Me and Earl and the Dying Girl [9781419719608]

Overview

"The funniest book you'll ever read about death." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

A New York Times bestseller and the basis for a major motion picture, Jesse Andrews’s hilarious, uncompromising, and heartbreaking debut is perfect for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Fault in Our Stars.

Greg Gaines is the master of high school self-preservation. His strategy? To be so middle-of-the-road and friendly to every clique that he remains essentially invisible. He spends most of his time making mediocre, shot-for-shot parodies of classic movies with his "best friend" Earl (a term Greg uses very loosely).

Greg’s carefully crafted invisibility is shattered when his mother forces him to befriend Rachel, a classmate who has just been diagnosed with leukemia.

What follows becomes increasingly complicated, as Greg and Earl decide to make a film for Rachel. It is a journey through the "moronic" world of high school, the frustrations of creative failure, and the reality of a life-changing illness—all told with Greg's biting wit and trademark honesty.

Why readers love Me and Earl and the Dying Girl:

A Truly Unique Voice: Told through a mix of traditional narrative, screenplay scripts, and Greg’s self-deprecating lists.

Honest & Unsentimental: A coming-of-age story that avoids "cancer book" clichés in favor of raw, dark humor and genuine emotion.

Celebrated Adaptation: The basis for the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize–winning film.

"It is mineral-water episodic, raw, and very funny." — The New Statesman
"One of the funniest, truest voices I've ever read." — The Guardian