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The IHOP Papers Paperback – January 3, 2007

by Ali Liebegott (Author)

15 customer reviews

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Francesca, a disgruntled nineteen-year-old lesbian, tries desperately to pull together the pieces of her scattered life. This hilarioius, heartfelt novel opens with Francesca newly arrived in San Francisco. She has fled her hometown, where she rented her childhood room from the new family who moved in when her parents moved out. The new tenants happened to be her childhood babysitter and her alcoholic husband. But Francesca's move to San Francisco is no mere coincidence. A lonely virgin searching for her sexual identity and obsessed with her philosophy teacher, Francesca has followed her professor, Irene, to California, where Irene has relocated to live with her young male lover and former student. Once in San Francisco, Francesca is forced to work at the local pancake house. Much to her dismay, she has to wear a ridiculous Heidi of the Alps uniform — which is almost as humiliating as serving the array of speed freaks and other graveyard shift misfits. Suicidal and euphoric, Francesca seeks solace in anything and anyone who might distract her from her unrequited love for Irene. More than a coming of age story, The IHOP Papers is a comic portrait of survival and self-discovery on the IHOP late shift.

The IHOP Papers

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Product Details

Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Carroll & Graf; 1 edition (January 3, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0786717947
ISBN-13: 978-0786717941
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,111,911 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4205 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature & Fiction > Fiction > Lesbian
- #10665 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature & Fiction > Fiction > Gay
- #16677 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Specific Demographics

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Customer Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars

5 star		67%
4 star		7%
3 star		13%
2 star		13%
1 star		0%

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Top Customer Reviews

engaging and hilarious

By westward yo on March 24, 2007

Format: Paperback

This is one of the few books that is laugh-out-loud funny. Ali has an extraordinary ability to take the absurdity of life and convey it in a way everyone can relate to. Goaty dreams of being a graceful waitress. She imagines gliding across the restaurant with plates stacked up her arms with such splendor that everyone is forced to stop eating and stare in awe. At the IHOP. (??!!) This is a story of unrequited love, of growing up, and of receiving that love back. Uh-oh. You remember the adage of careful what you wish for? ;) One thing that I would like say is I disagree with is how most reviews tend to point out and/or emphasize that Goaty is a lesbian. While this is true, I would hate for someone to not read the book thinking it is all about gay issues or politics or trying to force an issue on you. This book could not be further from that. Anyone who struggled at all through adolescence or through the early adult years will smile fondly at the awkwardness, the day-dreams, and the struggle to survive in world on your own. I could, and I grew up straight, male, and in Ohio! This book is a great read! As a side note, this is the only book review I have ever submitted, and only the second review overall, so I do feel strongly about it. Buy the book, be happy, and smile knowing you've supported an independent author!

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Caution: Angst Ahead

By K. Johnson VINE VOICE on October 5, 2007

Format: Paperback

Sometimes I come across a book that is unexpectedly different from my usual fare. This is one of those books. With her first book, Liebegott has delivered a truly unique story about a young woman who comes into her own. The protagonist - Frannie - is truly a tragic character. She's a recovering alcoholic who smokes like a chimney and is in love with her former philosophy teacher, Irene. Of course, Irene is busy with her two lovers - Gustavo and Jenny - and hasn't given Frannie any solid indication of romantic interest. Frannie is technically a virgin - having her sights set on Irene and only Irene might be a problem. Top this off with the fact that Frannie moved to San Francisco to be with Irene and ends up getting a job wearing a goofy dress and white nurse shoes at IHOP... then you've got something worth reading.

There are many characters in this book. Some are useful and have a purpose, others are merely fluff. There are many settings in this book - again, some are useful and others aren't. The most unique characteristic of this story is in its telling. This book is written in the style of classic literature and reminded me of something I would have read in English Comp 101. This is a rare flavor in the genre - one I've only really seen in `Cat Rising' by Cynn Chadwick. Another similarly-written (although not quite as distinctly different) book is `Punk Like Me' by J. D. Glass.

What a great read and a moving experience! I'm not sure what Liebegott will offer next, but if it's anything like `IHOP' it's sure to be a winner.

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A fun read, not life altering

By I. Davis on December 21, 2013

Format: Paperback Verified Purchase

This book was enjoyable to read especially for a book group and it was nice to pick up a novel in the main character is queer. That said, it was just too much to deal with the main character's issues. It seemed beyond believable to me, especially the amount of money she was able to save with such a low income. Overall not true to life or, at least, I hope not.

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Here's a tip for you-- check out The IHOP Papers -- AMAZING

By Kim D. on August 2, 2007

Format: Paperback

As a former IHOP waitress I was drawn to this book because of the title and once I started reading I couldn't put it down. Liebegott's writing is painfully honest, and refreshingly original. It's not all about the IHOP but her descriptions of it are vivid and accurate, bringing back a lot of memories for me. Francesca is young, poor, gay,struggling with alcoholism, low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts, and to top it off her job requires her to wear a humiliating Heidi dress and clunky white nurse shoes. You can't help feeling for her. I was delighted and amazed as I read this quirky character's story. I finished the book this morning-- read it in one day--and haven't been able to stop thinking about it ever since. Don't miss out on this great novel!

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Ma Chevre

By Keely Hyslop on March 16, 2007

Format: Paperback

"That means my goat in French." As the narrator outright admits, The IHOP Papers has surprisingly little to do with IHOP and much more to do with being in love and in pain and not necessarily in that order. This book is also about being gay, being afraid of being gay, San Franciso, and goats, yes, goats most of all. Ali Liebegott has a true gift for creating witty, realistic, likeably imperfect characters. She is also an author who can find the absurd humor in even the most tragic of situations and make you laugh out loud even when you feel deep down like you should be crying. Reading this novel was an experience in the best of senses and the world will be a better place when Ali writes another.

P.S. If you liked The IHOP Papers you owe it to yourself to read Ali Liebegott's The Beautifully Worthless, which is equally satisfying.

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enjoy it for the witty language - horrible as a romance

By Lezzfic on July 27, 2014

Format: Paperback

3.5 stars
F/F general lesbian fiction, some romance

This is shelved as a romance but don't come here expecting anything truly romantic or formulaic as far as the romance genre goes. This 20ish yr old lead is an unwashed and self-absorbed chain-smoking little troll who talks incessantly about suicide but, unfortunately, never follows through. She prides herself in being both a cutter and a sober/AA train wreck and believes the only way into a woman's heart is to manipulate for sympathy and attention. I almost tossed the novel after the opening pages and ultimately felt I was just too old to appreciate it or find anything "cool" about this pretentious mess.

The novel is mostly about nothing. It follows about a year in the life of aspiring writer/poet Francesca, a young lesbian virgin who becomes obsessed with her kooky-zen goddess-loving community college philosophy instructor and follows her from Southern California to San Francisco. Here she gets a job as an IHOP waitress and spends a month living with her beloved loser-loving professor (and her professor's male and female lovers) in a hippie-style apartment they call Simplicity House until she gets her own place. Here she is nicknamed "Goaty" because she has foul hygiene habits and smells like a goat.

The story is written in first person narrative and reads like the angsty diary of a teenager entering young adulthood. And because this narrator is only 20 and clearly doesn't know jack about life or love, she spends a whole lot of time talking about her IHOP uniform, random encounters, and frivolous, albeit witty and darkly humorous, digressions. All the while swooning hopelessly over her elusive professor. And her hot AA sponsor. And some soap opera actress to boot. Anyone unattainable, basically.Read more ›

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

This book is freaking fantastic. It's dark but funny

This book is freaking fantastic. It's dark but funny. An elegy for a kind of San Francisco that I'm not sure exists anymore.

Published 5 months ago by lsb

So damn good

There is nothing like this book out there, I love it. I read this for the first time years ago, and it's funny, original, and Francesca is an endearing mess of a human being. Read more

Published 21 months ago by d_fossey

Bizarre, Brilliant, Funny, True

The IHOP Papers is surprising and hilarious in that gritty, depressing, "Tiny Furniture" kind of way. I look forward to reading more works by Liebegott. Read more

Published on June 25, 2013 by Elles

A great read!

Funny, dark and complex, this book was a very enjoyable read. I was lucky enough to get to see parts of it read aloud by the author, which I recommend, if you get the opportunity. Read more

Published on May 16, 2011 by M. Naomi

Engaging, honest, page-turner

Not every page-turned is one by virtue of having a conventional plot. Ali Liebegott wins the reader's devotion by simply being smarter, more honest, and funnier than anyone else. Read more

Published on November 20, 2009 by Sandra Newman

....

I enjoy reading but this book had no plot whatsoever. Don't buy this book. If you want to read it read it online or sample it first using Google Books.

Published on June 13, 2009 by Tangela L. Cameron

Not My Cup of Tea

If books came with a guarantee, I'd get my money back on this one. And I had really looked forward to reading it. Read more

Published on September 21, 2008 by Bookjammer

Francesca is Unforgettable

Ali Liebegott's The IHOP Papers presents a truly original character, Francesca, a streetsmart twenty-year-old who's got lots of plans for her writing and her future, and falls for... Read more

Published on February 29, 2008 by Rachel Kramer Bussel

Frivolous novel features alienated failures who elicit disgust instead...

You know you're in for a rough ride when the protagonist of Ali Liebgott's "The IHOP Papers" confesses that the only things that make her calm are "pounding on a typewriter and... Read more

Published on November 4, 2007 by Bruce J. Wasser

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