Mid-Life Confidential: The Rock Bottom Remainders Tour America With Three Chords and an Attitude

by Dave Marsh | Biographies & Memoirs |
ISBN: 0670852341 Global Overview for this book
Registered by salemhouse on 5/20/2003
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9 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by salemhouse on Tuesday, May 20, 2003
I loved this book, and so I have decided to share it in a bookring. Follow some of my favorite authors and their rock band as they practice and tour..."Part gossip, part behind-the-scenes tell-all, part confessional, this book details the strangest tour in rock history, as 15 of America's most popular writers--including Stephen King, Amy Tan, Dave Barry, and Barbara Kingsolver--left their "day jobs" for life on the rock 'n' roll road."

The bookring has the following participants:
- nkwriter (Ontario, Canada) - read and released
- net (Canada or US address) - read and released
- solittletime (Maine) - read and released
- grover3d (West Virginia) - read and released
- avanta7 (Arkansas) - read and released
- clindell (Kansas) - read and released
- ladyofunicorns (New Mexico) - read and released
- 16stepper (Arizona) - current reader
- kafka (Arizona)
- palmerspal (California)
- return to salemhouse (Minnesota)
- silviobenito (Argentina)

Journal Entry 2 by thebookmistress from Toronto, Ontario Canada on Saturday, June 14, 2003
This book was very enjoyable. Each chapter is written by a participant in the "Suspend Your Credibility" tour: Stephen King, Dave Barry, Amy Tan, as well as another dozen lesser-known contributors to literature. Not surprisingly, they are all wonderful writers: funny, open, stylish and generous. You can sense the enormous fun these people had by getting out of their usual daily experience, and the affection they developed for each other.

If you are a fan of any of the Rock Bottom Remainders, you will not be disappointed: Matt Groening is funny, Dave Barry is hilarious, Amy Tan is touching. And you will be pleasantly surprised by the writers not on your bookshelf -- I had never read Barbara Kingsolver, but will be looking for her books now. I may even be tempted to give Stephen King another try. Tabitha King's photos add a level of reality to the words.

Journal Entry 3 by thebookmistress at -- Controlled Release in Toronto, Ontario Canada on Saturday, June 14, 2003
Released on Saturday, June 14, 2003 at Being mailed to a fellow BookCrosser to read and release. in Toronto, Ontario Canada.

Off to the next bookring member -- "net". Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Journal Entry 4 by net from Creston, British Columbia Canada on Wednesday, July 2, 2003
Just received this book in the mail. I'll read it as quickly as I can (I received two books yesterday), and then send it on its way.

Journal Entry 5 by net from Creston, British Columbia Canada on Monday, July 14, 2003
I really enjoyed this book. It sounds like they had a lot of fun on this tour. And, like nkwriter before me, I would now like to read some Barbara Kingsolver books. I'll probably also try to find something by Tabitha King, I enjoyed her style of writing. Thanks for sharing this, salemhouse. I'll get it sent off to solittletime in the next couple of days.

Journal Entry 6 by wingsolittletimewing from Portland, Maine USA on Sunday, August 3, 2003
I received this unusual book today and can already tell that it is going to be enjoyable. I picked it up out of my mailbox on my way to work and started reading while getting a bite to eat after work. (I know, I've got three other book ring/ray books going, but I didn't have them with me, and you wouldn't expect me to eat without a book to read, would you?) So I lingered over my supper and I'm up to page 55 already.

Will report back when I've had a chance to read more.

Journal Entry 7 by wingsolittletimewing from Portland, Maine USA on Wednesday, September 3, 2003
I enjoyed this crazy saga from mild-mannered writers to zany stage hams. It was fun to hear about this outrageous stunt they pulled, actually going on tour across the country performing (so-called) music.

However, I felt the book did get kind of repetitious as each of the authors and critics wrote a chapter, sometimes describing the same incidents. All in all, it was a wonderful narrative of bonding and friendship and hilarity, just needed to be shortened up some.

Journal Entry 8 by wingsolittletimewing from Portland, Maine USA on Wednesday, September 3, 2003
To be sent to grover3d, next on the bookring.

Journal Entry 9 by wingsolittletimewing from Portland, Maine USA on Wednesday, September 3, 2003
Sent to grover3d via medial mail.

Journal Entry 10 by grover3d on Sunday, October 5, 2003
This one is here - sorry for the delay in logging - the package has been patiently waiting my return home. I'll get to it and will pass it on ASAP - thanks for sharing!

Journal Entry 11 by grover3d on Sunday, November 2, 2003
I thoroughly enjoyed this fun scrapbook of the short and happy life of the members of the Rock Bottom Remainders.....if you've ever wondered about this group of authors-cum-musicians, this is worth a few hours. Thanks for sharing this (this is one of those books that I really wanted to read, but balked at buying myself....I don't know why).

(Delivery confirmation 0302 0980 0001 2031 6038)

Journal Entry 12 by avanta7 on Monday, November 10, 2003
Arrived in today's mail. Two other bookring obligations are currently in front of it, one of those currently in progress. (BookCrossing Karma at work -- after a couple of months with NO bookrings arriving, three converge upon me at nearly the same time -- and I got a PM this morning needing my address for a fourth!)

To be read and passed on as soon as humanly possible....

Journal Entry 13 by avanta7 on Thursday, January 8, 2004
This must be a bookring I signed up for in a feverish moment.

I may regret it at some point, but I'm going to pass this book along to clindell, next in line, without finishing it. I read the acknowledgments, the "documentary history", and part of the first chapter (written by Stephen King), and realized I don't really want to slog my way through the rehash of the Rock Bottom Remainders 1993 tour. Bless their hearts, it appears the gang had a great time, and if I ever run out of stuff to read I may find a copy of this at the library, but right now it holds no appeal.

Journal Entry 14 by avanta7 on Saturday, January 17, 2004
Mailed to clindell today.

Journal Entry 15 by clindell from Mission, Kansas USA on Friday, January 23, 2004
Just received this in the mail from avanta7. Thanks! I'll read it a.s.a.p. and pass it along to the next person on the list.

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Update: 2/16/04. I just finished reading it this weekend and it was quite entertaining. I especially enjoyed hearing the personal reasons each writer decided to join the band and how it helped them develop parts of their personalities that had never come to the fore until then.

Journal Entry 16 by clindell from Mission, Kansas USA on Thursday, April 1, 2004
I apologize for hanging onto this for such a long time, but I finally got it sent out yesterday. Enjoy, ladyofunicorns!

Journal Entry 17 by ladyofunicorns from Santa Fe, New Mexico USA on Saturday, May 8, 2004
This book has arrived safely in New Mexico...it seems to have taken a while to get here...sometimes that happens with my mail for some reason! But it is here now! I am adding it to my ring/ray tbr crate and will read it when I can. Thanks for allowing me to join everyone in reading it!

Journal Entry 18 by ladyofunicorns from Santa Fe, New Mexico USA on Monday, January 23, 2006
I am sorry I held this book for so long! I did try reading it but for some reason this unusual book could not hold my interest. I don't want to hold on to it any longer so I am going to be pming the next on the list and hopefully get this going again.

Journal Entry 19 by 16stepper from Gilbert, Arizona USA on Sunday, October 8, 2006
Arrived safely along with a couple other bookrings. Will read as soon as I can.

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