Customer Reviews

Beam Me Up Scotty

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Awesome, incredible. So funny. I never laughed so hard in my life, and really thought about what I read. There is sex, drugs, murder, tension, an outrageous bunch of characters who I loved. I can't believe this book is not a movie. Like Taxi Driver with humor and it actually says something about our sick society. If you read one book this year, make it this. Scotty rocks.

"Beam Me Up, Scotty" is one of my all time favorite novels. Guinzburg portrayal of addiction to twelve-step programs, sex, food, crack and even murder is as powerful as it is hilarious. Guinzburg's style and imagery is harsh and brilliant! I can't wait until more of his work is published in the US.

Michael Guinzburg is an undiscovered writer of genius. A lyrical stylist with a richly deserved core of devotees (mostly in Europe where he is celebrated), his prose in Scotty nails the language of the Twelve Steps and our self-help addled culture with sublime hilarity. Read this book. Do it.

Guinzburg writes like a renegade, mercenary pioneer pinballin all over crack-city with a Rabelasian swagger not seen since the likes of Hubert Selby Jr. His Big Apple is rotten to the core, and sure it's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it, so why not Ed? Like a whitewashed Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction, Ed dishes out divine retribution with no concession to any moral conciousness other than his own. Crack-dealin' bro's beware, Ed's one angry mo'fukka. like a bear with a sore ass and a head fulla PCP, your time's up and there ain't nowhere to run. A rollercoaster ride through Hell!

This is one of my favorite books. Guinzburg's persuasive writing keeps you on your toes and loving it. You don't know if you should laugh or cry at his characters and story line. I hope you'll enjoy it was much as I did.

Black humor is the name of the game in this novel of the evils of crack. Our hero is a recovering addict who wants to get his life back in order. Realizing that the mantras of the program he is in are not enough to protect him from the hundreds of pushers, he defends his newfound life with his black pitbull, Natasha, and his trusty glock. This book provides all of the gruesome details of the crack plague and the lives it destroys, and allows the reader to laugh instead of crying. An excellent read for anyone

I cannot add much that would surpass what the other positive reviewers have already said. This is a wildly original and entertaining novel. Michael Guinzburg has a wonderful way with words and possesses an amazing imagination. He apparently has written only three books. I have also read Plumber of Souls, so it's two down and one to go.

He committed a big error in the title, however. If you read the book, it makes total sense. However, for anyone who has not read the book, and is considering doing so, the title gives the powerful notion it's something you might find at a vendor stand at a Trekkie convention. Would be a good idea to reissue the novel under a different title.

But let's not quibble. Wonderful piece of work. And let's pray he writes even more novels.

Great book, read it, then grind it up and smoke it.

To the "bukowski it ain't" guy--couldn't you figure that out by glancing at the cover?

The story seemed promising enough at the beginning, but ultimately failed to deliver. Comparisons to the early beat authors are an injustice to those who legitimately deserve that description.

The book failed to capture the psyche of the addict- was too predictable- lacked substance.