Customer Reviews

My Dream Date (Rape) with Kathy Acker

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I came across this book doing a search of Kathy Acker's books, figured I might buy it. I thought maybe it was a memoir. The title story is a short-short about a dream the author has of winning a date with Acker in a contest sponsored by Grove Press. There's another weird Barbie doll story, and a long and dark story called "Crack Hotel" that scared me, and made me quite sad. This was a very cool read.

This is one of the most original collections of short stories I've ever read, and I've rarely been this excited to discover an author.

Hemmingson's stories are weird, but not superficially and strenuously so. This is not someone straining to be different. The stories have an oddball feel all their own. Like reality running just a second late.

The first section of the book features brief stories which are extremely scatological. Their themes seem to be about indulging in your own proclivities (what others would consider perversions) and finding acceptance.

The second section features two longer stories (about fifty pages apiece). Both are crushing tales of corruption. The first, "Crack Hotel," is told in trippy, stripped-down style. The latter, "Raymond Carver is in Hell," is the most "literary" piece in the book, and starts off about a young girl from a small town who is kidnapped and killed, and about how her classmates deal with this, eventually starting a religion around her. The story -- told by a man who was in love with the girl as a kid, and grew up forever looking for her -- hits a perfectly elegiac tone. Things descend into sex and violence, as the man grows up, hits the lottery, and goes on a binge in Europe with a skin-mag model. He has two heart attacks along the way, and Raymond Carver is his guide through hell (hence the title).

"My Dream Date (Rape) With Kathy Acker" is by far the best thing I've read from Eraserhead Press. I plan to read everything I can find from Michael Hemmingson.

Highly recommended for anyone who likes their fiction a little skewed.

"Whoa, man. What have I gotten myself into?" -- That's the question you'll be asking yourself when you're halfway through reading this book.

Chuck Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis, Charles Bukowski? That's old school.

I never heard of this author, even though he's apparently written around 40 books (mostly subversive erotica). This collection contains some truly perverse stuff. And Hemmingson definitely takes risks. If you're like me and like to discover new writers, I beg you to take a look at this work. The novella "Crack Hotel" alone is worth the price of the book! It really blew me away. Talk about ballsy. (Small warning: if you're squeamish about scatological stuff, you may have some issue with the material contained here.) But, please, just read "Crack Hotel," which reads like Bukowski on crack. Seriously.

It's time to roll the dice and take a chance with new authors, so I'll be looking up more work by this author.

Imagine a XXX hardcore porn with a great storyline, believable performances all worthy for an academy award. Then throw in the author's pros that are... well, Ackerlike. Just read the damned book. You'll dig it!