Gutted: Down to the Studs in My House, My Marriage, My Life [Paperback]

Lawrence LaRose (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 12, 2005

In the course of a few short months, Lawrence LaRose got married, bought a decrepit house in Sag Harbor with his wife, and lost his job. This is the story of how, while negotiating a cash-strapped, divorce-teetering first year of marriage, this unemployed writer and Manhattanite ended up bluffing his way onto a Hamptons construction crew in order to learn the skills for what became an enormous home-and life-renovation.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lawrence LaRose coauthored the internationally bestselling The Code: Time-Tested Secrets for Getting What You Want from Women - Without Marrying Them! and promptly forgot his own advice. He lives with his wife and son in the paint section at Kmart.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (May 12, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582345740
• ISBN-13: 978-1582345741
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #376,994 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Could not put this book down, December 10, 2006

By 

Mary C. Scheid "clancys5" (Princeton, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gutted: Down to the Studs in My House, My Marriage, My Life (Paperback)

I was in the book store looking for helpful advice on my own two phase home construction project when I saw this book. I was looking for more than just Bob Villa-style advice so I picked it up hoping for some insight on the human side of home improvement. It was fantastic - helpful in many ways. I'm surprised it didn't get more attention because it is such a good book!!! This is the perfect gift for anyone who is doing construction on their home because it will make them feel less alone in all of the the crazy challenges that will undoubtably confront them. Get this book! You will not be disappointed.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious and eye-opening all at once, December 8, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gutted: Down to the Studs in My House, My Marriage, My Life (Paperback)

When humorist Lawrence LaRose, author of "The Code", fell in love and bought a decrepit house in Sag Harbor, then lost his job - he was to embark on a renovation journey which was to challenge his new marriage, his bank account, and his own skills set. So what can an unemployed new homeowner with a broken-down house do? Why, bluff your way into a construction crew to learn basic renovation techniques, of course! Gutted: Down To The Studs In My House, My Marriage, My Entire Life is hilarious and eye-opening all at once, from its advice to singles to its encounters with subcontractor mysteries.

5.0 out of 5 stars referred by this old house, October 30, 2008

By 

Garret W. Starke (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gutted: Down to the Studs in My House, My Marriage, My Life (Paperback)

I'm a subscriber to This Old House magazine, and this was one of the books they recommended to their readers. I purchased this book on the heels of finishing my own remodeling project and figured I would enjoy hearing someone else's experience.

The author's writing and first person perspective made this book very enjoyable. I spent more time laughing and telling people about this book than actually reading it. I'm not sure if it was my own personal experience or just his writing skills, but I can say I enjoyed this book and hope he writes more in the future.