13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

I love getting mail, don’t you? Isn’t it great when you come home to find a package with your name on it?

For Clay Jensen—? Well... When he rips off the brown paper and tape he finds cassette tapes from his ex-girlfriend, Hannah Baker: Cassette tapes of her, talking to him, telling Clay what she’s thinking and feeling.

Not so great.

Especially since Hannah killed herself two weeks ago.

Really not so great.

Hannah promises that all 13 recipients of the box are named somewhere in the tapes, and they are one of the 13 reasons why Hannah Baker took her own life. The tapes take Clay on a guided tour of the highs and lows of Hannah’s life: she’s vulnerable and explicit in explaining her pain; why she chose suicide.

Meanwhile, Clay lives in fear of the tape he is mentioned on. Will Clay be able to live with what he hears? Hannah’s choice is already made, what will Clay’s be?

(Booktalk by Mike Fleming, Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus Library)


13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Clay has no idea why he got the tapes. What does this have to do with him? Hannah Baker has committed suicide but Clay had nothing to do with it. But he knows he must listen to the tapes and then pass them along. He listens to the secrets that surround Hannah. The secrets that led to her final, horrible decision to take her own life.

Audio version: http://www.nancykeane.com/booktalks/mp3/asher_thirteen.mp3

(Booktalk by Nancy Keane, Booktalks Quick and Simple)