Customer Reviews

Playing Right Field: A Jew Grows in Greenwich

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

When I was first introduced to Maximum Rocknroll in the early 90s, Tabb's pieces always stood out. When I outgrew MRR, I would still pick it up for Tabb. Soon after, I'd find his pieces in the New York Press, which became the only reason to pick up that weekly as well.

Whatever the subject, whether talking about his rough childhood, what he did that week, or that time he thought he had an STD (the rash was the cause of masturbating too much), Tabb writes in short, clipped sentences, packed with bittersweet sadness or self-deprecating humor, usually both at the same time. While most perzine writers fell for the eloquent prose of Aaron Cometbus or the zany verbosity of Rev. Norb, my early first-person stories tried to emulate those simple Tabb sentences that expressed a gangly, awkward, outsider mentality that I found completely relatable.

In this autobiographical collection of short stories, you can understand where that outsider mentality incubated. Tabb writes about his childhood, growing up a rare Jew in WASPy Greenwich, CT, where the physical and emotional abuse from his father gave no relief from the physical and emotional abuse from his classmates.

Anyone else would tackle this in self-pity, but Tabb is Tabb: you can't help but laugh at the descriptions of him getting beaten up by just about everyone, including the blind and handicapped kids in his school; but the moments of humor strengthen the underlying sadness of the experiences, and while it's missing from the book, you can easily see how and why punk rock became his escape.

George Tabb is a man of the people. That is to say, he knows a heck of a lot of people and a heck of a lot of people know him. He is an approachable, likeable guy and when I began reading his Maximum Rock 'n Roll columns back in the late 80s I had no idea that he was actually such a friendly person. Due to his long-standing punk rock celebrity/credibility he doesn't have to be. The fact that he IS such a great person is a testament to his character, glimpsed here in "Playing Right Field: A Jew Grows in Greenwich."

This book is a collection of essays that span Tabb's early childhood and teen years. It is all at once heartfelt and heartbreaking. When I finished it I felt the urgent desire to seek out and brutally punish anyone who'd ever been mean to George, and believe me when I say that would be a time-consuming process!

The bottom line is that this book is full of poignant, bizarre, and sometimes upsetting memories presented in amazingly rich detail. Tabb's capacity for recall is the mark of a great writer and a true talent.

I believe this book is an incredibly valuable manuscript that takes the reader back to the sometimes cruel state of childhood, all the while reminding us that back then we always strove to remain optimistic in our belief that Tomorrow would be a better day. I believe that George Tabb is still optimistic - despite everything - and that this both confusing and inspiring characteristic distinguishes him as a complex man with an important voice.

Kids can be extremely cruel. Most people have horrible memories of childhood, and would rather not stroll down memory lane. Do we really want to read any more appalling stories about a 98 pound weakling getting beaten up daily by his classmates and bullies at school (as well as at home)? Do we need to read about these horrible kids torturing animals, eating sheep eyes to spew out onto enemies' faces, or dismembering a sea turtle with an axe? Do we have to read in detail about getting dry humped and ejaculated on by a 200 pound dog named Bear? Of course we do. Especially when George Tabb is the narrator. Nothing personifies the definition of punk rock like Tabb. According to the dictionary, punk rock is "marked by extreme and often deliberately offensive expressions of alienation and social discontent". This perfectly describes "Playing Right Field: A Jew Grows in Greenwich". Tabb certainly understands what its like to be on the outside looking in. He just doesn't care to be on the inside.

After spending his first few peaceful loving years in Brooklyn, his folks got divorced and he was dragged up north to Greenwich, CT to live with his physically abusive father and new wife in Waspville. This made young George awfully miserable. His father certainly knew how to snatch defeat from his son's jaws of victory. His cruel stepmother, who liked nothing more than to humiliate and antagonize him, also treated him like CinderFella. Even his home wasn't a safe haven, but somehow Tabb made it through all the violence and mental abuse.

Tabb's schoolmates were all anti-Semitic too, which also made his life a living hell. Nothing is worse than being ostracized as the local kike, since everyone in Greenwich seemed to have the Heebie-Jeebies towards him. Luckily the natives never strung him up from a tree, since the most brutal physical torture was saved for local animals. At least his friend Jimmy crucified a frog instead of Tabb. Even the blind kid who looked like a zombie and had no eyeballs beat him up on the head with his Braille typewriter for being a Member of the Tribe. Maybe he was trying to push down the horns he thought Tabb had growing on his head, being Jewish and all. The one legged kid didn't like him either; at least Tabb had the upper hand (or lower leg) with him. Something is seriously wrong when even the unaccepted won't accept you. It's a good thing Helen Keller didn't go to his school; she would have kicked his ass too. This is extremely ironic since Tabb was the only good-natured soul to befriend the one mentally retarded kid at camp, and took under his wing. Of course he got the crap beaten out of him for defending him, but Tabb eventually does get his revenge. Or as much revenge an angst ridden adolescent can dish out.

The author has a candor and empathy when describing his experiences that is rarely found. This must be due to the endless persecution he endured. Fortunately Tabb still had a typical suburban childhood, filled with comic books and superheroes. His enthusiasm and humor even in the darkest of times (for a 10 year old) shows a kid who just keeps trying and never gives up. Always looking for approval from his father and never getting it. Some role models pass through his life, and show him that he really is a great person, no matter what. Tabb soon learns life lessons, such as breasts are really comfortable to lay on, and there is something in between his legs for a reason .He still has an innocence about him that wasn't completely lost. Except for the time he got dry humped and ejaculated on by a 200 pound dog. But Tabb just gets up, wipes himself off, and goes on. That's what this book really is about, perseverance in the face of adversity. And that's how Tabb's vivid memoir makes you feel, as if you are actually there with him experiencing his miseries and joys, through his young perspective. You'll be out playing in right field; sharing the same sweat encrusted team shirt with his two brothers. During the same game. That his rich father was generous enough to buy. We should all be so lucky. George Tabb is a pussy, and is damn proud of it. If you read this book, you'll agree, too.

Unbelievable read. I read it in one sitting. This book was great insight into the life of a punk icon. He tells, quite humorously, tales of his tough childhood. Excellent read for any punk, outcast, or lonely jew.

I first met George Tabb at a club one night last year and found out we had some old friends from the past in common. He said he had a book out called Playing Right Field that I might like and another one, Surfing Armageddon, that will be coming out in a few months. The first one was a childhood memoir, the second is about his high school and early college years. I found George really interesting to talk to, so I was determined to look up these books, and read about this guy. As my friends and I were leaving the club, he said if I was interested, I can check out his web site. So the next day at my office, I found the site and glanced at a few of his blog entries. This guy was very funny. And I thought anyone who loves their little Yorkie that much clearly has a big, big heart. So I looked up his books on Amazon, and read their descriptions.

Now, being the Jewish child of Holocaust survivors, and having emigrated to the U.S. with my family when I was five, from communist Romania, where a Jew was a second-class citizen, I related to his painful daily abuse at the hands of those fascist little Greenwich aryan bullies who had it in for him and his little brothers for nothing but their ethnicity. But his home life wasn't any safer. Yet the stories themselves sounded hilarious. I was intrigued, so I ordered the first book. The second one wasn't out yet at the time.

The guy sitting in the cubicle next to mine asked what book I was ordering and I told him Playing Right Field, a childhood memoir by a guy called George Tabb whom I met last night. He says, "George Tabb? You mean the guy who wrote those hilarious columns for the New York Press?" I said I don't know, he just told me about his books, and they sound really funny from their descriptions on Amazon. He says Tabb's columns were his favorites. He'd been a big fan of his writing for years, since he first saw his columns in Maximumrocknroll, a publication I'd never heard of. He says, "Hold on a minute," and emails me a bunch of links to George Tabb stories.

And after reading them, I'm just blown away. One after the other, they're all clever and witty and sweetly self-deprecating. And laugh-out-loud funny. So I couldn't wait to read the book.

I was not disappointed! It is one of my favorite books ever. It breaks your heart while cracks you up laughing, and in every bizarre story (all of them are bizarre) there's a lesson learned. And you find yourself smiling. After finishing the book, I emailed him that I really enjoyed it, as did my teenage son who generally doesn't like to read, but he loved this book. So did his friends who borrowed it. So I ordered it for friends and family for as holiday gifts. And in that email, I also told George I was really sorry that I didn't know any of his writing or his music when we met.

The funny thing is, for a writer so well respected and so well known in the music scene, he's anything but a snob. He is the nicest, kindest, most approachable person you'd ever want to meet. It's surprising, considering he grew up so filled with rage at his abusive sadistic father, that he didn't turn out to be a serial killer!

By the way, I just finished his new book, Surfing Armageddon, in which George's family leaves Greenwich for Tallahassee FL, where Jews are appreciated as much as, if not more, than they were in Greenwich! But now teenage George with hormones raging--inspired by the bad-ass music of a little band from Cleveland called The Dead Boys and that lovable NY punk band that leveled the playing field for outsider everywhere who thought they couldn't be cool, The Ramones--is on a quest to do what any healthy, red-blooded, sex-obsessed teenage boy is after. Lose his virginity. But like everything else in George's life, the road is filled with a few hilarious bumps along the way. Another gem. See my review of that one.

Ahoy, if you're looking to buy this book you're proboly already familier with George Tabb's style of writing. And, so this book is more or less compiled as his column's tend to be written. Most of the stories are in proper order with a few a bit out of place but, no big deal. This is more a book to read here and there on one's lunch break not a sit down and read it from cover to cover. George reminds us what it's like to be on the receiving end of childrens cruelity and dealing it out mostly on the receiving end though. Arn't most punks the rejects of the so called norm children? George also shows the era for them young punks what kids did before they had video games and all that crap. They beat the crap out of each other had crazy adventures avoided their crappy parents and more or less just pain flat survive the bs years. This book would've been a five cept the first few chapters are rather ackward.....They seem to be structed rather oddly. They offer an early peak at George and that's perhaps why they're ackward cause they're from when he was 6 and a bit under while other chapters are 6th grade up to high school so, i think his memory is a bit hazy to add his style of humor to the story whilst keeping it on the tab or real. If you like George's writing overall you'll not be disappointed. Or, if you or someone you know's just likes to read stories about others that aren't really famous than this is also a good book to pick up. So, stop reading those F'n opera books and pick up a book about real life adventures from the Seventies. See George shoot his pop, see George puke at carney island, read about his adventure of killing the tortise that ate goats and kittens, also why one should avoid the left hand of the blind child and is wrestling a fag sport?!? Find out first hand from George if it is indeed and what the hell is Fourth Trumpett!!!!! All these wonderments and questions are in this book! After you're done reading this book you'll feel like drinking and being lazy. Or just like why the hell am I still working this crap job......

When i started reading it i seriously could not put this book down. It has everyhting needed to be the perfect book. When reading this book you really have to feel bad for George Tabb. He was beat up every day on the bus jsut for being Jewish. His dad was horrible too him( when he played on the baseball team his dad would only buy one shirt for him and his brother). He was even beat up by a blind kid (he wouldn't hit him) and people thought he was making everyhting up. He was punched in the face just for defending a retarded kid. George Tabb is in Furious George a really punk band.

Not only was this book able to hold my attention for longer than 30 minutes, but I read through the book in 2 days because I couldn't put the damn thing down! Every story is told in such detail, I would forgot that these things happened to him - not ME! Just don't hate him when his writings appear in the 22nd Century Edition Bible.

George Tabb is an absolute genius.

I know this book is going to be part of a series and I can hardly wait for the next one to come out. So get a move on it George.

I bought this book the minute it became available on pre-order because I am somewhat acquainted with George via the online Ramones areas & I knew him to be intelligent, funny & articulate. I've also seen signs of a soft heart under the old school punk rock outside but I digress. I'm a fast reader so it didn't take me long to get through it & just as I thought, it was enjoyable & funny. It isn't easy to keep a light touch when you are talking about a difficult childhood but he accomplished that. A good read from a good guy in every respect.

"Playing Right Field" is about George Tabb (the author) and the
various highlights of his childhood years. Things that were funny,sad, whatever. He lives in a town that hates Jews and with him being a Jew it makes for a great book. I especially liked all the blatantly disgusting and funny parts like the slaying of Gamera, the goat-eating turtle beast, and the time a neighbor's dog turned George into his bitch. It only took me part of a day in summer school to complete it and I never stopped laughing throught the whole thing. Overall, this is probably the funniest book I've ever read. I'd think it would be great if Tabb would write more books, and I'd definitely look forward to them.

It is on Soft Skull books and I got it at Borders in Winter Park.
Actually, I got my copy from a friend's mom.(...)

--Robert