A slyly constructed semi-autobiographical story about a young woman skirting the edge of the '90s, dealing with relationships, her less-than-perfect past, and artistic angst, Diary of an Emotional Idiot is edgy and entertaining--a mesmerizing story of the more surreal aspects of day-to-day living on country back roads and Manhattan's East Village. 192 pp. Author tour. National media & online publicity. 30,000 print.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
Estep started out as a spoken-word performer, stomping out onto poetry-slam stages and delivering her witty, sometimes angry prose to loud, appreciative audiences. In addition, she has been featured on MTV and performed at Lollapalooza. Her first novel will surely thrill her fans and seduce new ones from the body-pierced, Gen-X crowd as well as Ginsberg and Kerouac followers. As the novel opens, the clean and sober Zoe is holed up in her ex-lover's apartment fantasizing about chaining him up and making him perform menial tasks. From this vantage point, we see flashbacks to her former life as a heroin addict frequently repulsed after a few days with a new boyfriend, writing porn novels for a living, and even cleaning her drug dealer's toilet for a fix. Estep has an incredible ability to make even the most disturbing scenes absurdly hilarious. Recommended for libraries serving a trendy population.?Editha Ann Wilberton, Kansas City P.L., Kan.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Zoe is in Satan's closet ("Satan" is what Zoe calls her ex-boyfriend). She let herself into his apartment and closet to tie him up while he sleeps so she can degrade him as revenge. Meanwhile, she tells in flashback how she arrived here (physically and emotionally) and how she joined the "emotional idiots" (friends of hers addicted to food, sex, or drugs), whom she manages to depict as average people trying to balance their desires with society's demands. Estep is a performance artist, and the tone of her first novel is conversational. Zoe's worldview and way of communicating are strong but charming. She sympathizes with the book's many quirky characters. Although they often act irrationally, their actions ring true if one does not analyze or criticize their motives. Ranging from small towns in Pennsylvania through a visit to Tunisia, a stint in Boulder, Colorado, and ending up in New York City, Zoe's story reminds the reader just how magical and random every person's journey is--whatever closet they may be in. Kevin Grandfield
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Funny, sad, and strange.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Diary of an Emotional Idiot: A Novel (Hardcover)
I am heartbroken that this book is no longer in print. A few years ago, when I was flat broke, I found myself so engrossed by it that I read it while sitting on the floor of a bookstore because I couldn't afford to buy it, not just once but twice. Now that I can afford it it's unavailable. Estep is strange, original, and gruesomely funny; this (apparently) autobiographical first novel is unlike anything else I've ever read, a mixture of high culture, punk rock, drugs, sex, romance, and idealism. Throughout Estep chronicles her own and others' losses and dreams with spare, deadpan sentences. These events almost seem to speak for themselves, but of course it is a mark of her artfulness that we have the impression that the story tells itself.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a NEW author worth reading.,
By
This review is from: Diary of an Emotional Idiot: A Novel (Hardcover)
Maggie Estep's talent is in telling stories in a twisiting, gyrating manner, with all the grace of a great dancer. Her prose is undistractingly clear, but has all the wild movement and intensity of Kerouac's spontaneous prose, with all the fluidity and flair of Joyce's stream of conciousness. The nice thing about the book is that many of the constructions and catchphrases are also used in her songs. The sentences push ahead with a poetic rythm, enforced by her nasal, yet surprisingly sharp voice, almost singing in my head. It's no surprise this book is the work of a poet...
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant. That's the only way I can describe it.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Diary of an Emotional Idiot: A Novel (Hardcover)
Months ago my best friend Erin told me to 'check out Maggie Estep' So I did and I listened to a couple of the soundbits from her CD. Among those was the song "I'm an emotional idiot" This intreaged me. However I forgot about it. A couple months later while being on Holiday in the US I remembered and bought Maggie's CD. This was brilliant and made me check for more of her work. When I found out about this book I ordered it. a week later I got it and started reading. I was immediately gripped by the intro. For once a book about people you can relate to. I haven't seen that very often. I was finished 3 days later(and might I say that English isn't my native language). It's fast-paced, humorous and written in a style that's easy and fun to read. It's about everyday people with problems that normally are not talked about much and protraits them in a way that makes you think why people don't talk about them. You follow the leadcharacter Zoe thoughout her life which is a wild ride to say the least. Bad parents, sex and drug addicts, bad relationships and the odd heavymetal guitarist. Diary Of An Emotional Idot has it all. All I can say is buy it. It's brilliant. I can't wait to read her forthcoming novel. *wishes it would be the winter of 1999 already so he can get Soft Maniacs*
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