The IHOP Papers [Paperback]

Ali Liebegott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 3, 2007

Francesca, a disgruntled nineteen-year-old lesbian, tries desperately to pull together the pieces of her scattered life. This hilarioius, heartfelt novel opens with Francesca newly arrived in San Francisco. She has fled her hometown, where she rented her childhood room from the new family who moved in when her parents moved out. The new tenants happened to be her childhood babysitter and her alcoholic husband. But Francesca's move to San Francisco is no mere coincidence. A lonely virgin searching for her sexual identity and obsessed with her philosophy teacher, Francesca has followed her professor, Irene, to California, where Irene has relocated to live with her young male lover and former student. Once in San Francisco, Francesca is forced to work at the local pancake house. Much to her dismay, she has to wear a ridiculous Heidi of the Alps uniform — which is almost as humiliating as serving the array of speed freaks and other graveyard shift misfits. Suicidal and euphoric, Francesca seeks solace in anything and anyone who might distract her from her unrequited love for Irene. More than a coming of age story, The IHOP Papers is a comic portrait of survival and self-discovery on the IHOP late shift.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Liebegott's debut novel is a coming-of-age coming-out in the tradition of Rita Mae Brown's Rubyfruit Jungle, but here, the portrait of an artist as punk waitress is more a celebration of sexuality than humanity. Twenty-year-old Francesca is a recovering drunk who finds comfort in cutting herself and harbors fantasies of her beautiful AA sponsor, Maria; her former philosophy teacher, Irene; and a soap opera heroine. "I wanted everything: Irene's cheekbones, empathy, and wisdom... the sheer beauty and curves of Maria—and the impossibility of Hope from Days of Our Lives," she confesses. Having followed Irene to San Francisco, Francesca lands a job at the International House of Pancakes, dreams of becoming "the kind of waitress who can carry five plates on each arm and glide around the room doing a dance of pancakes" and works on her memoir about losing her virginity and never quite finding love. The Lambda Literary Award–winning Liebegott (for her book-length poem The Beautifully Worthless) offers strikingly lyrical moments in an otherwise frank narrative of a writer teetering between adolescence and adulthood. (Feb. 13)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Despite coming-of-age issues heavily laced with substance abuse, depression and angst, not to mention self-mutilation, Liebegott's smart and funny debut boasts an easy charm sure to win her fans. Francesca, aka Goaty, 19, is a fledgling writer (and a virgin) who has followed Irene, her junior-college philosophy teacher, to San Francisco in hopes of building a committed lesbian relationship with her, despite Irene's live-in male and female lovers, Gustavo and Jenny. Goaty isn't much more successful waitressing at IHOP, where she usually shows up for the graveyard shift in a crumpled, stained, smelly uniform. When she finally loses her burdensome virginity, it's to Jenny, though there is then an interlude with Irene when Gustavo is fighting with her. Maria, Goaty's attractive lesbian AA sponsor, helps thicken the plot and the jest. Peppered with heartbreaking flashbacks to a breakdown, with anxious phone calls from Mom, and with hilarious encounters and insights, this is a stirring portrait of the artist as a young goat taking possession of her creativity and of readers' hearts. Whitney Scott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf; 1 edition (January 3, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786717947
• ISBN-13: 978-0786717941
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #563,183 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars engaging and hilarious, March 24, 2007

By 

went westward "not that creative" (california) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The IHOP Papers (Paperback)

This is one of the few books that is laugh-out-loud funny. Ali has an extraordinary ability to take the absurdity of life and convey it in a way everyone can relate to. Goaty dreams of being a graceful waitress. She imagines gliding across the restaurant with plates stacked up her arms with such splendor that everyone is forced to stop eating and stare in awe. At the IHOP. (??!!) This is a story of unrequited love, of growing up, and of receiving that love back. Uh-oh. You remember the adage of careful what you wish for? ;) One thing that I would like say is I disagree with is how most reviews tend to point out and/or emphasize that Goaty is a lesbian. While this is true, I would hate for someone to not read the book thinking it is all about gay issues or politics or trying to force an issue on you. This book could not be further from that. Anyone who struggled at all through adolescence or through the early adult years will smile fondly at the awkwardness, the day-dreams, and the struggle to survive in world on your own. I could, and I grew up straight, male, and in Ohio! This book is a great read! As a side note, this is the only book review I have ever submitted, and only the second review overall, so I do feel strongly about it. Buy the book, be happy, and smile knowing you've supported an independent author!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Caution: Angst Ahead, October 5, 2007

By 

K. Johnson (Twin Cities, MN) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The IHOP Papers (Paperback)

Sometimes I come across a book that is unexpectedly different from my usual fare. This is one of those books. With her first book, Liebegott has delivered a truly unique story about a young woman who comes into her own. The protagonist - Frannie - is truly a tragic character. She's a recovering alcoholic who smokes like a chimney and is in love with her former philosophy teacher, Irene. Of course, Irene is busy with her two lovers - Gustavo and Jenny - and hasn't given Frannie any solid indication of romantic interest. Frannie is technically a virgin - having her sights set on Irene and only Irene might be a problem. Top this off with the fact that Frannie moved to San Francisco to be with Irene and ends up getting a job wearing a goofy dress and white nurse shoes at IHOP... then you've got something worth reading.

There are many characters in this book. Some are useful and have a purpose, others are merely fluff. There are many settings in this book - again, some are useful and others aren't. The most unique characteristic of this story is in its telling. This book is written in the style of classic literature and reminded me of something I would have read in English Comp 101. This is a rare flavor in the genre - one I've only really seen in `Cat Rising' by Cynn Chadwick. Another similarly-written (although not quite as distinctly different) book is `Punk Like Me' by J. D. Glass.

What a great read and a moving experience! I'm not sure what Liebegott will offer next, but if it's anything like `IHOP' it's sure to be a winner.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Here's a tip for you-- check out The IHOP Papers -- AMAZING, August 2, 2007

By 

Kim D. (Sunny Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The IHOP Papers (Paperback)

As a former IHOP waitress I was drawn to this book because of the title and once I started reading I couldn't put it down. Liebegott's writing is painfully honest, and refreshingly original. It's not all about the IHOP but her descriptions of it are vivid and accurate, bringing back a lot of memories for me. Francesca is young, poor, gay,struggling with alcoholism, low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts, and to top it off her job requires her to wear a humiliating Heidi dress and clunky white nurse shoes. You can't help feeling for her. I was delighted and amazed as I read this quirky character's story. I finished the book this morning-- read it in one day--and haven't been able to stop thinking about it ever since. Don't miss out on this great novel!