Customer Reviews

Talk Radio

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Talk Radio is an enlightening little piece that I was not expecting to enjoy as much as I did. At just a little over 60 pages, it took barely any time to read. Bogosian's wit and dry sense of humor shine throughout the piece and make the characters so much more realistic. It is fast-paced, but not too much so. Each one of the callers, though only given brief sections of dialogue, is perfectly developed and infuriating (or endearing). Definitely worth buying and reading. Now I'm ready to see the play on stage!

I wasn't too excited about having to read a book over my Spring break this year. But once I started reading this book I was hooked. Eric Bogosian's superb writing style truly made this a quick and enjoyable read. The story's main focus, Barry Champlain, is a captivating talk radio host unafraid to tell people exactly what's on his mind. No matter who the caller or what he or she has to say Barry always has an opinion or crass comment to throw his or her way. People often times forget there is a person behind the voice when listening to radio and "Talk Radio" really helps provide the reader (or viewer) a glimpse into the life and mind of these people. Without a doubt a perfect read for anyone interested in radio or anyone who enjoys a read that takes our world to the "next level." That is to say, anyone who likes reading about the story behind the man, this is definitely a must-read for you.

In all honesty, I did not expect to gain much from reading this book. I thought so little of it that I decided to start it at 11:30 at night to help me fall asleep and leave the rest of it for whenever I had the time. However, once I started, I couldn't put it down. This book offered a new view on an old concept; the talk-radio host/caller relationship. I loved the character Barry Champlain; he tells it like he sees it and doesn't care what other people say about him as much as he cares what other people talk about. He just wants people to be original in their own way and not depend on whatever he has said to keep the conversation moving. Also, the view on Champlain as a person, as given by the monologues of the other characters, helps to remind the reader of the fact that the voice coming out of the radio belongs to a person, and that person in question has a life and a back-story that have helped to shape them into the radio host that people are listening to. Without a doubt, hands-down, this book is a must-read.

I was not sure what to think when I picked up talk radio especially after reading the single quote reviews on the back cover . But once I completed it I was captivated by the main character Barry Champlain. His wild antics and out of control personality really drags you into the heart of the radio world, and with a plot as unpredictable as talk radio itself, this book can be finished in a day. That is how good it is, not to mention its only about 60 pages so it goes by quick. If you are looking for quick entertainment that is enjoyable and sometimes funny, then Bogosian's "Talk Radio" is definitely for you.

Talk Radio is definitely an enjoyable lead even if the plot is a little rushed and condensed. Being a listener of talk radio I could sense that the author was trying to compiling many different stories from different days into one radio show. There is a lot going on in this short read, probably too much for reality's sake but it works.

Where Bogosian does succeed is in creating characters and making them tangible. I thought it would be hard to picture callers based on a few sentences but Bogosian writes in a way where they do become people rather than just talking points. He does an extraordinary job of creating characters with the aid of only a few sentences and re-creating characters again and again. The callers are what drives the radio show and they are what drives the play as well.

Bogosian filters all these characters into the shows host who fights for solace between success and vulnerability and doubt in his on-air persona. Barry battles between what he believes is right and what makes for good radio. Bogosian gives Barry some depth through well-placed monologue's by Barry's co-workers, giving the reader a sense of the host's greater depth and perspective.

Overall, the play's strength is in it's characters and story-telling even if the author is trying to tell too many stories too close together. That being said, I did read it cover to cover in one day and enjoyed it thoroughly. It will certainly hold your attention and provide a good escape to a world we listen to but don't truly understand.

Eric Bogosian sets the stage for a typical talk radio show and successfully keeps you "listening". I didn't put the text down until I read it from cover to cover. Our talk radio star, Barry Champlain is hilarious, maybe a bit exaggerated but Bogosian isn't afraid to take a chance in his writing. The text is written in a short, choppy form, it seems to be a bold move but easily transferred to a play, I could imagine the entire scene happening while reading. I was a little disappointed to have it end; I wanted to know more about Barry's life, a few hours with him was not enough.

After reading a bunch of different pieces about talk radio hosts, this encapsulated all of that into a fun afternoon of reading. Bogosian really nailed the persona of a talk radio host: brash, rude, seemingly above the listeners and other employees. That is what I usually picture when I listen to talk radio. I love him, I hate him, I want horrible things to happen to him; the full spectrum of emotions when listening to a talk radio host are felt. Bogosian really did a great job of creating a character that evoked such a reaction from the reader.

The length of the play is extremely manageable, and it doesn't need to be any longer. I don't really want to know what happens after that one night in the studio, I want to think about what happens. It's also short enough that it made me question why I keep going back to talk radio time and again. It frustrates but also keeps pulling me back in, and I feel like Bogosian does a great job of explaining this. This is fun read if you have an hour or two to spare.

This play is very funny. There are also a number of monologues in it that can be used for auditions. Barry's struggle in the play to come off as being cocky and sure of himself is contrasted nicely with his inherent vulnerability. The monologues from all the other characters also give an interesting introspective into the life and mind of Barry Champlain. The main dialogue of the other characters in the play comes from the monologues, which create depth of character in both the person speaking, and Barry. Throughout the course of the play I am made to love, hate, feel sorry for and admire Barry. I applaud this play.

The one good thing I can say about this play was that it was a quick and easy read. Although the fast-paced and energetic dialogue kept my attention, I found the play rather depressing. The character Barry Champlain is made out to be such a lost soul! His break-down at the end left me feeling empty and I am kind of glad that the play didn't go on after that because I wouldn't have wanted to hear anymore.