FOR ME LITTLE DROOGIE, ER, NIECE

I went out to pick up my latest prescriptions and found a Pride-themed street fair in full, colorful swing. While wandering among the throng, I heard my name called out by a familiar voice. It was old friend/family member Sara, with her husband Pat and their daughter, my niece Jackie. Jackie is currently in her tweens and is a bright and voracious reader who has discovered young adult literature.

During our conversation about books at a block party a week ago, I told Jackie she would probably enjoy reading Anthony Burgess's A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. Kids her age have no idea what that infamous book (or movie) is, so I related the basics of the story to her. She was very intrigued, so I ran the idea of me giving her one of my copies of it by her parents. (I have several, each rescued after being left out on stoops around the neighborhood). Sara and Pat were totally cool with it, with Pat being particularly pumped at the idea, so I promised to have Jackie's copy with me when next we met. Well, today's unexpected encounter happened right around the corner from my apartment, so I hustled upstairs and grabbed Jackie her copy.

Instead of the common movie edition with the florescent orange cover, I gave her the paperback of an early pre-movie edition. Unfortunately it's not the version that features the final chapter that was not adapted for film, but it does feature the slang glossary in the back, which will make parsing the Nadsat language that dominates the novel that much easier. Which is not to say that Jackie isn't more than bright enough to catch on quickly, because she absolutely is.

Anyway, this is the cover for the edition that she now owns, and I told her to get back to me with her thoughts when she's finished reading it.