The Rif Raff Book Club selection for March was Electroboy by Andrew Behrman.

Electroboy by Andrew Behrman

Electroboy was an OK read. The trashy escapades or sexcapades made me want to read on and see what seedy lifestyle he would explore next. I was disappointed that the story never closed the loop on his outstanding debt to one of his film investors. Given all of his trials and tribulations with the law, the story seemed flawed by not having that loose end tied. Oh well, I guess it's a first novelists "mulligan". Behrman would do best by getting back into PR and leaving story telling to those who do it better.

I had a hard time believing some of the situations in this book. Could someone keep that kind of cash in the freezer of their apartment? Do people who can't sleep at night hop a plane to Hong Kong for days at a time? Is PR the scam he portrayed it to be? Where did all the cash money come from. He seemed a little vague about all his "business" dealings. During the book club discussion the point was made, " Maybe he (the author) didn't a reveal all the illegal dealings he was involved with." This sure seemed possible. He wrote around any specific illegal activity, except for what he was convicted of. Where did the drugs come from? What about the prostitution? There was allot to talk about in this book. His mental illness being the thread that kept the story going. I suppose once you are on the right track to positive mental health, the crazy stories start to decrease in number. Is there a follow up book someone would want to read? I am a little curious how his life leveled out after electroshock therapy. The recovery stories are most likely very normal and regular. I like the idea that the author kept a journal through his trauma and used the entries to establish a time line. I really didn't feel sorry for him because of his ability to always get help from his family. He was really lucky to have those people in his life. I don't think it turns out that way for many people with mental illness, especially for someone with his extreme condition. I wish I had some reference to his New York settings. It really didn't give me the feeling I was there when he wrote about them. I think he expected the reader to know the physical attributes of the locations he wrote about. There was some description but not enough to set the scene for someone who was never there. I felt after the book club discussion, the settings were more likely identifiable for people who had been to New York. I don't think I would recommend this book to everyone. Its a special audience that did not include me.

I liked this book. I enjoyed reading about New York and his adventures. He obviously had some mental problems and where else to go nutty and be considered normal than in N.Y.?