The Wave Resources

Websites

The Wave Dot Com

This is the official Wave website, and is loaded with info (some of it rather strange!). It also promises to "separate fact from fiction" – but we aren't so sure it does that. The real experiment The Wave is based on isn't well documented and it's hard to know exactly how it went down.

The Man Behind The Wave

Want to find out about Todd Strasser's other novels? Read about his life? Hire him to speak at your school? Well, this is your chance.

The Man Behind The (Third) Wave

Ron Jones is the real life Ben Ross. Check out his website here.

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

If you want to read more about the Holocaust, Shmoop highly recommends this website. You can use the search feature to find specific information or just browse around.

Movie or TV Productions

The Wave (1981)

Before The Wave was a book, it was a made-for-TV movie. It's almost too creepy to watch, but… do it anyway!

Lesson Plan (2010)

This documentary film claims to tell the real story of The Wave. What do you think?

Die Welle (2008)

This is the popular German adaptation of the novel, set in present day Germany. Yep, that means it went from movie to novel and back to movie again.

Documents

"The Third Wave"

This is Ron Jones' original short story describing his experiment. Remember, this is a short story, not an essay. Big difference! This is a fictionalized version of events that Jones claims happened years before.

"Like History in the First Person"

Check out this review of the German film, Die Welle, an adaptation of The Wave set in present day Germany.

"How Todd Strasser became Morton Rhue"

Now it's time to gain some cultural literacy: this article describes how German readers react to The Wave.

Videos

Live and in Color

Ron Jones spoke to a sold-out audience in San Francisco about his experiment. Listen close, because he doesn't like to talk about it much.

Made-for-TV

Here's a big chunk of the made-for-TV movie on which <em>The Wave </em>is based.

German, Anyone?

Curious what the German film adaptation of this book looks like? Well, you're just a click away. So, click away!

Images

Our Author

Todd Strasser looks like quite the happy guy here.

An International Book Cover

Morton Rhue = Todd Strasser. We swear!

Shmoop's Copy

This is the cover on Shmoop's copy of The Wave. Scary, right?