Customer Reviews

One Hit Wonderland

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I generally like Tony Hawks, and, in fact, think his masterpiece "Round Ireland With a Fridge" is the most entertaining travelogue ever written. It's hard to top fridge toting, but "One Hit Wonderland", while occasionally amusing, really doesn't measure up to his earlier works.

Tony had a top 5 hit in the UK in 1988 with his group 'Morris Minor and the Majors'. It was a comic parody (kind of like a British 'Weird Al Yankovic' concept) of the Beastie Boys. What was the song title, you may well ask? It was called "Stutter Rap." Need I say more? (You can hear it on Hawks' website, directions are found in the book.) In this book he takes another bet (surprise!) this time attempting to have a top 20 hit anywhere in the world within two years. Many odd comic misadventures ensue with trips to Nashville, Amsterdam, Romania, and the Sudan, before finally finding a compilation with famous composer Sir Tim Rice, and English movie star (from the 1950's or so) Norman Wisdom doing the trick, rising to number 18 in Albania.

The book is sort of like "Stutter Rap" in that Hawks' musical career went downhill fast after that song; likewise, this book is a decided plunge from his earlier writing efforts. There are amusing portions of the book, but he generally comes across as a bit of a prat, and frequently a bit condescending, particularly to the United States, and most particularly to Christians. I didn't really find it a bit amusing when, during his Nashville foray, for instance, he entered a church during worship specifically to mock it, nor was I amused when he mocked an older woman working in a Christian book store. If this is what he is resorting to for humor, then, I doubt I will really need to examine his next book too closely.

Three stars, but I seriously considered two. The adventures with Tim Rice and Norman Wisdom in Albania really pulled it back from the edge.

Like most people, I was first introduced to Tony Hawks through the book "Round Ireland With a Fridge." And, also like most people, I loved that book and immediately set off to read his other books. I read all of them and I have to say that after Fridge, this one was my next favorite. I flew through the pages, snorting with laughter, and thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing. I was actually sad when it ended (although this isn't unusual for me when reading really good books.) I definitely recommend this book.