| It's Kind of a Funny Story | |
|---|---|
First edition cover |
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| Author(s) | Ned Vizzini |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Teen Novel, Comedy |
| Publisher | Hyperion |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 444 pp |
It's Kind of a Funny Story is a 2006 novel by American author Ned Vizzini. It follows a depressed teenager who becomes suicidal and checks himself into a psychiatric hospital. The book was inspired by Vizzini's own brief hospitalization for depression in November 2004.[1] The book received recognition as a 2007 Best Book for Young Adults from the American Library Association.[2] A film adaptation, directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, was released in the United States on October 8, 2010.[3]
Contents |
Craig, the narrator, is 15, and lives with his family in an upper-middle class Brooklyn neighborhood. He attends the prestigious Executive Pre-Professional High School, having studied arduously to win admission. Once admitted, however, he becomes overwhelmed by the school's intense academic pressure. His stress eventually manifests itself in an eating disorder, use of marijuana, affected sleep habits, and suicidal thoughts. After he stops taking medication prescribed by his psychiatrist, his depression builds until, unable to fend off his suicidal ideation, he calls 1-800-SUICIDE and is admitted to a nearby psychiatric hospital. He meets many other patients, some friendly, others reclusive or delusional, and is supported and encouraged by his family and school principal once they learn of his hospitalization. Craig meets a female patient, Noelle, who coped with a history of sexual abuse by cutting her face with scissors. In isolation from the outside world, and with help from Noelle, Craig confronts the sources of his anxiety and regains his health. During his recovery, Craig experiments with art, specifically stylized maps, and discovers he has a great deal of natural talent and ability. Once Craig has recovered, his counselor suggests he transfer to an art school, a thought that excites Craig. He returns home at novel's end having undergone a mental "shift".
In 2010, Focus Features released a film adaptation directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden. The film starred Keir Gilchrist as Craig, along with Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts, Zoë Kravitz and Lauren Graham. The film received mixed to positive reviews. [4]