Iron Man by Chris Crutcher - Dalton Knoll

I read the book Iron Man by Chris Crutcher. This book is about a 17 year old boy named Brewster who has some serious anger management issues who uses that anger to train for the Iron Man he eventually wants to participate in. His anger issues get him in trouble with his school and have been suspended 3 times in the first three months. The major conflict in the story is when he gets suspended his 3rd time and the only way they will let him back is if he attends a anger management class before school. Brewster turns to the only person he thinks will listen to him who is Larry King. Brewster has many conflicts in his life including his dad and his football coach/English teacher Mr. Redmond. Brewster does not like to be told how to do things and often opposes his dad and Mr. Redmond’s authority. In his letters to Larry King Brewster describes his goal for excellence with his own ways of doing things and his quest to be a Triathlete. Mr. Serbousek is one of the few people in Brewster’s life who tries to push him forward and encourage him on his goals in life and takes time out of his day to help him. The first time Brewster walks into his anger management class he thinks all the kids in there are future serial killers, and freeway snipers. But over the course of the class he realizes these kids weren’t so different then he is. He eventually falls in love with a girl In the class named Shelly who loves a physical challenge even more then he does who in the future become an American Gladiator. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for anybody who loves a physical challenge and would rather do things their own way instead of being told how to do it.