A hero ain't nothin' but a sandwich

by Alice Childress

Paper Book, 1973

Status

Checked out

Publication

New York, N.Y. : Avon Books, [1982], c1973.

Description

The life of a thirteen-year-old Harlem youth on his way to becoming a confirmed heroin addict is seen from his viewpoint and from that of several people around him.

User reviews

LibraryThing member DF1A_BrittanyE
A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich is a novel about a teen Junkie named Benjie. Benjie thinks he can stop using drugs whenever he wants to, but what he doesn't realize is that he's hooked. His family, friends, and teachers share their accounts on living with a teen junkie. They're watching Benjie
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go from a responsible young man, to a deceiving dope head. They see Benjie's potential downfall, and his silent cry for help.
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LibraryThing member meggyweg
This book was written in the early seventies and is pretty dated now, both in the attitudes of the characters and the way they talk. Modern-day high school kids may find it hard to relate to and I, a white girl from suburbia, found the Ebonics hard to understand.

However, the book definitely has its
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merits. I was impressed with the author's ability to create a multitude of narrators, none of them sounding too much like the other. The author also did an excellent job establishing the setting (which is why the book is so dated now) and the family love and friendship still shine. The ambiguous ending was well done, and those can be tricky. I would still recommend this for young adults, but in context -- perhaps in conjunction with other books set in the same period, or as part of a school unit covering civil rights and the black power movement of the sixties and seventies.

What you must understand is that this book is not really about drugs. Rather, it's about the affect Benjie's heroin addiction has on his family, his friends and his teachers. If you want to read about drugs, read Crank. (You should anyway; that's an awesome book.) If you want to read about the struggles of a working-class urban black family in the late sixties or seventies, read A Hero Ain't Nothin But a Sandwich.
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LibraryThing member Ellen_Norton
This excellent book chronicles the story of 13 year old Benji's spiraling addiction to heroin and his inability to accept that he has a problem. The story is told from multiple views, including Benji, his stepfather, his mother, grandmother, friends, teachers, and even his drug dealer. It is a
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relatively realistic depiction of addiction and does not sugar coat. In the end everything does not turn out wonderfully, as often happens in books on teenage addiction. It is a wonderful book, probably for reluctant readers, ages 13-17 most likely will appeal. It is short and relatively easy to read, although it is written in some dialogue so it needs a little practice to get used to the lingo at first.
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LibraryThing member RosanaSantana
This book is told in the first person from various characters point of view. The focus of the book is on Benji a thirteen year old heroin addict. The story follows along as his family and teachers try to get him clean. The story ends without anyone really knowing it Benji is going to stay clean or
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not. I would recommend this book to teens ages 14-16.
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LibraryThing member Jennanana
Benjie, a young African American boy who lives in an inner-city ghetto, resists his parents and school counselors and the guidance they offer. He tries heroin for the first time and becomes addicted. After some misguidance from his friends, he eventually decides to quit because of his stepfather.
LibraryThing member kylekatz
1973. A thirteen-year-old heroin addict in Harlem. Told in the voices of various characters. The main character, Benjie, his mother, stepfather, grandfather, best friend, teachers, etc. Benjie is convinced he's not an addict, but he keeps stealing from his family to get a fix. Pretty cool.

Awards

Coretta Scott King Award (Honor — 1974)
Jane Addams Children's Book Award (Honor Book — 1974)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 1973)

Language

Original publication date

1973

Physical description

128 p.; 18 cm

ISBN

0380001322 / 9780380001323
Page: 0.8729 seconds