Customer Reviews

Everybody into the Pool: True Tales

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Some days I resent life as a Midwestern suburban mom. I don't discover trends or talents until they've been around long enough to bore my hipper and more cosmopolitan friends. That feeling was never more acute as I read Everybody Into the Pool: True Tales by Beth Lisick.

Every other paragraph had me laughing out loud, even as I lamented the fact I identified more with her naïve and sincere parents than her. I swear she channeled my own Catholic school girl experience with The Apostles Creed (the solo performance of all the memorized prayers, a bored yet perfectly timed recitation delivered hip thrust out) and those early days as a new mom with all the other mommies so together and their babies so stylish while I considered it a huge accomplishment to get in the shower at some point.

Sure, Everybody Into the Pool isn't for everyone. Readers of a more conservative nature might not appreciate her gung-ho yet futile attempts at bisexuality nor the irony of her temp job selling raffle tickets at a Catholic church fundraiser so she could raise the last $40 she needed to fund an abortion. She writes of life among IV drug user, child drug runners, and a day of sewage raining down upon her boyfriend's illegal warehouse apartment without gloss or angry defiance. It just is, like everything else in Lisick's world: sometimes sad, sometimes a struggle, but always worthy of a good laugh. I look forward to her next book, Help Me Help Myself. This time I'm only a few weeks behind.

I laughed and I cried but most of all I just enjoyed every minute - nay second - of reading this book. My poor husband had to endure the constant: "Oh babe, I just HAVE to read this part to you....."
Beth Lisick's humor and her art of storytelling is taking hold of you and you can't put down this book even if you try. I missed a doctor's appointment and a movie date. Darn.
And if you ever have a chance to see her in person read any kind of story to the audience, make sure you don't miss it. I went last week to one of her readings in the city. You are in for a ride. Believe me.

Beth Lisick may well be the funniest person in America. This book not only transcends and redefines its ostensible genre (the humorous chick memoir): it turns it inside out and stomps all over it. It is the perfect antidote for the precious-er than thou hey-let's-go-shopping-and-talk-about-our-periods type of book that seems to be everywhere nowadays. But more than that, the stories in this book will remain with you long after you've read them.

There are one-liners a-plenty, and a good supply of offbeat, caustic observations, and they work great. Behind all that, though, is an original, engaging voice with a lot of heart and a truly unique take on the trials of enduring the ordinary. Beth also manages the neat trick of summing up each story with a coda that suddenly throws the barrage of one-liners into a new, contemplative perspective that can really be quite moving. Yet it never feels forced or contrived; and each one somehow managed to take me by surprise just a bit. After you finish each story, you want to close the book and stare off into space for a while, thinking about life. I got all choked up by several of them, in fact. This is great, great writing.

The best book I've read this year so far, by far.

This book was loaned to me by an acquaintance who borrowed the book from the library and thought I'd like it because I'm from SF and I'm edgy. Whatever.

Okay so Beth Lisick is cooler than you. And she's gonna pound that into you over and over again so you KNOW it. She was cool just out of diapers. She "hung out" with her babysitter who was a hippie! Her parents were so "square" that they were cool! (Hey, it's hip to be square, remember?)

And she has an astounding memory. She can remember-at age 4--that it was on a Thursday that something in particular happened. Right.

She's so cool that she was a track star AND homecoming queen, er, princess...but it didn't matter to her, because she's so cool, you see. So she wore an ugly dress because she was too cool to care. Right.

She's so effin cool that when she works with some nuns at a charity auction and they aren't paying attention and she COULD get away with stealing a lot of loose cash that's around she only takes the $40 that she needs and no more and still feels some guilt. Now that's cool, right?

She's so cool she never had to borrow a penny from her wealthy folks. But her dad helped her buy a house. But it was in the "bad" part of Berkeley--really close to Oakland--so she's still cool, see? And there were, get this, DRUG DEALERS on her block! And they knew her name! And it was all just so effin COOL!

Every time she mentions that she spent big bucks on her yuppy life style she apologizes for it, to be sure you know she's not just some kind of a sell-out or something.

Oh yeah, and she's a name dropper. And her brother made a name for himself in advertising and is rich.

And her lifestyle is cooler than yours because she chose to live on temp jobs and be "poor" and arty.

Does everyone see that she's an ARTIST and will never just be normal or want to be? See? See? See? She even thought she might be a LESBIAN!!!! Now if that's not counter-culture what is? Wow.

Good grief. People I've known who are like Lisick are the worst kind of poseurs.

Oh yeah, and she's a MOM, but she's a COOL mom whose baby isn't yuppified because he's snotty (and she wipes his snot off with her hair at one point! Isn't that COOL?) and dirty and dressed all funky and weird. So you know she's an artist.

Please. Spare me this...

I thought I was the only one who enjoyed Hallmark "Mahogany" cards, until I read Beth Lisick's "Everybody Into The Pool." This is just one of the many things that resonated for me in this collection. And here's an added bonus that shows how art can make an impact and connect people: I was on the Larkspur-to-San Francisco Ferry reading the final tale, "Little Bundle of Entropy," and laughing so hard that I was crying. The woman sitting next to me started laughing too, because she could relate to a moment like that. I read her the sentence that had sent me over the edge, and she laughed even harder. What normally would have been a typical, solitary ride--where you're staring straight ahead, trying not to look at what the person next to you is writing in their notebook--turned into a great human conversation about how important it is to look at the world with a sense of humor.

After reading a chapter of this book in the Metro I knew I had to check it out. There are stories in here that are laugh out loud funny. I work at a book store in the bay area and have recommended it to many. DONT PASS THIS ONE UP!

Beth Lisick is a hip, 21st Century, female Dave Barry, except her stories are true life experiences. Most chapters are cutting edge, up-to-the-minute, uncensored episodes of "I Love Lucy." This upper middle class suburban gal definitely has experienced more than most . . . and it ain't just girl talk. Guys will love it too! Hope there is a sequel. Don't miss it!

Beth Lisick's tales are so entertaining and funny! She is a great writer and has wonderful material to work with in Everybody into the Pool. These are terrific little stories about her childhood, her life in the arts around San Francisco and being a new mom.

If you enjoy reading Augusten Burroughs and David Sedaris memiors you will absolutely enjoy this book! A very fast and fun read.

Beth Lisick, is a captivating writer. She made me laugh throughout the whole book. I recommend this book to anyone.

This was a quick, fun read!
I was laughing so hard when I read about her eating a steak on her first date that my boyfriend looked at me like I was crazy!
Beth Lisick is definantly alternative, unfortunately that worked against her more than it helped her but at least she has some interesting stories to tell!