Jay's Journal

infobox Book |
name = Jay's Journal
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Anonymous (Beatrice Sparks)
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre =
publisher = Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group
release_date = 1978
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardcover and Paperback)
pages = 192 pp
isbn = ISBN-13: 9780671735593
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"Jay's Journal", which is presented as an autobiographical account, is a book that tells the story of a depressed teenage boy who becomes involved with a Satanic group. After participating in several occult rituals, "Jay" believes he is being haunted by a demon named Raul. The book is based on 'true' events of 16-year-old Alden Barrett from Pleasant Grove, Utah, who committed suicide in 1971.

Some critics have challenged the complete authenticity of this story, noting that the editor of this book, Beatrice Sparks, has filled the same role on many other "actual, anonymous diaries of teenagers" that explore such sensational themes as drug addiction, teenage pregnancy, and prostitution. These books, the most well-known of which is "Go Ask Alice", serve as cautionary tales. Furthermore, although Sparks has always presented herself as the 'editor' of "Jay's Journal", a search at the U.S. Copyright Office [ [http://www.copyright.gov/records/cohm.html U.S. Copyright Office - Search Copyright Records ] ] reveals that she is in fact listed as the book's author.

According to a book written by Barrett's brother Scott ("A Place in the Sun: The Truth Behind Jay's Journal"), and interviews with the family, Sparks used roughly 25 entries from Barrett's actual journal and took literary license with the rest, based on case histories from other teenagers she worked with and interviews of friends and acqaintances of Barrett.

A rock opera titled "A Place in the Sun" was created and performed by Utah country Band Grain in 1997. According to some family members, it was a more accurate portrayal and showed Sparks' alleged exploitation of the story.

Within the city of Pleasant Grove, "Jay's Journal" has been the source of many urban legends, including alleged locations where Jay performed actions described in the book, his home, the effect on his family after his death, and other rumors.

References

External links

* [http://www.slweekly.com/index.cfm?do=article.details&id=1CA81E52-2BF4-55D0-F1F453565FA53A27 Detailed article on Jay's Journal from Salt Lake Weekly, June 3, 2004]
* [http://www.timesandseasons.org/index.php?p=1759 Blog entry] on the "Mormon Horror Fiction" of Jay's Journal
* [http://www.aml-online.org/reviews/b/B199734.html Review of Grain's "A Place in the Sun" rock opera]
* [http://www.snopes.com/language/literary/askalice.asp Debunking] by Snopes of the anti-drug tale "Go Ask Alice", also written by Beatrice Sparks.