Romance, Riches, and Restrooms: A Cautionary Tale of Ambitious Dreams and Irritable Bowels [Paperback]

Tim Phelan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2006

Tim Phelan is an optimistic, twenty-one-year-old college graduate who is determined to build his future on two solid pillars: meeting the woman of his dreams, and building a financial fortune.

Three months after taking a dream job that promises to put him on the fast track to luxury-home ownership and country club living, Tim’s plans begin to unravel: his brain and digestive tract seem to have entered into a diabolical conspiracy, and they appear hell-bent on destroying his ambitious plans, his confidence, and so much more. But why are they suddenly betraying him at the most inopportune times—like dates and business meetings?

Set amidst the rigid expectations of a polite society where mentioning bodily functions is taboo, Romance, Riches, and Restrooms is an offbeat memoir about one man’s desperate quest to conceal and conquer Irritable Bowel Syndrome before he becomes a penniless recluse. Follow the zany odyssey of this buttoned-down, self-conscious man as he struggles to navigate the high-profile world of investment banking and the image-conscious San Francisco dating scene while secretly experimenting with alternative treatments such as colonic hydrotherapy, hypnosis, building “dams”, and “avalanche blasting”. Will this excessively regular guy find happiness?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tim Phelan is a 1988 graduate of Washington and Lee University, where he majored in French and economics. He currently lives in a three-bathroom townhouse outside of Philadelphia.
www.RomanceRichesRestrooms.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (May 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595385443
• ISBN-13: 978-0595385447
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,365,976 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Look Out Augusten...Here Comes Tim Phelan!, May 19, 2006

By 

Mel Brown "Mel" (Tacoma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Romance, Riches, and Restrooms: A Cautionary Tale of Ambitious Dreams and Irritable Bowels (Paperback)

Bravo to this refreshingly bold and risk taking young new author! Phelan is clearly able to take a subject that so many of us are horrified by and make it not only ok to talk about, but ok to laugh about as well. Through his private, emotional and often hysterical journey we come to realize that often the life we envision for ourselves and the life our bodies have planned can be two very different things! Phelans ability to draw comparisons between everyday situations and places around him with those within him are hilarious, enlightening and often gut-wrenching (literally!). This rookie author has a comedic writing style that is unique and oozes talent! This is a must read for anyone who has ever had to "make a run for it", or knows anyone who has!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow, great book!, March 31, 2008

By 

AB - See all my reviews

This review is from: Romance, Riches, and Restrooms: A Cautionary Tale of Ambitious Dreams and Irritable Bowels (Paperback)

I have had IBS since I was 11 years old, and am now 28. I could really relate to this guy's story and could not put the book down. I didn't think anyone else was just like me, as far as strategizing my entire day around bathrooms. I would like to see more memoirs on this topic, and would kind of like to tell my story someday. What an inspiration Tim is to put it all out on the table. As a female in our society, I'm so embarrassed to have these symptoms, and feel so isolated dealing with them daily. Even my boyfriend doesn't want to talk about my issues, and I get little support. Tim was able to convince me to lighten up a bit and be positive when finding new ways to manage. Everyone should read this book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you for your honesty and bring humor to a *($#&% problem!, March 29, 2008

By 

P. L. Redd "Critic" (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Romance, Riches, and Restrooms: A Cautionary Tale of Ambitious Dreams and Irritable Bowels (Paperback)

I've never, ever written a review on any of the thousands of books I've read, but this one I must offer an opinion of. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Tim - your mother must read this review - YOU ARE A FABULOUS WRITER! Screw being an "investment banker." With this book you have made a difference, and a very positive one, in a lot of people's worlds. You've taken a subject that no one, I mean no one, dare talk about, and you have provided an indepth dialogue that is helpful, sidesplitting funny, and insightful. I am sharing this book with a friend tomorrow who has Crohn's Disease, and happens to be blessed with a great sense of humor. Me...well, I've visited more than my share of restrooms throughout the world (including the buses that we share a common resistence to). I read your book in it's entirety today, laughed so hard I cried, and shared with my husband so many ancidotes, that I ended up almost reading your entire book outloud...several times laughing so hard while reading, I couldn't be understood. Like they say, "you have to be there, baby." While we folks out here in the world suffer in complete and utter silence (well...maybe not...if you happen to be lurking near the restroom door...) we wonder and hope about our future and what kind of help we can obtain for IBS or whatever name we figure this problem is. It becomes an obsession, a life-style, and sometimes a frightening prison. Thank you for letting me laugh with you about this weird little world. And, thanks for letting me know that I'm really not alone.Romance, Riches, and Restrooms: A Cautionary Tale of Ambitious Dreams and Irritable Bowels