Go Ask Alice

Presented as the recovered journal of a fifteen-year-old girl, this work chronicles a descent into substance abuse and emotional isolation. Through dated entries, the narrative traces a teenager’s fractured relationship with her family, her search for belonging among peer groups, and her gradual entanglement with drugs and alcohol. The book emerged during a period of heightened public concern about adolescent drug culture, positioning itself as both a personal confession and a social warning. Scholars and library professionals have long noted the work’s disputed origins, with most attributing its composition to author Beatrice Sparks rather than an anonymous teenager. Despite questions surrounding its authenticity, the text remains a notable artifact of early 1970s youth literature, reflecting contemporary anxieties about mental health, family dynamics, and adolescent vulnerability. Its unflinching portrayal of teenage despair and its diary format have influenced subsequent young adult fiction, while its controversial history continues to inform discussions about authorship, moral instruction in literature, and the boundaries of cautionary storytelling.