Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock - Matthew Quick

It's Leonard Peacock's 18th birthday, and for his present he's going to take his grandfather's Nazi P-38 and shoot Asher Beal, and then himself. But first he has some other presents to deliver to his friends and find out why Herr Silverman, his Holocaust history teacher, never rolls up his sleeves.

To be sure, that is an over simplification of the plot. Matthew Quick tells a powerful story about overcoming obstacles, and shows us how important other people can be in our lives.

I find it very difficult to write about this book, because it was such an emotional ride for me. I remember going through High School wanting to commit suicide, and while my reasons were not the same as Leonard's, I understood his pain. I found myself crying a lot while reading this. 

While this is considered YA fiction, it deals with some pretty adult content, and parents should be aware of that. 

Matthew Quick is also the author of The Silver Linings Playbook.