Product Description

Rusty-James isn't book-smart--he relies on his fists instead of his brains. So far whenever he gets into trouble, his older brother, the Motorcycle Boy, has bailed him out. Then one day Rusty-James's world comes apart in an explosive chain of events--and this time the Motorcycle Boy isn't around to pick up the pieces.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7399 in Books
• Published on: 1989-11-01
• Released on: 1989-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 144 pages

Review
"Stylistically superb... this packs a punch that will leave readers of any age reeling."--School Library Journal.

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults, A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, A Kirkus Choice. -- Review

Review
"Stylistically superb... this packs a punch that will leave readers of any age reeling."--School Library Journal.

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults, A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, A Kirkus Choice.

From the Publisher
Rusty-James knows he is a tough teen, but he wants to be even tougher, just like his older brother, the Motorcycle Boy. He wants to stay calm and laugh when things get dangerous, to be the strongest streetfighter and the most respected guy this side of the river.

Customer Reviews

Choose your heroes carefully.
I read this and the other S.E. Hinton staple books ("The Outsiders," "Tex," and "That Was Then, This is Now") repeatably as a teenager. Even then they were dated in literal context (i.e. gangs are between caucasian upper and lower class in this book), but they still captured the angsty spirit of being a teen and the changes that result from growing up. It also captured the brutility of living life in a gang. As usual, the author has parentless boys raising themselves, creating their own sense of 'family' plot-point. In this instance, there is a mother not seen through the protagonists eyes, but that of his brother who actually sought her out. Their father is an alcoholic, gambling non-entity.

Rusty is the perfect example of a self-fulfilling prophecy. He, as well as not only his gang but rival gangs, look upon Motercycle Boy with awe. Motercycle Boy lives in another world that gives him a beyond 'cool' exterior. In a normal family life, he'd likely have grown into a professor of philosophy, but within the paradigm he exists, he is a suppressed ticking time bomb, but a remarkably passive one. He has fully accepted his lot in life, as well as his likely demise, and observes it from a distance that lacks sound and color.

Rusty is insistent that he will be just like his brother when he grows up, though others around him scoff at the idea. He repeatedly point out that they look just alike and that once he finishing growing up, he will not only look identical but assume the 'coolness' of Motercycle Boy. He is correct, though not precisely the way he expected. After a bitter gang fight that causes the retreat of the only real stable point in his life, Steve, and then the police shooting death of his brother, Rusty suddenly experiences the lack of sound and color that was his brother's legacy of mild madness. The epilogue has a grown Steve running into Rusty as though he were seeing the ghost of Motercycle Boy. By this point, though, Rusty, as had his brother, had so thoroughly distanced himself from the world at large, that he was hard pressed to even remember his old friend.

I intend to give this to my son soon, for its lessons of violence and crime, as well as the poignancy of 'be careful what you wish for.'

A Moving Story That Tugs At Your Heart; A Must-Read
Rumble Fish is an excellent book about a boy growing up in a tough neighborhood in a rough family. The boy idolizes his older brother and emulates him in any way that he can; he wants to be just like his brother. The problem is that he's not like his brother--he's an individual, but he doesn't realize it.

This book took me on a rollercoaster ride, where I would be laughing aloud one minute, and have tears on my cheeks the next minute. The end of RUMBLE FISH had such a tremendous effect on me-- it blew me away. The story stirred many emotions inside me and I know that it is forever encased in my heart and I will remember it always.

I've read several books by S.E. Hinton and she is, by far, the best author I have ever read. On my third read of her book, THE OUTSIDERS, I still had tears twinkling in the corners of my eyes.

RUMBLE FISH should be a must-read for young adults, especially those that are searching for themselves right now, or those that have become followers, and are not their own person. This book teaches a valuable lesson; you have to search a little to find it, but it's there

The Best novel by SE Hinton
Rumble fish is a dark look at life in the late sixties/early seventies . The main character is a tough guy named Rusty-James, who uses his strength and fighting abilities instead of his mind . The story is told as a flashback with Rusty-James meeting his old geeky friend Steve when he is in his early twenties . Throughout the story we see Rusty-James idolize his older brother who looks like a "prince," and whose view of the world differentiates from everybody else in the washed up neighbourhood . Rusty-James talks about one day looking like his older brother and his respect and reputation is gained partially from being related to the myth known as the Motorcycle Boy , his brother . The books charm is possibly because of how vague it is , the Motorcycle Boy is never named , neither is the time period , the location is'nt named and women are considered secondary characters , two dimensional and unimportant . Rusty-James has his crew of pals ; Smokey (the intellegent tough guy who has a silent tension with Rusty throughout the novel) , BJ , (the fat tough kid) , Midget , (the tall lanky kid who informs Rusty-James about his fight with Biff Wilcox) and last but definatly not least Steve Hays, Rusty's best friend , a nerdy blonde haired cautious guy , who looked twelve and acted forty . Rusty-James dad is an alcoholic who at one point in his life attended law school . The father never tells Rusty how to live his life and it seems as if Rusty-James and the Motorcycle Boy are free to do what they want . Rusty-James must worry if his dad will drink up the welare check before he can get his hands on some of the money . Rusty-James also has a girlfriend , Patty , a two dimensional girl who sways any way the wind blows , we find out that shes a hellcat and not a natural blonde , but thats about it . Rusty-James misses the days of the white gangs and rumbles , instead he lives in a washed up town infested with what killed the gangs -dope. Rusty-James looses the most important thing he had in his life and the novel basically ends there with a very depressing last paragraph . The novel is an example of how a simply written novel about a 14 year old wine haired punk who fights , drinks , smokes and gets expelled from his school can be a deep novel drentched in symbolism and interesting characters can be one of the best books I've ever read . And to think its only 135 pages ! The book is great and it prevokes so many emmotions in me , I can relate to everything in the book , the setting ,the characters , its people I've known and places I have been . This novel is amazing and I recomend it to anyone who wants to hear a good yarn .

"I'D FIGURE IF I DIDN'T SEE HIM I'D START FORGETTING AGAIN , BUT ITS BEEN TAKING ME LONGER THEN I THOUGHT IT WOULD ."