Customer Reviews

Surfing the Consciousness Net

5 star:		(3)
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3 star:		(1)
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As "Lead" indicated in his previous post, this book would not have been possible without "Nicotine Jim" Bauer, because "Nicotine" Tim borrowed freely from his "wrighting," a term which Tim defines as "bi-brain chaos". A paranoid manic-depressive with schizophrenic tendencies, his review of Tim's book appears to have been written during one of his more psychotic moments. I am saddened to say that I just learned that he has committed suicide. Tim always told him, "any time you want to commit suicide, I'm right behind you". Apparently, he finally listened to Tim and took an entire bottle of valproic acid, a prescription mood-stabilizer.

As f0r the book itself, Tim has really beautifully reworked Jim's letters into something coherent, something Nicotine Jim was really only capable of when the tranks began to flow. The book, a series of email conversations between Huck Getty Mellon du Pont and Bobbie ROM DOS, is beautifully illustrated. I am reminded of Jung's Psychology and Alchemy, albeit with the pictures in psychedelic technicolor. Tim's vision beautifully informs a graphic novel that transcends the limitations of the graphic novel. A beautiful book. No home should be without one.

As someone who knew & loved Tim, I'd like to respond to his great, mysterious love for me -- love which transcended my bouts with mania, depression, schizophrenia & paranoia -- with the highest regard for his product here. The story, a series of internet conversations between Richard Alpert & one Huck Getty Mellon von Schlebrugge (or something like that) is lavishly illustrated, though not in typical comic book form: instead, the text all runs in columns with pictures next to it. The main problem with the illustration is that the backgrounds to the text, which look like some species of wallpaper, sometimes make it difficult to read the words. The story is based on the letters of one Nicotine Jim (now Nicotine-free) of whom Tim once said, "[He's] the only guy who can match me for craziness, & I mean that in a good way". The 2 together define a tragicosmic cosmicomic that transcends the usual limitations of the pulse-pounding action of comic books & makes for interesting reading. especially if you've just laid in a supply of rasta cigars. Read this one for fun & keep an eye out for W.C. Leadbeater -- one never knows where he'll pop up next.

What a great farewell this book is. It is typically Crazy. Leary had a certain knack for encapsulating the times, and here he does it with his regular enthusiasms and strange knowing wit.

The Hallis and Williams contribution is a treat, worth the price of admission.

I was highly disappointed with Tim when I read this even though he did send me three autographed copies, not to mention an autographed "Chaos & Cyber-culture" & "High Priest". The problem is that this book would never have come into being without me & my share of the writing yet I received scant recognition in the credits, the most said being "Good Attitudes: Jim Bauer" & only a few hundred bucks. I am Huck Getty, mostly because I objected to his use of my real name in the story. Much of the writing came from the letters I sent Tim as he reworked it. Other than that I enjoyed the book though it seemed to be poorly plotted or maybe just plain episodic. I was grateful to Tim for allowing me at least some form of publication of my writing. I just wish my role would have been more visible.