The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming-of-age epistolary novel narrated by 15-year old Charlie. He writes to an anonymous friend and all the names he mentions (including his) are all aliases because, he says, “I don’t want you to find me.”

The blurb in the books says that the novel is:

The story of what it’s like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie’s letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

But for me, the best way to describe this book would be to quote what Holden Caulfield said, which was: “What really knocks me out is a book that, when you’re all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it.”

Personally, I like a book that is not just entertaining but also makes you realize a lot of things about yourself and others. There are a lot of books that are fun to read; many become bestsellers because they are beautifully written and interest a lot of people. But it makes a world of difference when you find a book that inspires you, lets you appreciate life and other people, and makes you feel infinite.

Here’s a link to download the PDF version of the book for free, via 2shared.