A review by matthew2666
Carsick: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America by John Waters

4.0

Like the best of John Waters, just raunchy, hilarious, violent, and somehow full of love and grace for people at the same time. I'm not quite sure what to make of the book's goals and structure and stuff: I originally had the sense that it was a nonfiction account of Waters's adventures hitchhiking across America. The last third is that, but the first two thirds is made up of two novellas, fantasizing in detail about the best case scenario and the worst case scenario of the trip before Waters actually sets out. There's a sort of joke in that the best and worst-case scenarios largely are not super different - both are different energies of 'extremely grotesque.' Somehow, the nonfiction section, while way tamer, is just as fun, a credit to Waters's skills as a raconteur.

So yeah, this book is a weird mess, but it's also vile and hilarious and wholesome.