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A review by jlmb
Memoirs by John Waters, Tennessee Williams
3.0
Well, that was depressing. I started off enjoying it; I'm a sucker for celebrities that overshare in their memoirs (I'm looking at you, Shelley Winters and Gene Tierney!). I wasn't a fan of the stream of consciousness writing style but I figured, hey, it's Tennesse Williams, he must know what he's doing. However, as the book progressed, I realized that the stream of consciousness was not a rational decision about style and structure but rather all he could manage, given how much booze he drank & pills he popped.
Same with the oversharing sex and partying stories. At first, I enjoyed reading about them. I thought that his partying was to be expected after his sad, lonely childhood and early adulthood. A sort of stretching-your-wings-and-flying after years of repression. But again, as the book progressed, his stories became sadder and sadder. His inability to ever be alone led him to make many questionable decisions in his love life. He was a magnet for grifters and users. Tennessee was a handsome man, incredibly talented, witty, had a lot going for him, but for the most part instead of choosing an equal as his partner, he chose hustlers. He did have his long-term relationship with Frank Merlo, but the whole time Tennessee was being a jerk, pushing him away until Frank had had it. I sensed a lot of self-loathing in Tennessee. Like he didn't think he deserved to be happy.
The alcoholism and drug abuse also became much darker as the memoir progressed. I googled rehabs to see what would have been available to him in the 1960's. Hazelden, which is a great rehab, was operating then. His family & friends could have sent him there instead of that crazy mental hospital which didn't help at all. Tennessee didn't write much about his younger brother, the one who committed him, but I got the impression that they did not like each other. Perhaps the mental hospital was intended as a punishment rather than a way to help?
It really was shocking, what he was using. A real Valley of the Dolls. He was taking thorazine?!?! What on earth?! He popped seconals and nembutals like they were candy. He was constantly eating valium and a few other pills I had to google that were also barbiturates. I am amazed that it took him until 1983 to overdose. All washed down by booze, of course. Made me think of that Neely O'Hara line in Valley of the Dolls "They work faster" when she is called out about taking downers with alcohol. Maybe it was the introduction to Dr Feelgood in the 60's that kept Tennessee from ODing? All that speed counteracted the downers. It wasn't just Dr Feelgood who injected him; when Tennessee was traveling, he'd convince local doctors to give him shots of ritalin! Times sure were different back then.
The constant traveling also became depressing after a while. At first, it seemed very 'Jet Set' but then it dawned on me that Tennessee was pulling a geographic. That's a recovery term for changing your surroundings instead of changing yourself. It was like he was always trying to run away from himself.
This memoir would be a great original source for someone writing a biography of Tennessee. As a stand alone memoir though, it only gives brief glances of his life. It's overwhelmed with minutiae that doesn't help the reader get a larger sense of the writer. It's the sad ramblings of a drunk. I still gave it a (weak) 3 stars because it did help me understand where his plays are coming from. Also, even writing high, he still manages to write some beautiful passages. If only he had been able to write a memoir when sober - that would have been great. Sigh.
Same with the oversharing sex and partying stories. At first, I enjoyed reading about them. I thought that his partying was to be expected after his sad, lonely childhood and early adulthood. A sort of stretching-your-wings-and-flying after years of repression. But again, as the book progressed, his stories became sadder and sadder. His inability to ever be alone led him to make many questionable decisions in his love life. He was a magnet for grifters and users. Tennessee was a handsome man, incredibly talented, witty, had a lot going for him, but for the most part instead of choosing an equal as his partner, he chose hustlers. He did have his long-term relationship with Frank Merlo, but the whole time Tennessee was being a jerk, pushing him away until Frank had had it. I sensed a lot of self-loathing in Tennessee. Like he didn't think he deserved to be happy.
The alcoholism and drug abuse also became much darker as the memoir progressed. I googled rehabs to see what would have been available to him in the 1960's. Hazelden, which is a great rehab, was operating then. His family & friends could have sent him there instead of that crazy mental hospital which didn't help at all. Tennessee didn't write much about his younger brother, the one who committed him, but I got the impression that they did not like each other. Perhaps the mental hospital was intended as a punishment rather than a way to help?
It really was shocking, what he was using. A real Valley of the Dolls. He was taking thorazine?!?! What on earth?! He popped seconals and nembutals like they were candy. He was constantly eating valium and a few other pills I had to google that were also barbiturates. I am amazed that it took him until 1983 to overdose. All washed down by booze, of course. Made me think of that Neely O'Hara line in Valley of the Dolls "They work faster" when she is called out about taking downers with alcohol. Maybe it was the introduction to Dr Feelgood in the 60's that kept Tennessee from ODing? All that speed counteracted the downers. It wasn't just Dr Feelgood who injected him; when Tennessee was traveling, he'd convince local doctors to give him shots of ritalin! Times sure were different back then.
The constant traveling also became depressing after a while. At first, it seemed very 'Jet Set' but then it dawned on me that Tennessee was pulling a geographic. That's a recovery term for changing your surroundings instead of changing yourself. It was like he was always trying to run away from himself.
This memoir would be a great original source for someone writing a biography of Tennessee. As a stand alone memoir though, it only gives brief glances of his life. It's overwhelmed with minutiae that doesn't help the reader get a larger sense of the writer. It's the sad ramblings of a drunk. I still gave it a (weak) 3 stars because it did help me understand where his plays are coming from. Also, even writing high, he still manages to write some beautiful passages. If only he had been able to write a memoir when sober - that would have been great. Sigh.