[.ca] House Of Stairs (ISBN 0140345809)

The House of Stairs:
I first read this book in 7th grade, and kept it out of the library for 3 weeks just to read it over and over! It was bizarre and psychologically thrilling...20 years later I found it again in a library in Pennsylvania, and re-read it. It was bizarre and psychologically thrilling! Now I am in law school in Baltimore, and wish to own a copy because it seems to me that The House of Stairs is a simple commentary on the complexities of conformity and non-conformity and human conditioning and personal expectations from which we can all take a lesson.I have enjoyed "knowing" this book and realizing, like Peter, just when to say "Enough!"

The Cube for Children:
I read this book in 5th grade and it blew my mind. Thinking back on it, I wonder how appropriate it is for children. But give it some credit, it's a good way to introduce children to the realm of psychology and conspiracy theory. Even as a senior in college I reflect back on the psychology of the novel and search for new ways where violence can be necessary for survival... but can it really triumph end all? Read this book and find out!

I'd forgotten how good this was...:
..This is a tight, fast-paced morality play about a group of five teenagers -- orphans, all -- thrown into a twisted experiment in conditioning. I'd forgotten how little of this book is actually spent examining the gargantuan House of Stairs the characters find themselves in. Most of the book takes place on one landing in the labyrinth, near the food machine. It is here that the characters examine themselves and each other, and ultimately are faced with a choice between losing their lives and losing their souls. It's chilling...

House of Stairs:
House of Stairs by William Sleator Book Review by Geremy Brosmer "'When are they going to take us out?' Blossom wailed as everybody came back to the landing." Peter, Lola, Blossom, Abigail, and Oliver are all orphans and all sixteen. All of them have suddenly been put into a big room full of nothing but stairs. They find a food machine that makes the kids do crazy stuff like stick out their tongues, dance, and lie to get the food machine to give them food. I think Sleator could have made Blossom a little less easy to hate because he just makes her so mean and snobby and self centered. He also could have had a better concept because he just puts four orphaned teenagers in this big room full of stairs for no reason. I liked the way he always kept me on my toes. I was up till ten reading this book one night. He described everything so well I could almost see a picture in my head about what was happening. William Sleator is mostly a science-fiction writer. He's only written one book that's not science-fiction. I would recommend this to anybody who likes sci-fi. Find out more by reading House of Stairs by William Sleator.

Great Book for Adults Too!:
I first read this book 25 years ago, when I was in the 7th grade. Of the (literally) thousands of books that I read during my childhood - this book belongs with the dozen or so that have never been forgotton. Recently I reread this classic, and was just as impressed and impacted by its thought provoking and captivating premise. Because the setting is futuristic, this book is not dated at all. I'm a mom with kids of various ages and would NOT recommend this book for anyone under the age of 12 to 13 - but I would also not classify it a "young adult" novel. Older adults will love it too!