Some people might find Susan Hinton's teen novel, The Outsiders, a bit outdated in the 21st century, but I don't find it that way at all. Many of the characters' problems in the novel--social acceptance, family issues, parental neglect, school life, teen angst--are still relevant today. Perhaps an even greater issue is the resurfacing of gang activity during the past two decades. While gangs in the United States virtually disappeared during the 1970s and 1980s, they have obviously returned in great numbers in recent years. I think many readers would still be able to relate to The Outsiders today. Certainly, the movie version, starring many young actors who hit it big shortly thereafter (Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe, Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, Emilio Estevez) is a great supplement to the novel.
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