Hating Alison Ashley is a 1984 Australian novel (Puffin Books, London and Melbourne, ISBN 0-14-031672-8) by science fiction and children's author Robin Klein. Written as a pre-teen comedy, the book has a strong moral undercurrent about the pursuit of happiness and perfection, the pressures of growing up and the power of friendship. It portrays the agonies of school-girl rivalries, constant embarrassment by family, and painful and often brutally funny awkwardness and insecurity. One of Klein's most popular pre-teen novels, it has since become a standard English text for school students across Australia.
The book was nominated for 8 Australian literature awards and won the Young Australian Best Book Award (YABBA) in 1967 and the Kids Own Australian Literature Award (KOALA) in 1987.
It has since become a play, adapted by Richard Tulloch and directed by Nici Wood, and a film, Hating Alison Ashley directed by Geoff Bennett with Delta Goodrem in the title role.
Famous quotes containing the words hating and/or alison:
“You must labour to acquire that great and uncommon talent of hating with good breeding, and loving with prudence; to make no quarrel irreconcilable by silly and unnecessary indications of anger; and no friendship dangerous, in care it breaks, by a wanton, indiscreet, and unreserved confidence.”
—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)
“Whoever eats anything at a wedding luncheon? They make the food out of papier mâché. My salad had been used four or five times this week.”
—Peter Ruric, and Edgar G. Ulmer. Edgar G. Ulmer. Peter Alison (David Manners)