Crutcher, Chris. Ironman. New York: HarperTeen, 2004.

Genre: Sports

Themes: Young Adult, Teens, Ironman/Triathlon, Anger Management, Therapy.

Age / Grade Appropriateness: Teen - Grade 7-9, Age 12-14

Awards:

• A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book (1996)
• ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (1999.04 | Good Sports, 1999)
• ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (1996)

Censorship Issues:

• Language
• Abuse
• Homosexuality

Plot Summary:

Ironman is the story of a would-be triathlete who is still in high school. Bo Brewster is the product of a broken home, complete with a father who strives to break his son’s will at every opportunity. The story is told with a combination of first and third person; the first person point of view is told in the form of letters from Bo to Larry King. Bo writes King letters detailing his exploits during training for a local triathlon competition.
The novel opens with Bo telling Larry the story of how he quit the football team, due to Coach Redmond’s constant verbal abuse. Redmond brands Bo a “quitter” and seeks to torment him during English class, which is taught by Redmond. Bo eventually calls Redmond an “asshole,” and is sentenced to an anger management group.
The group is taught by an interesting character, Mr. Nakatani, a Japanese Cowboy from Texas. The group is comprised of the usual cast of misfits (think Breakfast at Tiffany’s), and Brewster is viewed as an outsider. The bright spot for Brewster during this period is a former trouble-maker turned educator, Mr. Serbousek. During the novel it is revealed that Serbousek is gay and Brewster has a hard time coping with his sexuality.
The group has a profound effect on Brewster, of course, and they bond. The story culminates with Brewster’s performance in the triathlon. The members of the group come together to spur him on during the race.

Critique:

Crutcher is one of the elite novelists in the Young Adult genre, and Ironman does not disappoint. The novel offers teen readers the ability to relate with Bo’s plight and the members of the group serve as other characters to identify with. Crutcher’s background as a therapist shows in his writing style by using the group and in some of the terminology that used therein. The inclusion of the letters to Larry King (although dated, 1995) provide an interesting twist from the normal audience relationship.
Ironman is well written and paced. The characters were likable and believable, without sacrificing message and intent. All in all, it was an enjoyable read. Crutcher remains at the forefront of YA lit.

Curriculum Uses:

The obvious uses include sports or working out subjects, but the underlying issues and concerns of the book are anger management and abuse. The members in the group all suffer from some form of abuse (translate- neglect). This book could be used as a springboard for discussion of abuse in the classroom. ( )

Dangeroulsly close to expulsion from school, triathlete Bo Brewster is assigned to an Anger Management class, where he addresses his difficult relationship with his father. And when some college kids challenge him to Yukon Jack's triathlon for $500 cash, he learns that real friends can come from the strangest places. This well-written book will have you running, swimming, and cycling along with Bo as he races to win the title of "Ironman". ( )

After an outburst in English class, teen jock Bo is sent to Anger Management classes with the scary bad kids. He finds he fits in better than he expected. Told partly through Bo's letters to Larry King, this books documents a year in Bo's life, the year his battle with his father comes to a head, he gets a girlfriend, and finds friends and support where he least expected it.
I had a hard time getting into this - Bo was so focused on his personal training and Ironman goals, I couldn't find anything in common with him to latch on to. But as I read further, I realised that this is the message I'll take from the book, that you don't have to have something in common with someone to want them to reach their goals, and to care what happens to them. As details about Bo's life, and the lives of his fellow Anger Management members are slowly revealed, people's capacity for both empathy and horror comes to the front. There are parents here who are truly evil, and kids who manage to pull kindness out of the most dreadful situations.
I'd give this to people looking for a realistic but hopeful stories about abuse. ( )

This is the powerful story of Bo Brewster, a high school student with a difficult father, a horrible English teacher, and a tough time in general. Bo relieves his anger and frustration in long letters to Larry King, the best listener he knows. After an argument with his English teacher, he is relegated to Mr. Nak's before school "Anger Management" class. With the help of the friends he makes in Mr. Nak's class, Bo eventually learns to see the people around him and the world he lives in just a little bit differently. In the process, he falls in love, trains for a triathlon (and beats the school bully), and develops his ability to empathize with others.

The plot is told through Bo's letters to Larry King and through an omniscient, third person narrator. The plot contains references to mature topics, such as sex, drugs, domestic violence, and child abuse. The characters are dynamic, believable, and intensely human. The plot is compelling and unpredictable.

Highly recommended for high school libraries. ( )

Iron Man (Single-Disc Edition) ~ Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, and Gwyneth Paltrow (DVD - Sep 30, 2008)