A powerful and perceptive coming-of-age story, in the tradition of THE CATCHER IN THE RYE. Charlie is a freshman. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends. But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

Stephen Chbosky grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the University of Southern California's Filmic Writing Program. His first film, The Four Corners of Nowhere, premiered at Sundance Film Festival and went on to win Best Narrative Feature honors at the Chicago Underground Film Festival. He helped edit and contributed material to John Leguizamo's Broadway show, sexaholix. He also edited Pieces, a collection of short stories for Pocket Books. Most recently, he wrote the screenplay for the critically acclaimed film adaptation of Rent. He also co-created and served as executive producer of the post-apocalyptic drama, Jericho, which found a place in television history when its cancellation prompted fans to send over 40,000 pounds of nuts to the network in protest. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is his first novel. As well as being an author, Steven Chbosky is a film director and screenwriter. He lives in Los Angeles.