Overview
As popular today as they were when first published more than thirty years ago, The Outsiders and That Was Then, This Is Now are finally available in one handy edition!Both titles incorporate universal themes of loyalty, independence, and alienation in a realistic voice that speaks directly to young adult readers. The Outsiders: Growing up in a rough city surrounded by violence, Ponyboy and his friends learn what it means to defend your turf and to stand up for each other. That Was Then, This Is Now: Mark and Bryon are practically brothers-they have no family to speak of-but they eventually come to a point in their lives where they have difficult choices to make; choices that might separate them forever.
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble ReviewS. E. Hinton first made her mark in the literary world with The Outsiders, the phenomenal story of Ponyboy, who discovers the magical power of friendship and the alarming power of prejudice. Relying on her own experiences growing up, Hinton tapped into the universal teen emotion of alienation. We relive all of our personal anguish, as Ponyboy struggles to fit in with his Greasers while privately watching sunsets and dreaming of a better life. When he is forced to go into isolation after a fight with a rival, readers empathize both with his desperation and his will to go on. Originally published more than 30 years ago, Hinton's creation still rings true with the youth of today, providing young readers with an escape and a comrade in the one-and-only Ponyboy.
Four years after The Outsiders, Hinton published That Was Then, This Is Now. Covering the same theme of friendship and loyalty, the book recounts the story of two friends facing big decisions as their lives begin to drift apart. While Byron treasures his friendship with childhood buddy Mark, he cannot ignore Mark's drug-induced downward spiral. He eventually turns Mark into the police, breaking ranks with his one-time best friend. Hinton casts this story against a working-class background. With an astoundingly realistic portrayal of drug abuse and its aftermath, she further strengthens her mark as the voice of young adults.
This great volume including both novels is sure to introduce a whole new audience to Hinton's outstanding talent. (Amy Barkat)