Story of My Life

"Story of My Life" is considered by most to be one of Jay McInerney's lesser titles, but it's my favorite. I can't explain why I love this book so much. It doesn't have much of a plot - party girls in Manhattan circa 1980s do too much coke and meet the wrong guys - but when I first read it as a freshman in college, something about it made a huge impact; the writing felt so alive and real, like my best friend was telling me her story. I've reread it several times since then (and I NEVER reread books) and it still holds up. I still can't believe McInerney's a man; he gets inside the female psyche so effortlessly he must have been a woman in his past life.

I will not cover the plot of the book since it has been described well by other reviewers. I enjoyed the book for what it was - a fast read novel that was engaging for the few days it took me to read it. I had it with me on vacation and it kept me a good company before the bedtime. It was quite interesting to read about the life of a trashy girl living a trashy life in a big city, about the drugs and craziness that fill some people's life. I liked the language in which it was written - very straighforward and informal. I found it very fitting to the protagonist. Of course I will not place it on a must-read list, but I would recommend it for passing time (maybe while you are flying or baking on the beach). I liked that the book didn't feed you one opinion or the other. It told the story without taking any sides. Do not hate the book for the subject it concentrates on. After all, such lifestyles are common and they do exist.

OK I admit it I'm a McInerney fan but really, the people here who disapprove of the way his characters live, and don't think there's enough plot, need a reality check. First off, there is a plot, if you can see through the drug induced haze and the sex and actually read the words in between. Second, it's true that it's a breezy read in a way, but those of you out there who think there isn't a lot of truth in this story weren't in the big city in the '80's. I admit something else, the cultural references grab me, maybe McInerney and I have similar tastes in music (e.g. Elvis Costello). But here's the best part: the writing. I treasure direct, simple writing that can still say a lot in a way that is so straightforward you wonder why you didn't say it first. There's something like that every few pages. It's not like he's Oscar Wilde throwing out epigrams, which makes it all the more delicious. And not all of it is funny, a lot is bittersweet. Here's one little example: the unemployed protagonist Alison, near the end of the book, reflecting on her lover's newfound seriousness about work now that it isn't going so good: "Not that I'm any expert on employment, but maybe jobs are like lovers -- one day they're boring and stupid but suddenly they're real desirable when you think you're getting dumped." And McInerny can set up some hysterical set pieces with his characters. I found myself laughing out loud often while reading this book, not caring if I was riding a bus or sitting in a Starbucks. My main beef is the author's too facile use of games of "Truth or Dare" to move the plot along, revelations, emotions, etc. But we're not talking War and Peace here, this is a paperback novel for reading on the way to and from work. And then reading again, and passing on to a friend.

This novel inspired me to write (a similar) one of my own. I still can't believe it was written by a man and not by one of my girlfriends. I feel as if I've met the main character a million times on the LA club circuit. I can totally relate to this book-- for someone who can't, however, this book is still recommended, as it puts forth an extremely honest and accurate rendition of a young, beautiful and wild girl's life in the city. It is also very witty and HILARIOUS, as well as thought provoking (i.e. the "chain of pain" theory.) There are two other books by this author that are similar to this one, specifically "Bright lights Big City" and "Model behavior", however neither one is as compelling in my opinion--perhaps because their protagonists are male and I can't relate as well. The author does, however, have a wonderful talent for bringing his characters to life and making you symathize with them even though they all have incredibly prominent faults. This quality alone makes his novels worth the price and time.