Nerd Girl Rocks Paradise City: A True Story of Faking It in Hair Metal L.A.

I read a lot of books where the writing is good, but the subject matter isn't so interesting and vice versa, but this is a gem. Anne's writing style is like a welcome letter from your favorite snarky friend. Well-balanced self-deprecation (no one can accuse her of being self-aggrandizing, but it's no pity party either) carry the reader through her attempts to go from small time VA press to journalist at the major rock rags. In her adventure, the reader is treated to dish about small time industry insiders, Glenn Danzig, Kelsey Grammer, Riki Rachtman, a certain unnamed (but easily figured out) skeezy figurehead of the punk rock scene, GWAR, and a host of catty drag queens. Never a dull moment! As a former Richmonder, I admit to having a soft spot for the cracked out wanna-be boyfriend story, involving a member of a well known local band. Names withheld to protect the less-than-innocent. If you liked Snake Hips, you'll like this. If you like tell-all punk and metal bios, you'll like this. If you like both of those things? This is the book you've been waiting for.

... Ms. Søffëe delivers another laugh-your-brains-oüt memoir. Armed with moxie and idealism, the author heads for Los Angeles to make her mark in the music journalism world, determined to keep it rockin' while hair metal is on its last gasp and being supplanted by grunge and alternative. While slightly more discreet than in her previous Snake Hips, Ms. Soffee names names which had me crowing in recognition. Her ability to laugh at herself in hindsight and make others follow her through the bum boyfriends, getting leeched by a Big Name and the benzos chased with beer without feeling like they're watching a trainwreck and gorefest. I highly recommend!

OK, I haven't read it yet, but I intend to. The thing is that I went to high school with the author and am thrilled to suddenly discover what has become of her. The last I saw her I was running from a Grateful Dead concert having a severely bad acid trip. That was over twenty years ago. I expect to enjoy her writing and look forward to the adult who has emerged from the teenager of my memory.

Another memoir of a pivotal time of her life, but certainly not the same old memoir you find on bookstore shelves today. This one addresses the author's attempts to make it in LA as music journalist, and true to her chosen career path, the book is written less as an angsty, emotion laden memoir and more as a review. This is not to disparage the book or to say that it is emotionless, because it's not. It just doesn't bog itself down with so much extraneous whining like many of the 400 page pity parties that are in print now. She doesn't back away from sharing intimate details, but she also doesn't feel the need to delve endlessly into the why and wherefor of her actions. She is unapologetic in her life recap, and that is something that is hard to find in the modern memoir. If you remember the age of the hair bands, you will love this book for its insider information as much as for the overall story. This was a lot of fun to read.

I live in Southern California, and people visiting often want to see hollywood. They want to see Beverly Hills. When they get to Hollywood it is not at all what they expect. They expect some Norma Shearer stardust dream of a place---and what they get is right out of NERD GIRL. Anne evokes this place as if channeling Nathaniel West and Charles Bukowski through the perceptural matrix of Wolfman Jack. She's all about Rock and Roll--and she wants to apply the razor of criticism to it's pimply little throat. Like Elvis C., she wants to bite that hand so badly. Not out of hate for rock and roll, but out of love for rock and roll. Anne Soffee, you see, is a true believer. But so much happens on the way. THRILL to the loss of innocence! CRY every tear over foundered dreams! GASP at the tales of misspent love! WONDER at the redemption that shows up just in time. This is the prequel to SNAKE HIPS--that is to say it takes place just before. I like it better because....well...You read it. persevere,