After nearly two months, I have finally finished it! I enjoyed this book so much; it was not only an interesting and honest view if clique life, individuality, and "quirk theory." It also has helped develop a taste for nonfiction I didn't know I had. Thanks to my AP English teacher for suggesting this to me and sending it home with me. And props to Alexandra Robbins for the work that went into this, especially following students and staff around for entire school years!

As with "The Overachievers," this book should be required reading for all teachers. I wish I could ask for an all-staff book club situation, but unfortunately, I don't quite trust that every one would read it...and to understand how that statement is relevant, pick up the book and read the section about how schools and teachers often contribute to the clique culture...it will make sense.

At times this was hard to read, as it forced me to examine my own behaviors both as "the adult in the room" and as a colleague. I hope I haven't blatantly contributed to the clique hierarchy in my school, though after reading this book, I'm sure I have. Now that I am more aware of how teachers reinforce conformity, I'm determined to be better for those students who might be, as Robbins puts it, "on the cafeteria fringe."

Yes, non-fiction takes longer to read, but Robbins' writing style is so accessible that I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to know how the kids she focused on changed, and I wanted clues for how I could help similar students in my school.

As I read, I thought about some of my students from this last year, and how they might enjoy reading this book as well.

Meh. Before I bought this audiobook, I read the summary and I knew there would be several case studies of individual outsiders grappling with high school politics. I liked the teenagers chosen for the case studies and I liked the narration of this audiobook. There were even some interesting tidbits thrown in that I found compelling. However, based on the title, I also thought there would be a conclusion that would give some fantastic statistics about how the geeks win in the end combined with anecdotal information on the case studies and how those outsiders found their win.

The book didn't end the way I had hoped. What I remember most about the ending is Robbins' somewhat preachy tone to adults on how to create environments that allow geeks to thrive while in high school. She has great ideas and I certainly hope that we transform into a society where everyone is treated well. However, I do think she shows her true colors with her preaching, which is present even in the case studies. Not everyone who is popular is an idiot or a dick. Not every school administrator glorifies football. Not every adult outsider is going to successfully mentor a teenager. I'm guessing that she spent a great deal of time with her cafeteria fringe subjects and maybe lost some objectivity.

In the end, I really wanted her "quirk theory" to be heavy on the science and studies and statistics. The way I understand quirk theory is that it's the belief that the qualities and characteristics that make someone an outsider, and therefore teased and ostracized, are the same qualities and characteristics that make that same person successful later in life. So really with her anecdotal case studies, where Robbins does not interview anyone but her subjects who are image-conscious teenagers, this piece is really more a self-help book with quirk theory being her positive affirmation mantra.

An amazing look into what high school is really like for outsiders! Very eye opening.

The student narratives were what kept me reading this book. I was rather disappointed with the level of research and exploration behind the social psychology of teenagers. Analysis of situations presented in the narrative are organized and written poorly. Honestly, it reminded me a bit of research papers from my college freshman. The science is presented in a very simplified manner. This makes the book more accessible to the average reader, but generally the lack of depth kept me from rating this book higher. Personally, as a young teacher, the narrative of the gay English teacher is a wonderful touch on how "shallow" behavior is not only seen with students, but also with faculty. Generally, it is an okay read. As a proud geek, it was a disappointment and didn't meet my expectations.

This is both a humorous and light hearted yet serious and heart felt look at how non-conformists (as Robbins terms us) suffer in high school yet kick ass as adults. She looks at the different types of non-conformists from gamers to unhappy prep kids, looks at why they are labelled as such and how they are treated by their peers, their teachers, their families and their friends. She also includes the results of interviews with various teens that fit the varied and numerous outsider labels. I do have one massive bug bear with this though, in particular the challenges she set some of her interviewees, as to me they seemed to aim to change who they were rather than help them accept who they were. As an outsider I was raised to be myself regardless of what others thought and I feel that this should have been the biggest message, it is there but with a few caveats thrown in about making an effort to be nicer to people (not my strongest point), trying lots of new things (why if you're happy how you are) etc. She does make lots of excellent points about schools and parents being more accepting of all teens and not just those considered to be 'normal', which are really good but these should be applied to the teens themselves too. Yes being bullied sucks but living a lie is far worse. Overall an interesting read and one that could well help those struggling with being a non-conformist but worth taking with a pinch of salt.

Very interesting...this books poses the theory that those traits that make you a target in school are the exact traits that make you successful later in life. The author has dubbed it The Quirk theory and in this books she follows a number of oddballs, geeks, nerds etc and one popular girl through one year of highschool.

It really makes you think about what category you fit into and why you didn't bust out of it.

I've enjoyed several others of Alexandra Robbins' books, and this was no different. Let's be honest - I totally identified with these kids, the quirky outsiders who were shunned and rejected in high school. Robbins does a good job of tracing what happened to each of her examples and showing research why these things are so common. If I were to quibble, I would have liked to see more about what causes that ostracism and peer herd mentality to change so quickly after high school graduation day: this book stops at that moment, but I think a quick summary chapter at the conclusion talking about how different things might be for these people in the "real world" would have made this book really solid and grounded it a little more for me. You can claim all you want that "it gets better" later - but a little proof of that would strengthen that claim.

This was an Early Reviewer copy, thanks to LibraryThing.

After nearly two months, I have finally finished it! I enjoyed this book so much; it was not only an interesting and honest view if clique life, individuality, and "quirk theory." It also has helped develop a taste for nonfiction I didn't know I had. Thanks to my AP English teacher for suggesting this to me and sending it home with me. And props to Alexandra Robbins for the work that went into this, especially following students and staff around for entire school years!

Interesting study of middle and high school popularity, how cliques work, and what it all means long term. Entirely too long. Had to skim lots.