This fun, quirky book was written by Alexandra Robbins. “The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth” is about seven real people battling with uncertainties of high school life. There’s the Loner, The Popular B*tch, The Nerd, The New Girl, The Gamer, The Weird Girl, and The Band Geek. She intertwines these narratives -often triumphant, sometimes heartbreaking, always captivating with essays exploring the secrets of popularity, and other high school clichés. She makes the reader understand that being the odd one out isn’t a bad thing, in fact, it may be the best thing.
I read this book because my mom had heard about it and she wanted it to be the first book I bought on my Nook. I was pretty excited to read it because it basically spelled out my high school life; being the odd-one-out, not always fitting in, sometimes feeling lost in a sea of popularity. I started reading this book and knew that I would have some late nights with me, this book, and my lamp.
This first chapter is titled MEET THE CAFETERIA FRINGE. And you may have just asked yourself the first question that I asked myself when I read this. What the heck is Cafeteria Fringe?? And suddenly I pictured my school cafeteria with a lacy fringe along the walls. Little did I know, I wasn’t too far off. Robbins’ definition of Cafeteria Fringe is “People who are not part of or who are excluded from a school’s or society’s in crowd”. Sound like you? Because that hits the nail on the head for me.
The first part of the chapter is about Danielle, the Loner. Her story is heart-wrenching. She doesn’t have any close friends, and the three friends that she does have, she doesn’t like. Some mean kids at her school convinced her to join her own hate club. The club was labeled the “I hate Dominoes Club” and all of her supposed friends were joining. She got pressured into joining as well and became the school’s laughing-stock for quite some time. And that was how she became a Loner. Her story continues on about how she wants to have friends but doesn’t know how to approach anyone. After the first semester though, Robbins gives Danielle a challenge and tells her to go meet new people. When she does, she finds that she has more in common with people then she thought.
That’s just a little tidbit of the entire book. The other six stories are just as heart crushing; even the Popularity’s story. However, one of the students turns out to be a teacher who is getting picked on at school.. Her story is truly amazing.
I extremely recommend you read this book, because it will change the way you look at cliques forever. Even if you aren’t in high school anymore, this can even help with work cliques, or teams, or anything. This book changed my life. I have learned that high school may not be the peak of my life, and that is a good thing. Because the people who are at their peak now, have only downhill to go while I’m still climbing. In the end, the Geeks Shall Inherit The Earth. So, Watch Out!!!!!
