A funny, hip, and compelling contemporary novel. Ronnie is an aimless college graduate navigating California's crossed cultural currents with the wide wooden paddle of sarcasm but no boat. His companion, Karen, is a member in good standing of the tribe that provides Ronnie with his best comic material: the 90's hippies. At the helm of Great White, the world's least reliable car, the drive fearlessly into the foggy future, headlights busted. Along the way they run into roadblocks as large as elephant seals: the pain of loved ones who do not love themselves, the pulse-pounding suspense of police brutality, and the disturbing legacy of a forgotten genocide. Set in Santa Cruz, CA, Love Songs of the Tone-Deaf is as regionally accurate as a street map, but much more fun to read speeding 80 mph. down Highway 1.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
"A West Coast answer to Salinger's Holden Caulfield .. remarkably witty and well-written." -- Metro
"A brilliant and humorous look at love, politics, apathy and ethics by an important new literary talent." -- Andrew X. Pham, author of Catfish and Mandala, winner, Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize
"Destined to become an underground classic." -- Good Times
"In wicked and witty prose that crackles on the page, Brauner has created an engaging anti-hero you'll love to hate, and hate to love." -- Sandra Jackson-Opoku, author of The River Where Blood is Born, winner, "Best Fiction", American Library Association, Black Caucus Literary Award
"Love Songs of the Tone-Deaf is a funny, devastating, and oddly romantic send-up of aquarian excess, a thorough blueprint to a California sub-culture even now slipping away." -- Daniel Duane, author of Caught Inside and Looking for Mo
"A brilliant and humorous look at love, politics, apathy and ethics by an important new literary talent." -- Andrew X. Pham, author of Catfish and Mandala, winner, Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize
"Destined to become an underground classic." -- Good Times
"In wicked and witty prose that crackles on the page, Brauner has created an engaging anti-hero you'll love to hate, and hate to love." -- Sandra Jackson-Opoku, author of The River Where Blood is Born, winner, "Best Fiction", American Library Association, Black Caucus Literary Award
"Love Songs of the Tone-Deaf is a funny, devastating, and oddly romantic send-up of aquarian excess, a thorough blueprint to a California sub-culture even now slipping away." -- Daniel Duane, author of Caught Inside and Looking for Mo
About the Author
Asher brauner is the author of this book and many, many others just like it. He lives with his family in Santa Cruz, CA, where he makes his residence.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not bad, but not as good as other reviews say.,
This review is from: Love Songs of the Tone-Deaf (Paperback)
This isn't a bad book, it's well written, and has a good story, but it's not the masterpiece that many other reviews make it out to be. This 'autobiography' details how a smart but cynical and unmotivated college grad realizes that he doesn't really know everything, and there's a lot more to learn and experience in life than he gives credit for. The tangents of superiority and never ending cleverness of the main character (the author) get old midway through the book and take away from the story. I think he was trying too hard and should have toned things down a bit, we would have still appreciated the character's viewpoint.It's a quick read, and has it's moments, but don't expect any great revelations on what drives the 'x generation'.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Real darn good,
By Troy Calder (Newark, New Jersey) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Love Songs of the Tone-Deaf (Paperback)
That rare gem -- a book that's real. I rate this book five stars because it's a good story, seemingly seamless, well-written, and never once made me whine about "people don't talk like that." A big thing for me, suffering as I do from being born without the "suspend-belief" gene, which makes me throw down a book in disgust as soon as the dialogue rings untrue. It's a lyrical story about learning: love, political protest, finding a meaning in life, etc., all the good stuff, told with a good measure of mildly sarcastic humor. A charmer. The book, not the protagonist, who is anything but. However, he grows on you and that's just the point. By the time he rides off into the sunset, you'll swear you're going to miss him.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hanging out with the guys,
By
This review is from: Love Songs of the Tone-Deaf (Paperback)
I ordered the book merely for its great title, being tone-deaf myself but an avid lover of love songs, I couldn't resist. Still, angsty,sarcastic, mean-spirited guy voices usually wear thin when the beer runs out. But, much to my surprise, delight and utter amusement, Ronnie and his unlikely love for hippie Karen, swept me off my feet and into his wacked world. Ronnie never really figures out how much he loves Karen until the end but manages to convince his readers we knew all along. Their love song is sweet and while you expect to feel contempt for clueless Karen, she ends up being a worthy heroine. An equal contender for heroine status is Ronnie's sister and the scenes between the two of them are both touching and authentic. I'll recommend this book to a select few. Those who can't have a conversation without a silent running commentary going on in their minds at all times, and those hopeless romantics who believe that love can be lost and misplaced and kicked around, but can still be found again, usually right under your nose. Enjoy hanging out with Ronnie and his friends. The worst part of the book is when they all drive off, without you.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
If you're like me, you've never lost an argument. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Great White, Santa Cruz, Deerpark Meadow, Native American, Gregory Thompson, Fred Miles, Golden West, Green Button, Chancellor Perkins, Environmental Club, Pearl Jam, San Francisco, University of California, Carl Davies, Jessica Carothers, John Lone Pine, Ann Capriati-Mentzinger, Ohlone Indians, New Age, Red Button, Ad-hoc Committee, Aunt Rosie, Closet Summit, Eva Shorenstein, Ronnie Shorenstein New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
If you're like me, you've never lost an argument. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Great White, Santa Cruz, Deerpark Meadow, Native American, Gregory Thompson, Fred Miles, Golden West, Green Button, Chancellor Perkins, Environmental Club, Pearl Jam, San Francisco, University of California, Carl Davies, Jessica Carothers, John Lone Pine, Ann Capriati-Mentzinger, Ohlone Indians, New Age, Red Button, Ad-hoc Committee, Aunt Rosie, Closet Summit, Eva Shorenstein, Ronnie Shorenstein New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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