# Books set in the 80s



## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

I'm reading Rick Springfield's autobiography and listening to eighties music, because_ this would be my teen years. _The combination is great. I've read a couple books set in the eighties, with teen characters, in the actual area where I grew up -- of course the main characters are gay boys. (Band **** & Drama Queens) So, what I'm looking for are more books set in that era with a lot of cultural references, with teen and young adult characters ideally.

_Thank you very much,_ she says (while channeling Andy Kaufman.)


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## Thalia the Muse (Jan 20, 2010)

I have THE book for you (although I really doubt it's on Kindle): Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Cameron Crowe's supposedly nonfiction account of an '80s suburban California high school. Yes, it was a book before it was a movie! 

Less Than Zero is also supremely '80s teen, but it's a downer (of course). If you lived in L.A. at the time, though, it's fun to see all the name-dropping he does of real nightclubs and shops and so forth.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

Awesome, I can get a copy of Fast Times for, like, $55.00.


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## Thalia the Muse (Jan 20, 2010)

It's worth it!   I read that book when I WAS an '80s teen, and just loved it.


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## Thalia the Muse (Jan 20, 2010)

Adding -- for young adults, New York in the '80s, "The Slaves of New York" by Tama Janowitz. It was made into a direly bad movie, but the book is fun fluff. I aspired to move to New York and make my living by selling wine goblets with fake jewels glued on them too!


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## Monique (Jul 31, 2010)

I haven't read it yet, but it's on my TBR list - Sandra Edwards'  Crazy for You is set in the 80s.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

MichelleR said:


> I'm reading Rick Springfield's autobiography and listening to eighties music, because_ this would be my teen years. _The combination is great. I've read a couple books set in the eighties, with teen characters, in the actual area where I grew up -- of course the main characters are gay boys. (Band **** & Drama Queens) So, what I'm looking for are more books set in that era with a lot of cultural references, with teen and young adult characters ideally.
> 
> _Thank you very much,_ she says (while channeling Andy Kaufman.)


How funny. Those are the books I was going to recommend. I so flashed back to my teen years after reading those books. I was born in Dearborn Heights, but I grew up near St. Joe/Benton Harbor. And I'm 3yrs older than the protagonists ... but it was such a trip down memory lane.

Here's another coming of age in the 80's novel:



I also loved his first book "I'm Not Myself These Days" but it's set in 1990's NYC and is full of dragqueens, prostitutes and recreational drugs and while it's laugh out loud funny, it doesn't really fit your bill.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

Geoffrey said:


> How funny. Those are the books I was going to recommend. I so flashed back to my teen years after reading those books. I was born in Dearborn Heights, but I grew up near St. Joe/Benton Harbor. And I'm 3yrs older than the protagonists ... but it was such a trip down memory lane.
> 
> Here's another coming of age in the 80's novel:
> 
> ...


I grew up in Warren so every other page was a reference to some place I knew well -- he even mentioned the Catholic School I attended in Hazel Park.

I've read a book by Josh Kilmer-Purcell, but it was this one:


Have you watched his reality show? Fabulous Beekman Boys?


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

MichelleR said:


> Have you watched his reality show? Fabulous Beekman Boys?


Yes. It's a gay Green Acres and very amusing .... I haven't read his third book but it's on my list. He just cracks me up. I got his first book in a book store in the Hong Kong Airport and laughed all the way across the Pacific. Drove the older Japanese man next to me insane.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

I'm definitely more a Josh than a Brent and so I always side with him when they argue. Wow, and here I derail my own thread.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

I'm a Josh too ....

Have you read _Less Than Zero_? It does fit your bill but it's incredibly depressing. I loved it when I read it, but I've never read it again. Ellis' next book, _The Rules of Attraction_ is also and 80's novel but set in a private university in the NE. a lot of it reminded me of my college days and its' a good read if you haven't already read it ...


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

Nope, haven't read it -- either of them. I've seen the movie (LTZ.)


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## Sandra Edwards (May 10, 2010)

Monique said:


> I haven't read it yet, but it's on my TBR list - Sandra Edwards'  Crazy for You is set in the 80s.


Thanks for the nod, Monique 

Michelle, you should be aware that my book visits some very dark and controversial topics. Plus, there are no teens in it...but it is definitely a blast from the past.

Sandy


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## CandyTX (Apr 13, 2009)

Ooohh!! You guys are totally my peeps! You like 80s crap and someone mentioned Josh Purcell... I loved his memoir - heh, the fish boobs will be with me forever. Didn't know he had a new one out... that's gonna cost me a click


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## Ty Johnston (Jun 19, 2009)

Then there's always Ellis' American Psycho, which I believe was set in the 80s (though it might have been very, very early 90s since the novel was published in '91). It's not so much about young people, but it does include several chapters on specific music artists of the day. Word of warning for those who don't know: This is an extremely graphic novel when it comes to horror, and thus is not to everyone's reading taste.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

Sandra Edwards said:


> Thanks for the nod, Monique
> 
> Michelle, you should be aware that my book visits some very dark and controversial topics. Plus, there are no teens in it...but it is definitely a blast from the past.
> 
> Sandy


Duly noted. Controversial doesn't bother me, dark rarely does either.


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## Shayne Parkinson (Mar 19, 2010)

Mine are... oh, wait, you didn't mean the *18*80s. 

Heart of Glass by L.A. Dale is a fun read, set in Australia during the 1980s. And it's free!


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## barbara elsborg (Oct 13, 2010)

I really want to suggest a couple of books but they're very English so I don't know if they would work. 'Starter for Ten' by David Nicholls - is about students at a UK university and a TV game show - called University Challenge. The other - also by Nicholls is called - One Day - starts in the 1980s but its about one day in the lives of the main protags over a number of years. I LOVED it - I think they've made a film of it. I also like Jay McInerney - several of his books are set in the 80s. My favorite is Ransom though its maybe not what you're looking for.


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