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Trailer Trashed: My Dubious Efforts Toward Upward Mobility
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Product Description
"If David Sedaris had a vagina and wasn't such a pussy, he'd write like Hollis Gillespie." --Bust magazine
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #421213 in Books
- Published on: 2008-07-24
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Hardcover
- 272 pages
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Atlanta-based Gillespie (Bleachy-Haired Honky Bitch is a syndicated humor columnist who loves trailer life, yard sales and buddies who, like her, have avoided turning into pod people. Gillespie's latest concept is to become a landlord, so there are tales of cheesy house renovations and overly picky renters, although by the end of this book she's sold her story to Hollywood, ending one upward mobility theme. The more interesting sketches focus on the personal, like the one where she contemplates finding a man to date: [O]dds are I can at least snag a bad one, and it used to be that even bad relationships were fun in their own way. Although there's no big story, this wouldn't be a problem, except Gillespie's potty-mouth style makes most of her stories sound alike. She and her friends love to call each other you pussy or pussy-ass or the more original, asstard. Readers who are titillated by discussions of friends' enema habits or amused by stories of Gillespie's drunk father swearing at her mother will find a lot to enjoy. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
From the Inside Flap
Trailer Trashed is a hilarious and blisteringly honest collection of essays that follows an offbeat single mom through the journey of her life—from finding solace wherever trailer hookups were found, to kidnapping a meth-addicted friend in need of rehab, to pondering over whether to use her bartender’s young sperm from his old self or old sperm from his young self. In short, Hollis’s prospects of climbing her way out of the riotous lunacy from whence she came sometimes do seem dubious indeed.
Brimming with irreverent, side-splitting observations on life that will wow fans of Augusten Burroughs and Sarah Vowell, this is an irresistible, roller coaster ride
of a book.
“Ride with me,” Hollis’s father used to say, and she’d hop into his Chevrolet Corvair. And off they’d go again to no place in particular, happily so. Trailer Trashed is like these rides—in the end it’s not where you go, but the ride to get you there that matters.
Customer Reviews
hilarious.
At first I thought the title was purely creative, but once I started reading the book I realized Hollis really knows a thing or two about trailers, and is honestly sharing her life experiences as she climbs the ladder of success. The stories in this book are absolutely hilarious, and inspiring for anyone who likes to read about free spirited/creative/honest/successful people.
Go Hollis!
Hollis has wacky friends, a fascinating life, and wild and embarassing stories that she fortunately does not mind sharing. Her writing style and family stories remind me some of the Sedaris clan and a little of Terry Ryan, the woman who wrote The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio. I enjoy her musings about Grant/Lary/Daniel, faking her way through German translations, hell-fire cats, waiting for the neighborhood prostitute to claim her discarded go-go boots, or spilling the dirt on her sister who owns a bar in Nicaragua. Also, if you get the chance, go see Hollis speak in person - her quick wit will have you guffawing. I saw her with a standing room only crowd and she had 'em belly laughing. (full disclosure: I know and like Hollis. But she's funny, I'm telling you!).
One of Very Few Writers Who Could Have Me Crying and Laughing Within Several Pages
Based on the written material about the book I was expecting a Southern humorist along the lines of Dave Barry or perhaps Lewis Grizzard. And, while I did laugh out loud in a number of places, the book has a greater depth and is much less sarcastic than Barry.
The book consists of a number of essays about her unusual life. That she was able to be as normal as she is, given her childhood, is amazing. And, her life today is anything but normal, with Lary, Grant and Daniel in her life. You would have to read it to believe what she has gone through.
One of the things that struck me as unusual was her ability to have me laughing a loud on one page and to have tears seeping from my eyes a page later. Many of the essays surrounding her childhood are not only funny, but poignant as well. Maybe I was so affected because we share similar experiences from childhood.
A wonderful read that may not be as funny as advertised, but which contains a number of lessons on life and how to survive. Keep it up Hollis....you are one amazing woman!
