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susanbrearley's review
3.0
Funny bits, but couldn't finish it, just not as funny as I thought it would be.
nssutton's review
3.0
Famous director hitchhikes cross-country, from his home in Baltimore to his apartment in San Francisco.
An old friend of mine loves John Waters and I've been interested in him since we went to see his one man show just about a million years ago. I'd been waiting to read this book all summer, having listened to his interviews about it just about everywhere.
It was worth the wait, although I did feel like the interviews gave away much of the last third of the book, which focuses on his actual road trip adventures. The beginning sections are fictionalized versions of what he believes could be his best case and worst case scenario. Both felt wildly inappropriate for reading during the extended family Labor Day weekend vacation I was on (filthy is the word I used most often to describe it to my husband, secretly glad no one else asked me what it was about) but that's just how a reader's queue shakes out sometimes. When he really let's his imagination get going, I'd have moments where I thought maybe this isn't the story for me, but I loved reading about the actual trip itself so much. The Corvette Kid, my favorite part during interviews, isn't nearly as good as the mundane moments where Waters checks his BlackBerry, frets to his assistants, or gets taken to the wrong hotel by well-meaning moviegoers.
It was an excellent read to close out the summer.
An old friend of mine loves John Waters and I've been interested in him since we went to see his one man show just about a million years ago. I'd been waiting to read this book all summer, having listened to his interviews about it just about everywhere.
It was worth the wait, although I did feel like the interviews gave away much of the last third of the book, which focuses on his actual road trip adventures. The beginning sections are fictionalized versions of what he believes could be his best case and worst case scenario. Both felt wildly inappropriate for reading during the extended family Labor Day weekend vacation I was on (filthy is the word I used most often to describe it to my husband, secretly glad no one else asked me what it was about) but that's just how a reader's queue shakes out sometimes. When he really let's his imagination get going, I'd have moments where I thought maybe this isn't the story for me, but I loved reading about the actual trip itself so much. The Corvette Kid, my favorite part during interviews, isn't nearly as good as the mundane moments where Waters checks his BlackBerry, frets to his assistants, or gets taken to the wrong hotel by well-meaning moviegoers.
It was an excellent read to close out the summer.
neilsarver's review against another edition
4.0
There's something off about the structure of this that I can't think how to fix. It feels heavy on the two fictional "good rides" and "bad rides" novellas before it gets to the story of his real rides. I can't think how you could structure it otherwise, and both novellas are a delight to read, so it ultimately works as a wildly entertaining book, although, like I say, it never stops feeling structurally off. I wonder if Waters and his editors ran into the same thing.
rabidkermit's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
3.5
gonna be honest i skipped most of this book cause i was only interested in the nonfiction bits but i really enjoyed those bits so im not mad about it
mara-john: 2/7
mara-john: 2/7
hill_'s review
3.0
I am slightly lying that I read this, but that's okay because the premise of the book is slightly lying. The book is in three sections: a novella of best-case scenario rides, a novella of worst-case scenario rides, and the nonfiction, what-really-happened, rides. I was only interested in what really happened. I read a little of the fiction, but it didn't really grab me, so I skipped ahead.
kb_208's review
3.0
I saw this at the bookstore on sale and had to check it out, because for some reason I am a John Waters fan, despite never having seen any of his films. I liked the premise of the book. Hitchhiking from Baltimore to San Fran. The way it was set up was interesting; writing two fictional scenarios beforehand, one of the best possble situations, and one of the worst. I wasn't really digging these parts of the book, and I admit that I skipped some of each of the fictional sections. I did like the real story. It's only about 100 pages long, but it is well written and enjoyable.
egumeny's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the good, bad, reality format -- though I will admit the first, "best" section felt a little repetitive towards the end.
I don't know if I'd say I was surprised Waters could write this well -- I love his movies -- but it was the first book by him I'd read and it definitely makes me want to seek out his others.
I don't know if I'd say I was surprised Waters could write this well -- I love his movies -- but it was the first book by him I'd read and it definitely makes me want to seek out his others.
brakywaki's review
5.0
I challenge the lazy public library system to really decide whether this is fiction or non-fiction instead of cheaping out and putting it in the Biography section. I fuckin' dare 'em.
debr's review
4.0
Oh Jon Waters, you are fabulous. This book was such a hilarious read. Like all Waters creations, deeply funny, em bracingly loving of every weird corner of humanity, and thoroughly disgusting. Don't bring this book to a cafe with you, because your Danish will most likely remain uneaten and your coffee grow cold as you get, truly, slightly carsick reading this novel. At least I did. But in a kind of delightful, unapologetic way.