Coloring Outside The Lines: A Memoir [Paperback]

Aimee Cooper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 2002

From slamdancing at punk gigs and running from riot police, to facing the consequences of violence and betrayal, Coloring Outside the Lines explores one girl's true journey through the underground punk scene of Los Angeles.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An honest memoir seen through the eyes of a still-innocent girl. -- Rockrgrl Magazine

I loved reading this book. To say that it's strictly for a punk audience severely limits its power... Highly recommended. -- Kris Sevillena, Verbicide Magazine

Once you start reading, this becomes damn hard to put down. -- Shredding Paper Magazine

This book is a must in every punk and hardcore kid's bookshelf. -- Jeffx, Quebec Hardcore News

Tucked inside are glimpses of teen drama the likes of which The WB can't begin to touch. -- Innocent Words Magazine

Product Details

• Paperback: 146 pages
• Publisher: Rowdy's Pr; 2 edition (September 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972311718
• ISBN-13: 978-0972311717
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #848,929 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, quick read., May 17, 2003

By 

Scott Heisel (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Coloring Outside The Lines: A Memoir (Paperback)

We don't get enough books to review here at Punknews.org HQ. To quote an old PSA, "Reading Is Fundamental!" I wholeheartedly agree. While a CD can let you hear the music as it's being played, a book on music can let you feel the music pulsing through it's pages and onto your fingertips. This is why I love reading books that have to do in some form with punk rock.

Clocking in at a light 132 pages, Aimee Cooper's "Coloring Outside the Lines" is a light read, perfect for a Saturday afternoon or a long car ride. The book tells the story of Aimee's discovery of punk rock [via a stood up date and a very inebriated Johnny Thunders], and her subsequent involvement in the burgeoning LA punk scene. This woman was a part of "the Connected," a now infamous group of LA punks who stuck together. She also worked for Slash magazine, where she met such punk rock luminaries as Exene and John Doe from X.

The book goes into a decent amount of depth for it's abrupt length about Aimee's experiences with work, friends, shows, and the like. It reads in a very "diary" type of format - Aimee has opened up her soul in these pages and exposes it to the reader without fear of scrutiny. I, for one, applaud her for it.

It's funny, because the book this reminds me of the most is "Amped" by Jon Resh [review here], and as I look up the info on this book on Amazon.com, I see that someone has already recommended "Amped" in addition to this book. I couldn't see a better pair. If you're looking for a belated Christmas present for someone, these books are it. Aimee's writing isn't perfect, nor will this book shatter any stereotypes, but it is a quick and interesting look into the 1980's LA punk scene [by someone other than Henry Rollins].

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sometimes the smaller players are more interesting...., March 8, 2003

By 

MissWorld - See all my reviews

This review is from: Coloring Outside The Lines: A Memoir (Paperback)

When punk came calling during the late 70's in Southern California, thousands of internally rebellious voices shrieked and many kegs of beer used as a shower. Unlike the NYC and UK punk movements, the LA punk scene was in a class of its own and a young college student, Aimee Cooper, got caught up in its mosh pit. Cooper spent 18 months within the scene, at the very tail end of the good years, and had numerous adventures with the misfits that followed her home and nearly created a punk rock commune in her duplex. Working as a receptionist for Slash magazine, Cooper has numerous occasions of being completely invisible to the punk rock elite like X's Exene and John Doe. On her days and nights off though, she was out having memorable rendezvous with riot police and rumbles down in Mexico. Often the innocent bystander, Cooper got the black eye for her commitment to her fellow punk rockers. She was also one of the players that demonstrated against Adam Ant during his visit to LA with the slogan "Black Flag Kills Ants On Contact." Even though Cooper was not a major mover and shaker of punk rock history, her book Coloring Outside the Lines, is an honest biography about what it was like to be a girl and live the punk lifestyle before commercialism and New Wave took over. - Ruby GirlMedia.Com

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fresh, interesting look at the punk scene, January 28, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Coloring Outside The Lines: A Memoir (Paperback)

Well, I've got to say that this quick-paced book was fun to read. The author obviously put her heart and soul into writing this memoir, and it shows. Her story was poignant at some points, exciting at others, often quite funny, but always entertaining.

As someone who witnessed the LA punk scene first hand, I found this book mirrored many of my own experiences, both good and bad. It brought back a lot of memories. Thanks, Aimee, for sharing this part of your life with us!