The Vast Fields of Ordinary

I really loved this book and also getting the chance to listen to the author and editor talk about the process of writing it. I felt this book, out of all of those we have read so far, was the most "adult" in a way. I have truly enjoyed reading YA lit and will definitely continue to read it after this class is over, but this book felt the most like something I would have picked up on my own. I think the author did a great job of creating a story with universal appeal. I think it would be accessible to kids of many different backgrounds as he captured that "last summer" experience perfectly.
I had actually also been thinking about how a book comes to be classified as "Young Adult," so it was interesting to learn about the decision making process that goes into it. I was also surprised when Nick said that some people in his writing group were kind of chastising him about it, as if YA is a kind of ghetto in publishing and teen books are not as literary or prestigious as others. I think for an author, it would be great to be popular with teens because if you decide to write adult novels (as Nick said he intends to), you already have an audience. Also, judging from the emails Nick gets, he seems to have made real difference in the lives of some teens and that has got to be a good feeling. I for one, will read anything else Nick writes as well as recommend The Vast Fields of Ordinary to my friends, both teen and adult alike.