An American Demon: A Memoir [Paperback]

Jack Grisham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2011

Depravity, redemption, terror, and spiritual deliverance abound in this physically and psychologically complex memoir from the front man of the pioneer punk band True Sounds of Liberty (TSOL). Spanning the extremes between hard-core punk memoir and handbook for recovery and survival, this narrative documents a youth rebellion that changed the world and offered life lessons rooted in 1980s punk culture. At times unsettling and violent, this book is doused in aggression, rebellion, alcoholism, and drug abuse, culminating in tough lessons of sobriety and absolution. This captivating, dark, and ultimately redemptive life story will fascinate fans of punk and resonate with those who have suffered from addiction issues.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Jack Grisham finally, irrevocably, puts to death the slander that the early Los Angeles punk scene was 'plastic.' The first true literature to come out of our pathetic little punk lives, American Demon is haunting and awakens monsters. But it should come with a warning label: it’s a dangerous book. Read Patti Smith's Just Kids. Then read this. But only if you have the courage to follow poetry as far as it can go."  —Paul Roessler, producer, composer, musician

"If you’ve ever found yourself unable to turn away from witnessing an accident, crash or natural disaster, you’ll read America Demon straight through, like I did. Jack Grisham’s memoir is as original as it is horrifying. I couldn’t put it down."  — James Frey, bestselling author, A Million Little Pieces and Bright Shiny Morning

"[N]ot for the timid. . . . a meld of Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray with Fight Club and A Clockwork Orange, [Grisham] offers a savage poetry with an undertow of wit. In his lens, not-so-quiet Los Angeles suburbs become awash with dysfunction, revolt, and violence. Yet in the end he offers a sense of recovery as well." —Houston Press (May 5, 2011)

“[A] brutal and artful memoir. . . . [Grisham] is a poet of pathology, an uber-punk in a nest of vipers." —www.PopMatters.com (May 9, 2011)

About the Author

Now in heavy demand as a public speaker, Jack Grisham currently receives thousands of calls a month from individuals and organizations seeking his advice, expertise, wit, mentorship, and support, especially on drug and alcohol–related issues. Grisham is a master hypnotherapist and resides in Huntington Beach, California. He spends his time with his family, surfs, and voluntarily offers his services to his community.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: ECW Press (May 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550229567
• ISBN-13: 978-1550229561
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #299,085 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #70 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Musical Genres > Punk

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A novel way to write a memoir/biography April 2, 2011

By Kurtz

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

For those of you expecting a straight up punk rock biography on Jack Grisham and or T.S.O.L. (True Sounds Of Liberty - Jack's band) let me state emphatically that you wont get it. Yes, Jack regales the reader with plenty on his view of the music scene he whole-heartedly participated in and in his way defined, but I believe the reader gets a lot more than that. Jack labels this book a "memoir," and it is especially when you read and put the title into context with Jack and his life as An American Demon. But a typical, rushed, and poorly written rock-n-roll bio this is not. Demon reads like a novel and in many ways I would have loved to have read this book without any prior knowledge about Jack. Simply because a reader who may know nothing about Mr. Grisham may believe that his life as described within the pages of this tome may be that of a man completely made up! It seems to be unbelievable at times as the book unfolds into a life of pure unadulterated mayhem and chaos.

Like Jack himself this is a one of a kind reading experience. Without giving too much away I hope people out there don't take some things in the book too literally. What's great is that it's up to you to try and decipher what the reality is behind the words. One may even be amazed to find that Jack is still very much alive after they read this book! That he survived the years described in this book (roughly Jack's childhood until the late 1990's prior to TSOL reforming) as a demon is a testament to his no holds barred outlook on religion, child abuse/neglect, love, death, music, cross dressing, surfing, drug and alcohol abuse, and an amazing knack for being able to avoid any really serious physical/mental damage.
You don't necessarily need to be all that familiar with the Punk Rock scene of the 1980's to enjoy this book, but it certainly doesn't hurt. I approached the book on its own merits; as a character driven memoir, for lack of any better examples, akin to A Clockwork Orange, Less Than Zero, or A Catcher In the Rye. That I know a lot of the people in the book and may or may not have participated in some of the events depicted in the book made the whole thing even more of a bonus. I'm not telling.

At turns reflective, incisive, intelligent, sadistic, selfish, psychotic, hilarious and ALWAYS entertaining Jack puts himself out there horns, blood, sweat, semen, and all in his highly readable and well written book.

The names were changed to protect the innocent and not so innocent.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting April 21, 2011

By KathrynA

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

It was like a bad accident, I couldn't stop looking. I would reccomend this book to anyone who has ever thought they were a bad person. It will make you feel like a saint.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Spellbinding October 16, 2012

By Morphologic

Format:Paperback

This book is a must read for anyone that is a fan of American Popular Culture and the Decline of the American Dream. Jack's memoirs take you to the nadir of it all in Huntington Beach, CA in the early-mid 1980's.