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The Wave
The Wave
Author: Todd Strasser
This book is a novelization of a teleplay by Johnny Dawkins based on a short story by Ron Jones.  — The Wave is based on a true incident that occurred in a high school history class in Palo Alto, California, in 1969. — The powerful forces of group pressure that pervaded many historic movements such as Nazism are recreated in the classroom whe...  more »
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PBS Market Price: $7.59 or $3.69+1 credit
ISBN-13: 9780440993711
ISBN-10: 0440993717
Publication Date: 1981
Pages: 144
Reading Level: Young Adult
Rating:
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 42

3.6 stars, based on 42 ratings
Publisher: Laurel Leaf
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed The Wave on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
A very interesting story about a classroom experiment that went a little too far. Mr. Ross was trying to teach his class about a large group movement, but even he got too caught up, enjoying all to well the role ofthe "leader". Worth the read.
reviewed The Wave on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Really creepy; really good. I highly recommened this. They were talking about the case in my psych class. The reading is easy and engaging.
reviewed The Wave on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Thought-provoking quick read.
reviewed The Wave on + 100 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
thought-provoking-both my children loved it
reviewed The Wave on + 22 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This is probably a good book for a 13-year-old, but not very engaging for an adult.
Read All 16 Book Reviews of "The Wave"

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reviewed The Wave on + 3 more book reviews
Short, touching novella about the Holocaust
daedelys avatar reviewed The Wave on + 1218 more book reviews
This book is a must read. I couldn't put it down once I stared.

I found it to be so disturbing how a repetition of actions used on a group of people can easily serve to brainwash them. Whether it be students, military or religious organizations, it's easily to be led like sheep into believing what you are told. The "everyone's doing it" becomes common place and those who don't agree are outsiders.

It's even more unsettling that this boo is based on actual events and that a teacher allowed it to continue knowing he was using Hitler's regime as the catalyst for the project. I was appalled at how the teacher, who was considered the leader of the Wave, just couldn't comprehend how things were getting out of hand. Especially when he hear students planning on getting more recruits for their cause and then having other students volunteer as his "bodyguard". He actually seemed to enjoy the power he was having.

The easy pull of fascism is brilliantly portrayed in this book and I am planning on doing some Googling on the original story that happened in Palo Alto, CA. It's a story that a person of any age can read and learn from.


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