The author of the acclaimed City Poet returns with a searing memoir of life in 1980s New York City—a colorful and atmospheric tale of wild bohemians, glamorous celebrity, and complicated passions—with cameo appearances by Madonna, Robert Mapplethorpe, William Burroughs, and a host of others legendary artists.
Brad Gooch arrived in New York in the late 1970s, yearning for artistic and personal freedom. Smash Cut is his bold and intimate memoir of this exhilarating time and place. At its center is his love affair with film director Howard Brookner, pieced together from fragments of memory and fueled by a panoply of emotions, from blazing ecstasy to bleakest despair.
As both men try to reconcile love and fidelity with the irresistible desire to enjoy the freedom of the age, they live together and apart. Gooch works briefly as a model in Milan, then returns to the city and discovers his vocation as an artist. Brookner falls ill with a mysterious virus that soon has a terrifying name: AIDS. And the story, and life in the city, is suddenly overshadowed by this new demon plague that will ravage a generation and transform the creative world. Gooch charts the progress of Brookner through his illness, and writes unforgettably about endings: of a great talent, a passionate love affair, and an incandescent era.
Beautifully written, full of rich detail and poignant reflection, recalling a time and a place and group of friends with affection and clarity, Smash Cut is an extraordinary memoir and an exquisite account of an epoch.
Illustrated with 30 black-and-white photographs.
- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Harper (April 14, 2015)
- ISBN: 9780062354952
REVIEW:
What a life!
What a life!
How do you possibly review someone's life? Like it or not, it happened. One person has just told their story and just that interests me. I like hearing about people and what they've been through.
I learned Brad Gooch is a kind, funny, caring person that was madly in love with someone who would be the base of so much of his life. Like the valve that makes a heart beat. A necessary part. They not only shared their private lives, but professional as well.
I felt the author got lost in his own story at times though, too much for me to where the pages felt a little like rambling. For the most part though, it flowed well.
I was a little bothered by some of the small details in his life. I felt like those were obvious embellishments. I guess I will never know the real thing behind his first sexual encounter... was it whip cream and pineapple rings or whip cream and maraschino cherries? Like, I said, small details.
Not everyone is gonna dig this book though. There is a lot of sensitive content, drugs, sex, and more. If you like a story with the odd name drop here and there, then this will be for you.
2/5
**No compensation was received for posting. Compensation will be earned if purchases are made from the links within. A copy was provided to facilitate a review. Opinions are owned by this site.
interesting background
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts on this book for the tour.
ReplyDelete