Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America
Beth Macy, 2018
Little, Brown and Company
384 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780316551243
Summary
Dopesick is the only book to fully chart the devastating opioid crisis in America: "a harrowing, deeply compassionate dispatch from the heart of a national emergency" (New York Times) from a bestselling author and journalist who has lived through it
In this masterful work, Beth Macy takes us into the epicenter of America's twenty-plus year struggle with opioid addiction.
From distressed small communities in Central Appalachia to wealthy suburbs; from disparate cities to once-idyllic farm towns; it's a heartbreaking trajectory that illustrates how this national crisis has persisted for so long and become so firmly entrenched.
Beginning with a single dealer who lands in a small Virginia town and sets about turning high school football stars into heroin overdose statistics, Macy endeavors to answer a grieving mother's question—why her only son died—and comes away with a harrowing story of greed and need.
From the introduction of OxyContin in 1996, Macy parses how America embraced a medical culture where overtreatment with painkillers became the norm.
In some of the same distressed communities featured in her bestselling book Factory Man, the unemployed use painkillers both to numb the pain of joblessness and pay their bills, while privileged teens trade pills in cul-de-sacs, and even high school standouts fall prey to prostitution, jail, and death.
Through unsparing, yet deeply human portraits of the families and first responders struggling to ameliorate this epidemic, each facet of the crisis comes into focus. In these politically fragmented times, Beth Macy shows, astonishingly, that the only thing that unites Americans across geographic and class lines is opioid drug abuse.
But in a country unable to provide basic healthcare for all, Macy still finds reason to hope-and signs of the spirit and tenacity necessary in those facing addiction to build a better future for themselves and their families. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
• Birth—ca. 1964
• Raised—Urbana, Ohio, USA
• Education—B.A., Bowling Green State University; M.F.A., Hollins University
• Awards—
• Currently—lives in Roanoke, Virginia
Beth Macy is an American journalist and non-fiction writer. She grew up in Urbana, Ohio, and received her BA in journalism from Bowling Green State University in 1986. She earned an MA in creative writing from Hollins University in 1993. She has spent 25 years as a reporter for the Roanoke Times (1989 to 2014).
In 2010, Macy was awarded the Nieman Fellowship for Journalism by Harvard University, and in 2014 she published her first book, Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshoring, Stayed Local—and Helped Save an American Town. The book became a bestseller.
She published a second book in 2016: Truevine: Two Brothers, a Kidnapping, and a Mother's Quest: A True Story of the Jim Crow South. Her third book Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America, came out in 2018.
Macy has written essays and op-eds for the New York Times as well as for magazines, radio and online journals. (From Wikipedia. Retrieved 9/5/2018)
Book Reviews
Macy's strengths as a reporter are on full display when she talks to people, gaining the trust of chastened users, grieving families, exhausted medical workers and even a convicted heroin dealer…Macy captures an Appalachian landscape in a state of emergency and in the grip of disillusionment.
Jennifer Szalai - New York Times
[A] harrowing, deeply compassionate dispatch from the heart of a national emergency. [Dopesick]…is a masterwork of narrative journalism, interlacing stories of communities in crisis with dark histories of corporate greed and regulatory indifference…In a poignant early scene…a mother at the grave of her 19-year-old son…wants to know "how Jesse went from being a high school football hunk and burly construction worker to a heroin-overdose statistic, slumped on someone else's bathroom floor." That question—and its larger implications—becomes an engine for the entire investigation, driving it forward with plain-spoken moral force…Taken as a whole…this gripping book is a feat of reporting, research and synthesis.
Jessica Bruder - New York Times Book Review
(Starred review) [A] hard and heartbreaking look at the cradle of the opioid addiction crisis, the Appalachian region.… Macy’s forceful and comprehensive overview makes clear the scale and complexity of America’s opioid crisis.
Publishers Weekly
Macy's use of current research by various experts makes clear how complex the opioid problem is, but the strength of this narrative comes from the people in the day-to-day battle. —Richard Maxwell, Porter Adventist Hosp. Lib., Denver
Library Journal
(Starred review) Macy’s years of following the issue have earned her remarkable access to those suffering from opioid-addiction disorder…. Hers is a crucial and many-faceted look at a still-unfolding national crisis, making this a timely and necessary read.
Booklist
(Starred review) Harrowing travels through the land of the hypermedicated, courtesy of hopelessness, poverty, and large pharmaceutical companies.… An urgent, eye-opening look at a problem that promises to grow much worse in the face of inaction and indifference.
Kirkus Reviews
Discussion Questions
We'll add publisher questions if and when they're available; in the meantime, use our LitLovers talking points to help start a discussion for DOPESICK … then take off on your own:
1. The thrust of Beth Macy's exposition on the nation's opioid crisis is her belief that it didn't have to happen: it was a human-made disaster. What according to Macy is responsible for creating the epidemic. Talk, too, about why it has never been fully addressed by the country-at-large.
2. Macy shines a hard light in particular on Perdue Pharma. Why does she take aim at the company? Talk about the sales incentives and marketing tactics Perdue used to sell Oxycontin.
3. Macy assembles a large cast of real people in her book, people like Kristi Fernandez, Ed Bisch, Lee Nuss, and many, many more. Which story of loss and grief, or fighting in the face of apathy, do you find most inspiring, most wrenching, most admirable. Did you find yourself at times confused trying to keep track of everyone?
4. Turning the discussion to recovery, what did you know before reading Dopesick—and what have you learned since—about the methods and realities of treatment. What are some of the treatment protocols? Which ones are controversial and why?
5. Once users get into treatment, how successful is it? What makes recovery so difficult.
6. Despite the growing alarm of the public, to say nothing of the 10s of 1,000s of deaths, too many users have difficulty finding help. Why is getting into treatment so hard?
7. Does Dopesick end on a note of hope — or on a note of despair? What about you? Are you optimistic … or pessimistic about society's ability to find solutions to the opioid and heroine epidemic?
(Questions by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online and off, with attribution. Thanks.)
Run the World: My 3,500-Mile Journey Through Running Cultures Around the Globe
Becky Wade, 2016
HarperCollins
288 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780062416438
Summary
From elite marathoner and Olympic hopeful Becky Wade comes the story of her year-long exploration of diverse global running communities from England to Ethiopia—9 countries, 72 host families, and over 3,500 miles of running—investigating unique cultural approaches to the sport and revealing the secrets to the success of runners all over the world.
Fresh off a successful collegiate running career—with multiple NCAA All-American honors and two Olympic Trials qualifying marks to her name—Becky Wade was no stranger to international competition.
But after years spent safely sticking to the training methods she knew, Becky was curious about how her counterparts in other countries approached the sport to which she’d dedicated over half of her life. So in 2012, as a recipient of the Watson Fellowship, she packed four pairs of running shoes, cleared her schedule for the year, and took off on a journey to infiltrate diverse running communities around the world. What she encountered far exceeded her expectations and changed her outlook into the sport she loved.
Over the next twelve months—visiting 9 countries with unique and storied running histories, logging over 3,500 miles running over trails, tracks, sidewalks, and dirt roads—Becky explored the varied approaches of runners across the globe.
Whether riding shotgun around the streets of London with Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt, climbing for an hour at daybreak to the top of Ethiopia’s Mount Entoto just to start her daily run, or getting lost jogging through the bustling streets of Tokyo, Becky’s unexpected adventures, keen insights, and landscape descriptions take the reader into the heartbeat of distance running around the world.
Upon her return to the United States, she incorporated elements of the training styles she’d sampled into her own program, and her competitive career skyrocketed. When she made her marathon debut in 2013, winning the race in a blazing 2:30, she became the third-fastest woman marathoner under the age of 25 in U.S. history, qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Trials and landing a professional sponsorship from Asics.
From the feel-based approach to running that she learned from the Kenyans, to the grueling uphill workouts she adopted from the Swiss, to the injury-recovery methods she learned from the Japanese, Becky shares the secrets to success from runners and coaches around the world. The story of one athlete’s fascinating journey, Run the World is also a call to change the way we approach the world’s most natural and inclusive sport.. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
Becky Wade is a professional long-distance runner who competes for Asics. A native of Dallas, Texas and a graduate of Rice University, she is a U.S. Junior National Champion, a four-time All-American, and the winner of her debut marathon, the 2013 California International Marathon. One of four Wade twins, she currently trains in Houston, Texas under coaches Jim Bevan and Joe Vigil. (From the publisher.)
Book Reviews
Wade's endearing and inspiring story will appeal to readers looking for an insider's view of the determination and spirit shared by Olympians (and casual runners) throughout the world. —Meagan Storey, Virginia Beach
Library Journal
Every so often a book comes along that becomes a cult classic for competitive runners but also has appeal to a broader audience. Once a Runner, Born to Run, and Running with the Buffaloes were all such books, and this terrific debut is sure to join their ranks.
Booklist
Discussion Questions
The questions below were written by our Associate, Jennifer Johnson, MA, MLIS, Reference Librarian, Springdale (Arkansas) Public Library. Thanks, as always, Jennifer.
1. What observations did Wade make in Run the World? Do you think she enjoyed each country she visited? Which ones did she find more favorable than others?
2. How does Wade’s portrayal of running compare to what you knew before you read the book? Did this book inspire you? How so?
3. Wade writes about her travels through running in different cultures. What major points does she mention as she does this? Are there common themes throughout the book?
4. Which chapters or countries did you enjoy the most? Which ones did you enjoy the least?
5. According to Wade, she wanted to "…question the practices I had assumed were best, test how much of myself I would invest when the leash came off, and ultimately, find a balance between freedom and structure" (6). Do you think the author was successful in finding those answers?
6. After reading Run the World, did your perspective and opinions of the Olympics and track and field change?
7. What did you think of Wade’s writing style? Do you think, considering her content, she wrote in a form that best suited the content?
8. Do you believe that she has the experience and knowledge to critique running styles and cultural approaches to running in other countries? If so, why?
9. Do you think Wade overreaches in her attempts to cover running styles and forms, traveling 3,500 miles, and food? Or was it successful for you? How so?
10. The author explains that she’d "accepted that I’d probably never fully grasp Banchi’s reasoning about Derartu and the Devil — which I later learned was a blend of Ethiopian Orthodoxy and religious superstition, both foreign to my Catholic upbringing. But I was committed to trying, as I remained open-minded to other cultural beliefs and practices… I was searching for meaning in the universal phenomenon of running…" (4). Do you think this is an accurate statement of what she was trying to accomplish? Was she successful?
(Questions submitted to LitLovers by Jennifer Johnson, M.A., M.L.I.S., Reference Librarian, Springdale Public Library. Please feel free to use them, online or off, with attribution. Thanks.)
Maus: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds (Maus Series, 1)
Art Spiegleman, 1986
Knopf Doubleday
160 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780394747231
Summary
The first installment of the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel acclaimed as “the most affecting and successful narrative ever done about the Holocaust” (Wall Street Journal) and “the first masterpiece in comic book history” (The New Yorker).
A brutally moving work of art — widely hailed as the greatest graphic novel ever written — Maus recounts the chilling experiences of the author’s father during the Holocaust, with Jews drawn as wide-eyed mice and Nazis as menacing cats.
Maus is a haunting tale within a tale, weaving the author’s account of his tortured relationship with his aging father into an astonishing retelling of one of history's most unspeakable tragedies. It is an unforgettable story of survival and a disarming look at the legacy of trauma. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
• Birth—February 15, 1948
• Where—Stockholm, Sweden
• Raised—Queens Borough, New York, New York USA
• Education—Harpur College
• Currently—lives in New York, New York
Art Spiegelman is a Swedish-born American cartoonist, editor, and comics advocate best known for his graphic novel Maus. His work as co-editor on the comics magazines Arcade and Raw has been influential, and from 1992 he spent a decade as contributing artist for The New Yorker, where he made several high-profile and sometimes controversial covers. He is married to designer and editor Francoise Mouly and is the father of writer Nadja Spiegelman.
Family background
Art Spiegelman's parents were Polish Jews. In Spiegelman's Maus, from which the couple are best known, Spiegelman used the spellings "Vladek" and "Anja", which he believed would be easier for Americans to pronounce. The surname Spiegelman is German for "mirror man."
In 1937, the Spiegelmans had one other son, Rysio (spelled "Richieu" in Maus), who died at the age of five or six. before Art was born. During the Holocaust, Spiegelman's parents sent Rysio to stay with an aunt with whom they believed he would be safe. In 1943, the aunt poisoned herself, along with Rysio and two other young family members in her care, so that the Nazis would not take them to the extermination camps.
After the war, the Spiegelmans, unable to accept that Rysio was dead, searched orphanages all over Europe in the hope of finding him. Spiegelman talked of having a sort of sibling rivalry with his "ghost brother"—he felt unable to compete with an "ideal" brother who "never threw tantrums or got in any kind of trouble." Of 85 Spiegelman relatives alive at the beginning of World War II, only 13 are known to have survived the Holocaust.
Early life
Spiegelman was born Itzhak Avraham ben Zeev in Stockholm, Sweden, on February 15, 1948. He immigrated with his parents to the US in 1951. Initially the family settled in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and then relocated to Rego Park in Queens, New York City, in 1957.
Spiegleman began cartooning in 1960 and imitated the style of his favorite comic books, such as Mad. At Russell Sage Junior High School, where he was an honors student, he produced the Mad-inspired fanzine Blase. He was earning money from his drawing by the time he reached high school and sold artwork to the original Long Island Press and other outlets.
His talent was such that he caught the eyes of United Features Syndicate, who offered him the chance to produce a syndicated comic strip. Dedicated to the idea of art as expression, he turned down this commercial opportunity. He attended the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan beginning in 1963. He met Woody Gelman, the art director of Topps Chewing Gum Company, who encouraged Spiegelman to apply to Topps after graduating from high school.
After he graduated in 1965, Spiegelman's parents urged him to pursue the financial security of a career such as dentistry, but he chose instead to enroll at Harpur College to study art and philosophy. While there, he got a freelance art job at Topps, which provided him with an income for the next two decades.
Spiegelman attended Harpur College from 1965 until 1968, where he worked as staff cartoonist for the college newspaper and edited a college humor magazine. After a summer internship when he was 18, Topps hired him for Gelman's Product Development Department as a creative consultant making trading cards and related products in 1966, such as the Wacky Packages series of parodic trading cards begun in 1967.
In late winter 1968 Spiegelman suffered a brief but intense nervous breakdown, which cut his university studies short. He has said that at the time he was taking LSD with great frequency. He spent a month in Binghamton State Mental Hospital, and shortly after he got out his mother committed suicide following the death of her only surviving brother.
Career
Spiegelman began his career with the Topps bubblegum card company in the mid-1960s, which was his main financial support for two decades; there he co-created parodic series such as Wacky Packages in the 1960s and the Garbage Pail Kids in the 1980s.
He gained prominence in the underground comix scene in the 1970s with short, experimental, and often autobiographical work. A selection of these strips appeared in the collection Breakdowns in 1977, after which Spiegelman turned focus to the book-length Maus, about his relation with his father, a Holocaust survivor.
The postmodern book depicts Nazis as cats, Jews as mice, and ethnic Poles as pigs, and took thirteen years until its completion in 1991. It won a special Pulitzer Prize in 1992 and has gained a reputation as a pivotal work, responsible for bringing scholarly attention to the comics medium.
Spiegelman advocates for greater comics literacy. As an editor, a teacher at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, and a lecturer, Spiegelman has promoted better understanding of comics and has mentored younger cartoonists.
Personal
Spiegelman married Françoise Mouly, and the couple has two children together: a daughter Nadja, born in 1987, and a son Dashiell, born in 1992. (Adapted from Wikipedia. Retrieved 9/27/2017.)
Book Reviews
Maus: A Survivor's Tale is a Holocaust memoir with a remarkable difference.… Mr. Spiegelman brings considerable humor to the telling of his story.… Maus is a comic book! Yes, a comic book complete with word balloons, speed lines, exclamations such as "sob," "wah," "whew" and "?!," and dozens of techniques for which I simply lack the terminology.… The style is eclectic, echoing everything from "Krazy Kat" to "Gasoline Alley." Naturally, the effect of treating such a subject this way is shocking at first. But with a speed that is almost embarrassing to confess, this reader was transported back to the experience of reading World War II comics such as "Blackhawk" or "Captain Marvel."… But the impact of what Mr. Spiegelman has done here is so complex and self-contradictory that it nearly defies analysis.
Christopher Lehmann Haupt - New York Times
Discussion Questions
The questions below have been submitted to LitLovers by our Associate, Jennifer Johnson, M.A., M.L.I.S. a Reference Librarian at the Springdale (Arkansas) Public Library. Thanks, as always, Jennifer.
1. After reading Maus, what did you think of the story? How did the format assist in telling of the narrative? Do you think the story could have been told without the visual component? If so, in what way?
2. The narrative is told through the voice and drawings of Art Spiegelman. What differences can we see between the younger and older Vladek Spiegelman? Consider the differences in dialect, communication, and body language.
3. Consider the graphic novel format — how does Art utilize the format to the best of his ability? What cultural cliches can be identified throughout the book?
4. Spiegelman decided to dehumanize the story by representing the people with animals — Germans were cats, Jewish persons were mice, Polish persons were pigs, French persons were frogs, British persons were fish, and Swedish persons were reindeer. How does Spiegelman ensure these animal representations have human characteristics?
5. For many, we know that the Holocaust consisted of disbelief and rumors of what the Nazis were doing, Jewish persons assisted the Nazis in hope of being saved, and many hid in hopes of being safe. What known facts are discussed in Maus and, as a result, provide the academic community with more proof of the horrifying, unimaginable tragedies that occurred during WWII?
6. Consider the main relationships that occur throughout the narrative — how can those relationships be reflective of each other, both in past and present?
Vladek and Anja and Vladek and Mala?
Vladek and Richieu and Vladek and Art?
7. Even in the most difficult parts of the narrative, does Vladek and the other Holocaust victims find ways to survive and hold on to hope? If yes, give examples.
8. Throughout the book, the reader experiences various story parallels — consider the health of Vladek? Is there any foreshadowing that occurs early in the narrative to suggest the outcomes for both the young and old Vladek?
9. What is the role of family in the narrative? How does the familial structure change as the War and Holocaust progress? What all do they lose?
10. What is the role of the "Prisoner on the Hell Planet"? Why do you think the author choose to include this in his father’s narrative?
11. Spiegelman includes various moments of humor throughout his graphic novel. Was the humor used appropriately? What do you think was the purpose of the humor?
12. What did you think of the role of Anja in the narrative? How does her presence in the story compare / contrast to the role of Mala?
13. How did the actions of Vladek during the War change him into the difficult and combative parent known by his son?
(Questions submitted to LitLovers by Jennifer Johnson, M.L.A., M.L.I.S., Reference Librarian, Springdale Public Library. Please feel free to use them, online or off, with attribution. Thanks.)
I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life
Anne Bogel, 2018
Baker Publishing Group
160 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780801072925
Summary
For so many people, reading isn't just a hobby or a way to pass the time—it's a lifestyle.
Our books shape us, define us, enchant us, and even sometimes infuriate us. Our books are a part of who we are as people, and we can't imagine life without them.
I'd Rather Be Reading is the perfect literary companion for everyone who feels that way.
In this collection of charming and relatable reflections on the reading life, beloved blogger and author Anne Bogel leads readers to remember the book that first hooked them, the place where they first fell in love with reading, and all of the moments afterward that helped make them the reader they are today.
Known as a reading tastemaker through her popular podcast What Should I Read Next?, Bogel invites book lovers into a community of like-minded people to discover new ways to approach literature, learn fascinating new things about books and publishing, and reflect on the role reading plays in their lives.
The perfect gift for the bibliophile in everyone's life, I'd Rather Be Reading will command an honored place on the overstuffed bookshelves of any book lover. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
Anne Bogel is the creator of the popular blog Modern Mrs Darcy and the podcast What Should I Read Next? Her popular book lists and reading guides have established Bogel as a tastemaker among readers, authors, and publishers.
The author of Reading People, Bogel lives in Louisville, Kentucky. Find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. (From the publisher.)
Book Reviews
As of the time of this posting, there are no mainstream media reviews, only author blurbs (below). For helpful reviews see Amazon's and Barnes and Noble's many customer reviews.
Anne Bogel's beguiling latest is a love letter to the reading life, infused with all the warmth, charm, and brilliance her fans have come to expect. I found myself--and my reading community--inside its pages, and you will too.
Joshilyn Jackson, author of The Almost Sisters
"Personal and fun, Anne Bogel's essay collection is a self-portrait in books--weaving together all the readers she has been. I'd Rather Be Reading is her winsome musings on books, not just as a way to enjoy a good story, but as a way to become a whole person."-
Kathleen Grissom, author of The Kitchen House
Discussion Questions
We'll add publisher questions if and when they're available; in the meantime, use our LitLovers talking points to help start a discussion for I'D RATHER BE READING ... then take off on your own:
1. Start out by discussing whether or not Anne Bogel's book spoke to you and your love (we hope it's love) of reading. Do her observations hit home for you? Did you find yourself nodding in agreement? How did you experience the book?
2. What particular passages struck you as insightful, meaningful, funny, or especially personal to you?
3. Do you enjoy or do you love to read (and what's the difference)? Is reading a hobby, a way to pass the time, or a deep-seated passion? Why?
4. Follow-up to Question 3: If you answered the question above with "a deep-seated passion," what does reading bring to your life?
5. Have you ever thought of canceling plans you've made so you could dive into the book you have waiting for you? Have you ever actually canceled plans?
6. How has reading shaped and/or defined the person you are? What books in particular have strongly affected you …and in what way?
7. Can you recall any books that have infuriated you?
8. Talk about the book that first hooked you on reading—or the place and time when you knew you were in love with reading.
9. Which of the essays in I'd Rather Be Reading was your favorite?
10. In her book, Anne Bogel exclaims, "How good it is to be among people who are reading!" Why? Isn't reading a solitary passion (we do it alone). Then why is it important to be "among" others who read? This question, perhaps, gets to the root of our penchant for book clubs.
11. Are you book bossy?
12. Does this book make you think any differently about the act of reading? Did it bring insights entirely new to you, or make you see reading in a new way? Or not.
(Questions by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online and off, with attribution. Thanks.)
Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered: The Definitive How To Guide
Karen Kilgariff, Georgia Hardstack, 2019
Tom Doherty Assoc.
304 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781250178954
Summary
Sharing never-before-heard stories ranging from their struggles with depression, eating disorders, and addiction, Karen and Georgia irreverently recount their biggest mistakes and deepest fears, reflecting on the formative life events that shaped them into two of the most followed voices in the nation.
In Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered, Karen and Georgia focus on the importance of self-advocating and valuing personal safety over being "nice" or "helpful."
They delve into their own pasts, true crime stories, and beyond to discuss meaningful cultural and societal issues with fierce empathy and unapologetic frankness. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
Karen Kilgariff
Known for her biting wit and musical prowess, Karen has been a staple in the comedy world for decades. As a performer, she has appeared on Mr. Show, The Book Group and Conan. She was the head writer for the first five years of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, then transitioned to scripted, writing for shows like Other Space, Portlandia, and Baskets. Her musical comedy album Live At The Bootleg was included in Vulture's Top 9 of 2014 and in Stitcher's Top 11 of 2014.
Georgia Hardstark
Georgia has enjoyed a successful career as a food writer and Cooking Channel on-camera personality, including co-hosting a travel/adventure/party show called Tripping Out, and a regular gig on Cooking Channel’s #1 show, Unique Sweets. She caps that off as a frequent guest narrator on Comedy Central’s hit show Drunk History. (From the publisher.)
Book Reviews
Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark share practical wisdom in Stay Sexy and Don’t Get Murdered, which is a No. 1 debut on our advice, how-to and miscellaneous best-seller list.
New York Times
Hardstark and Kilgariff’s podcast takes on crime, death and other gory subjects, all filtered through the pair’s subversive wit as they riff on life’s craziness, often sharing details from their own mental health and substance abuse struggles. This openness translates onto the page. A kind of life guide…the book is just as funny as the podcast but often goes deeper into painful subjects.
Los Angeles Times
In many respects, Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered distills the My Favorite Murder podcast into its most essential elements: Georgia and Karen. They lay themselves bare on the page, in all of their neuroses, triumphs, failures, and struggles. From eating disorders to substance abuse and kleptomania to the wonders of therapy, Kilgariff and Hardstark recount their lives with honesty, humor, and compassion, offering their best unqualified life-advice along the way.
Entertainment Weekly
Discussion Questions
We'll add publisher questions if and when they're available; in the meantime, use our LitLovers talking points to help start a discussion for STAY SEXY AND DON'T GET MURDERED … then take off on your own.
1. The authors' past mistakes encompass a not uncommon list: parents, boys, drugs, and alcohol, mood and eating disorders, and a few more. Have any of these ever pertained to your own life or to someone's you know? How have they affected you even (say, if a family member) at a distance?
2. If there is one thing the authors recommend—strongly—it is counseling. What are your thoughts? What do you think of the 10-step breakdown of what to expect in therapy?
3. Kilgariff recounts how at 14, fresh out of rehab, she fell in love with Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles and then kept on reading. During periods of turmoil in you life, what offered you solace? Books? If so, which one(s), and why—why reading and why the particular books you chose?
4. Talk about chapter in which Kilgariff recreates the afternoon of a latchkey kid. What about her slightly sadistic older sister? Did you laugh… or want to cry… or both?
5. What about the phrase, "stay out of the forest." What do the authors mean, and how does one avoid the forest? What do you think of their warnings and advice? What advice would you give… and to whom?
6. Talk about the how the authors view "niceness" and "helpfulness". What are your thoughts? What's the point of being nice or helpful? What's the danger?
7. Overall, what are your impressions of Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered? Did you find it helpful… wise… insightful… off-the mark… shallow… funny… poignant? What about the book's tone and language?
(Questions by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online and off, with attribution. Thanks.)