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Carsick
336 pages
A wickedly funny, subversive road trip that blurs the line between outrageous fantasy and the astonishing generosity of everyday strangers.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like riding shotgun with a wickedly funny, subversive companion who views the world through a lens of both outrageous fantasy and warm intelligence. The pace is brisk and unpredictable, bouncing between wildly exaggerated best-and-worst-case scenarios featuring everything from generous drug dealers to terrifying hostage situations before settling into the grounded reality of the open road. The mood is a bizarre yet affectionate celebration of American eccentricity, blending filthy humor with genteel manners. Its prose is witty and sharp, capturing the vulnerability of hitchhiking while maintaining a deeply generous spirit. It is a perfect read for those who delight in eccentric travelogues, subversive comedy, and the astonishing weirdness of everyday people.
- Mood
- adventurous
- bizarre
- unpredictable
- affectionate
- Tone
- subversive
- witty
- warm
- wickedly funny
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- American eccentricity · fantasy versus reality · vulnerability of travel · human generosity
- The writing
- Witty, subversive, and laced with a warm intelligence that balances filthy humor with genteel observation.
- The arc
- Moves from wild, subversive fantasies of danger and delight to a warm, grounded appreciation of real human generosity.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love subversive humor, eccentric travelogues, and affectionate portraits of American weirdness.
Content notes
- sexual references
- fantasized gun violence
- drug references
- fantasized police entrapment
About the book
John Waters is putting his life on the line. Armed with wit, a pencil-thin mustache, and a cardboard sign that reads 'I'm Not Psycho', he hitchhikes across America from Baltimore to San Francisco, braving lonely roads and treacherous drivers. But who should we be more worried about, the delicate film director with genteel manners or the unsuspecting travelers transporting the Pope of Trash? Along the way, Waters fantasises about the best and worst possible scenarios: a friendly drug dealer hands over piles of cash to finance films with no questions asked, a demolition-derby driver makes a filthy sexual request in the middle of a race, a gun-toting drunk terrorizes and holds him hostage, and a Kansas vice squad entraps and throws him in jail. So what really happens when this cult legend sticks out his thumb and faces the open road? Laced with subversive humour and warm intelligence, Carsick is an unforgettable vacation with a wickedly funny companion - and a celebration of America's weird, astonishing, and generous citizens.
Description from Open Library.
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