, and was in the top 15 on the September 14 list. The novel has been published in 16 countries in 13 languages.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower was first published on February 1, 1999 by Pocket Books through its MTV Books imprint. It became the subsidiary's best-selling book, was included on school reading lists and gathered a cult following. Critical response was mixed; Publishers Weekly called the novel "trite", dealing with "standard teenage issues" in which "Chbosky infuses a droning insistence on Charlie's supersensitive disposition." Although Kirkus Review said it had "the right combination of realism and uplift", the reviewer criticized Chbosky's "rip-off" of J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. Chbosky said he "was not trying to mimic [Salinger's] style as a writer"; he saw "how readers could compare Charlie to Salinger's Holden Caulfield", but "they are very different people with unique problems and perspectives". Francisca Goldsmith of the School Library Journal said the novel "cleverly" makes the readers the recipients of Charlie's letters, and it "will engage teen readers for years to come."
With the announcement of a film adaptation the novel received more attention, reaching the New York Times bestseller lists. It entered the Children's Paperpack Books category on the June 23, 2012 list, with 1.5 million copies in print in November 2012. As of May 11, 2014 it appeared on The New York Times Top 10 list for 71 non-consecutive weeks, and was in the top 15 on the September 14 list. The novel has been published in 16 countries in 13 languages.
Challenged book list
Wallflower also stirred up controversy due to Chbosky's portrayal of teen sexuality and drug use. The book has been removed from circulation in several schools and appeared on the American Library Association's 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 lists of the 10 most frequently challenged books. The Perks of Being a Wallflower has appeared six times on the American Library Association's list of 10 most-frequently-challenged books for its content. A Wisconsin school board refused to ban the book, angering local parents, and the Glen Ellyn District 41 school board in suburban Chicago unanimously voted to reinstate the novel after it was removed from eighth-grade classrooms at Hadley Junior High School. In an interview, Chbosky said that he was surprised by the bans since he "didn't write it to be a controversial book". |
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Film adaptation
After the novel Chbosky said he received film offers, refusing them because he "owed the fans a movie that was worthy of their love for the book." In 2010 Mr. Mudd began developing a film version, and the author was signed to write and direct the film by producers John Malkovich, Lianne Halfon and Russell Smith. The film, shot in the Pittsburgh area from May 9 to June 29, 2011, starred Logan Lerman as Charlie, Nina Dobrev as Charlie's sister Candace, Ezra Miller as Patrick and Emma Watson as Sam. It premiered on September 8, 2012 at the Toronto Film Festival, and was released theatrically in the United States by Summit Entertainment on September 21. Rotten Tomatoes reported an 85-percent approval rate, based on 151 reviews. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $33 million worldwide from a $13 million production budget.
After the novel Chbosky said he received film offers, refusing them because he "owed the fans a movie that was worthy of their love for the book." In 2010 Mr. Mudd began developing a film version, and the author was signed to write and direct the film by producers John Malkovich, Lianne Halfon and Russell Smith. The film, shot in the Pittsburgh area from May 9 to June 29, 2011, starred Logan Lerman as Charlie, Nina Dobrev as Charlie's sister Candace, Ezra Miller as Patrick and Emma Watson as Sam. It premiered on September 8, 2012 at the Toronto Film Festival, and was released theatrically in the United States by Summit Entertainment on September 21. Rotten Tomatoes reported an 85-percent approval rate, based on 151 reviews. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $33 million worldwide from a $13 million production budget.
Connections
Film & television
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
In 2012, Chbosky brought his story to the big screen. The film adaption produces a new perspective by visually allowing perspectives beyond Charlie's lens.
In 2012, Chbosky brought his story to the big screen. The film adaption produces a new perspective by visually allowing perspectives beyond Charlie's lens.
The Breakfast Club (1985)
The Breakfast Club is a film written and directed by John Hughes. The film features teenagers of varying cliques. These teens bond through confessional heart to hearts addressing the issues they face as young adults learning to navigate the world.
Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)
Freaks and Geeks is a television show created by Paul Feig. The show like The Perks of Being a Wallflower centers around connections made in a high school setting. The show addresses concerns such as who can one consider a friend or what makes someone a friend which is an issue that can also be found in The Perks of Being a Wallflower through Charlie's relationships with the other students.
The Breakfast Club is a film written and directed by John Hughes. The film features teenagers of varying cliques. These teens bond through confessional heart to hearts addressing the issues they face as young adults learning to navigate the world.
Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)
Freaks and Geeks is a television show created by Paul Feig. The show like The Perks of Being a Wallflower centers around connections made in a high school setting. The show addresses concerns such as who can one consider a friend or what makes someone a friend which is an issue that can also be found in The Perks of Being a Wallflower through Charlie's relationships with the other students.
novels
The Catcher in the Rye (1951)
J.D. Salinger's Novel The Catcher in the Rye shares several commonalities with The Perks of Being a Wallflower. First, both novels are told through the lens of a teenage boy who is coming to terms with the world around him. In addition, as the novels progress, both teenagers have issues that begin to surface. One common theme is the idea of alienation. The Catcher in the Rye is also notably one of the books Bill, Charlie's teacher, encourages him to read in The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
The Color Purple (1982)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is an epistolary novel, or a novel written in a series of documents. The Color Purple, like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, is written using letters to tell the story.
J.D. Salinger's Novel The Catcher in the Rye shares several commonalities with The Perks of Being a Wallflower. First, both novels are told through the lens of a teenage boy who is coming to terms with the world around him. In addition, as the novels progress, both teenagers have issues that begin to surface. One common theme is the idea of alienation. The Catcher in the Rye is also notably one of the books Bill, Charlie's teacher, encourages him to read in The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
The Color Purple (1982)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is an epistolary novel, or a novel written in a series of documents. The Color Purple, like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, is written using letters to tell the story.
music
The Smiths, "Asleep" (1987)
Charlie shows a particular fondness for "Asleep" going so far as to feature it on the mixtape he make for Patrick twice.
Charlie shows a particular fondness for "Asleep" going so far as to feature it on the mixtape he make for Patrick twice.
Fleetwood Mac, "Landslide" (1975)
"Landslide" is the song playing when Charlie, Patrick and Sam first drive through the tunnel into the city together. This song is often referred to as "the tunnel song."
"Landslide" is the song playing when Charlie, Patrick and Sam first drive through the tunnel into the city together. This song is often referred to as "the tunnel song."