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That Was Then, This Is Now (by S. E. Hinton)

common sense media says

Teenagers love the gritty realism of this novel.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that teenagers often see themselves in this story about kids who are going through a turbulent adolescence. The realistic character study seems to touch young readers, who frequently undergo similar uncertainty.

Positive messages: This is one of those character driven stories that appeal to teens because they see themselves in the characters and connect with the turbulence within their lives. However, since the subject matter is concerning some difficult stuff, this book can be a catalyst for a discussion with your teen about how they feel, and what is going on in their world.
Positive role models: A character helps an African-American girl, but she asks her friends to
beat him up because he's white. As was common in 1971, the main
character refers to African-Americans as "Negroes." The main characters
hustle pool, fight, drink and smoke.
Violence: A man is shot to death, and both main characters are injured in several brutal fights.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: One mild expletive. The main character states a dislike for the profanity he hears all around him.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Drinking and smoking and drug use.

More on That Was Then, This Is Now

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about the realities of being a teenager in the 1950s (the time period in which this book is set) and how it compares with the struggles of being a teen today.
  • Why does Byron hate the police? What prompts him to grow weary of all the violence that surrounds him on a daily basis? Do you agree with Byron's decision to turn Mark into the cops?
  • Have you ever felt similarly conflicted by your desire to stay loyal to a friend but, at the same time, to do the right thing?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Best friends become enemies when one accepts violence and crime and the other turns against that life. Bryon and Mark grow up together on the wrong side of the tracks, get into fights, and hustle pool. But Bryon changes, while Mark doesn't. Teenagers love the gritty realism of this novel and the story of a boy's inner turmoil.

 

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Young readers who enjoyed S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders, one of the most popular of young-adult novels, often want to read this one, which contains realistic portrayals of the same tough, wrong-side-of-the-track kids -- including Ponyboy Curtis, who shows up as a minor character. But while The Outsiders simply exploits pathos, THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW explores more complex ideas only touched on in the earlier book. It's a superior effort, one that even extremely reluctant readers understand and enjoy.

Much like The Outsider, this book examines friendship and loyalty. But in this case, the main character, Bryon, turns in his best friend, Mark, to the police. It's a major transformation for Bryon, who states throughout the book that he hates cops. Unlike Mark, Bryon tires of the constant violence of his neighborhood. He's stunned when he hears the story of a hospitalized boy who refuses to hate his attackers, even though he had tried to help their friend. Bryon begins thinking about the futility of revenge and the cycle of violence it causes.

Book themes & details

Book Details
Author: S. E. Hinton
Publisher: Penguin Group
Publication date: January 1, 1971
Number of pages: 154
Paperback price: $6.99

This review was written by Monica Wyatt
 
 

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What parents & educators say

11

Most useful reviews by all members

 
i lost all my tears
it was a book that i actualy read...and i would read it a hundred more timz if i didn't know it by heart!

Dotty13
teen, 17 years old
 
Great for teeens struglig with social and drug related problems
This was another of Hitons great books I have read both this book and The outsiders and found both intriging. I may only be 13 but i just loved these books and loved how she took everyday problems and made them extreme to make a wonderful and meaningful story

 
i think this book is a must read!!! for all ages
this book is an awesome book! it contains many interesting things that these characters struggled with. you must read this to enjoy it...dont juge a book by its cover!!

 
One of my all time favorites!
Just read it!!!

imunder13yearsold
kid, 11 years old
 
This book is amazing...ly terrible!
THIS BOOK IS TERRIBLE! DONT EVER READ IT ITS A WASTE OF YOUR TIME!

sarah_soda
teen, 15 years old
 
Well, definatly in comparrison to The Outsiders, the book was a small blimp on my chart of good books, but it wasn't servirly bad. This book does need a very mature mind reading it, due to the fact one child has a very bad LSD trip which is desribed VERY vividly (shouting 'The spiders kept coming into my stomache, showing me the colours, I never knew the colours were so bad. then they were eating the colours'), although it is not glorified it can be shocking to some because it is screeched out loud many times. Also, one boy sells drugs, claiming 'if they didn't get it from me they would have just gotten it from someone else', this boy is sent to jail. A man is shot by texans. Violence is a little extreme. A little bit of language, not sevirly bad. It is an okay book, and the main character does somewhat find the error of his ways in the end, but looses his best friend.

Toads
teen, 17 years old
 
not so good in my opinion
Im 14 and I gotta say the Outsiders was way better. Kids arent stupid we know that using LSD one time wont completely f you up. Also whats with the depressing ending?

lesleygg
teen, 15 years old
 
the plus side
Its a very good book and can educate kids about the effects of drugs.


kid, 12 years old
 
Drug use makes it uncomfertable
Personally, I love S.E.Hinton, and this book is no differnt. The only thing that makes me say 11 and up is that there is alot of referance to drugs, it does look down upon it in a way, but reading it made me uncomfertable.


teen, 14 years old
 
Drug use makes it uncomfertable
Personally, I love S.E.Hinton, and this book is no differnt. The only thing that makes me say 11 and up is that there is alot of referance to drugs, it does look down upon it in a way, but reading it made me uncomfertable.


kid, 11 years old
 
Drug use makes it uncomfertable
Personally, I love S.E.Hinton, and this book is no differnt. The only thing that makes me say 11 and up is that there is alot of referance to drugs, it does look down upon it in a way, but reading it made me uncomfertable.

 
A classic novel that may not be for every teen
I can't believe Common Sense Media gives "That Was Then, This Is Now" an "on"!! This book deals with very mature subject matter. For one thing, the whole story revolves around drugs. The characters use drugs and discussion of drugs is used. This is required 8th grade reading, but parents need to be strongly cautioned with the graphic drug use in this book, along with some violence, racial language, and some sexual references. Just as a little note, the movie ("That Was Then...This Is Now") is rated R, which is why it can't be shown in middle/high schools.

roxychiclexi
teen, 16 years old
 
Great Entertainment Novel
I'm 14 and I absolutely loved this book! The characters change throughout the novel and in positive and negative ways. The characters are great and there are subjects like drugs, smoking, and alchohol, but they teach and discourage kids to not do these things in life. It is very realistic and very good! There are many connections from the Outsiders, but they are two different novels.

imunder13yearsold
kid, 11 years old
 
This book is amazing...ly terrible! CHUCK NORRIS DOES NOT APPROVE THIS MESSAGE!
this buk is teribl. it complytly rueend mi lif. i nevr wanta reed anuthr buk agan. evr. nevr.

ChuckNorrisApp ...
teen, 15 years old
 
Chuck Norris does NOT approve this novel!! >:(
This book was definitely not as good as The Outsiders..... it had a brutal plot, no exciting events, and basically, the weak messages that were given were getting old, because S.E. Hinton uses the same idea over and over again. I would say that this book is definitely NOT a must-read like The Outsiders, so to readers considering this book, pick another one!

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
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