Misdirected A Novel [Hardcover]

Misdirectedis the story of fifteen-year-old Ben, who moves to a small conservative Colorado town where his atheism seems to be the only thing about him that matters to everyone. His classmates bully him for not fitting in, his teachers don’t understand him, and with his brother serving in Iraq and his sister away at college with problems of her own, Ben is left on his own to figure things out. Being a teen is tricky to navigate when you’re an outsider, and Ben struggles to find his place without compromising who he is. He rebels against his teachers, he argues with his classmates, and he rejects what others believe, bringing the reader with him on his enlightening journey as he learns the value of challenging accepted beliefs—including his own. Berman tackles religious intolerance from an unexpected angle that will hit close to home for many and spark interesting discussion. --School Library Journal

There's a lesson for us all in there - atheist and religious alike - to what extent should we tolerate the intolerant? ... Misdirected has an easy, colloquial style and it's a pleasure to read. Its characters are credible and well-rounded and I really did love Ben, who tells the odd white - and sometimes a shade of grey - lie but who is, at heart, honest and open with himself as well as others. I really wanted him to find a way to cope with his troubles and come out smiling. --The BookBag (UK)

What a great swan dive into the world of literature. —Amos LassenALI BERMANis the author of Choosing a Good Life: Lessons from People Who Have Found Their Place in the World. Her writing has appeared in Unsaid Literary Journal, Elimae, Used Furniture Review and Puerto del Sol, among others. She works as a humane educator for HEART, teaching children about issues affecting people, animals, and the environment. Berman resides in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two cats.