Annie on My Mind

Liza and Annie attend different high schools in completely different neighborhoods in New York. They meet at a museum and develop a friendship through phone calls and weekend visits. They both have a hard time showing their feelings for one another in private and in public. Annie and Liza gradually fall in love with each other It isn’t until Liza realizes that she can't live without Annie does she become more comfortable with being gay and starts showing more emotion.They both understand that they need to keep their relationship under wraps especially because Liza attends a private school. When two of Liza’s teachers go out of town she and Annie realize they have a place to have for some privacy. However, their secret is exposed when one of Liza’s classmates (Sally) and teacher (Ms. Baxter) find them at the apartment of Ms. Stevenson and Ms. Widmer in distress and out of breath. Not only is their secret exposed but also the relationship between Ms. Stevenson and Ms. Widmer. Liza attends a school hearing to defend herself and to find out whether if the incident will be reported to her college. 

This novel is considered a realistic fiction novel. I found this book interesting but I felt that the story just dragged out. I did get bored after a while and this book took me a longer time to finish than others. I like how it shows the importance of standing up for yourself and being true to yourself even when others don’t agree. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Garden, N. (1982) Annie on my mind. NY: FSG

Special Note: This is one of the first books about female relationships. It has been under extreme scrutiny especially when it was first published.