I have to be honest, I’m not a fan of reading books after I finish them. After that last word, I know the climax and I expect the conflict. But there is a single exception, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. My very favorite bildungsroman. I’ve read it several times, and each year I read it I am older. I realize I am coming of age. Stephen Chbosky wrote a novel that timelessly encompasses the sadness, fear, and liberation high school brings. It’s a day-read that, under the surface, reveals more and more of an intense undertone of the childhood that formed Charlie, the main character. The Perks of Being a Wallflower taught me to look deeper than the surface and to reflect on the events that shaped me. After all, everyone has
