The Basketball Diaries by Jim Carroll

This book covers the time period Fall 1963 through Summer 1966.  It was first published in the United States by Tombouctou Books in 1978.  It was published by Penguin Books in 1987. The edition pictured here was published by Penguin Books in 1995.

 

Here's one of my favorite passages from the book--

Tonight I just stuck
it out in bed, radared the scene and slipped into some
baggy jeans, a tee-shirt (stayed barefoot) and went out
and up. "Up" is my roof, and what I do is simply take
off all my clothes, stand around awhile, a totally naked
young boy, stare into the star machine and jerk myself
off. Is it strange? Maybe, but it's certainly the most beau-
tiful and exciting way of masturbating I've experienced
since I first began my steady practice of the art when
I was just turning twelve . . .   I don't
really think about anything while I'm in the process of
the actual tugging, least of all going into any of the heavy
sex fantasies I have to resort to indoors. It's just me and
my own naked self and the stars breathing down. And
it's beautiful.