People pretended to be profoundly moved, but they weren't. They were simply tossing fitfully in their sleep. No one lost his appetite, no one got up and rang the fire alarm.
Check out this track from Vance from the Wine Sellers the other night.
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Heroes
Nonconformists, people who live their lives, garbage men who smile, dead men who leave strange empitaphs on their tombstones, strangers who pick you up hitchhiking, damaged women, Others, writers, poets, musicians, gas station clerks, activists, artists who do it not for sex or money, but for love of art. Oh, and these guys:
About me:
I'm a book, and you should read me. Hey, even better, why don't you BUY me, then read me? I was written by a drunk degenerate pigfucker named Ben Olson who has no real style of his own, but instead he rips it off from the greats.
Wanderlost deals with the Non-Generation, a bullshit label attached to a small group of idiots that once lived in a fictional town called Northsaint. It is the story of Max Manchester, a 25-year-old anti-hero in search of the soul and substance he feels lacking in his generation. He escapes and buys an Amtrak Rail Pass that allows him to travel around the country on the train for one month. From this vantage point - sitting in a train car with melancholy face looking out the window - Manchester tries to observe what's happening in America today.
The spontaneous prose mixes with sketches of the road, the wild nights play off the melancholy moments of despair... it's a personal piece of work that tries to ask the important question: what is it that the seekers seek?
There are flaws... after all, this book was written in only 37 days in a cloud of whiskey and cigarette smoke. But it's a truthful piece of work that makes an effort. You can by it on Amazon.com, or BarnesandNoble.com, and other bookstores in north Idaho like Vanderford's or Common Knowledge. You can also check out the publisher's website here.
Here's what people are saying about "Wanderlost":
"Reading your novel is not in the cards for me, I'm afraid. Good luck and feel fine!"
--Tom Robbins--
“The journey takes the reader not just through evocative descriptions of the changing landscape, but through the highly charged and personal musings of a young writer as he grapples with which direction he wants to go. Gritty and at times graphically intense, it is also a witty, insightful and humorous exploration of how to balance freedom with obligation and what it means to be a young American in the 21st century.”
--Sandpoint Reader--
“In the same vein of Jack Kerouac and Hunter S. Thompson, here is a writer howling at the American landscape and destined to become an American writer of significance. The torch has been passed…”
--Nate Jordon-- Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poets
“PLEASE buy this book – get this fucking guy off my couch!”
--Marisa Fenarjian-- Allows Olson to Sleep on Her Couch
“This man will not live to see 30… It’s a new movement, a movement like I’ve never seen before… art for bums… Ignore his hard drinking, his distorted politics and his hair-brained theories, his utter grimness, his cathartic experiences, his constant cycling between satori and ennui and go straight to the humanness of his work, wherein Max, this uncommon common man, makes common mistakes in a messy world.”
--Erin Brannigan-- Former Professional Racquetball Player Art Thief, Master of Bullshit An Ordinary Man Himself
"Never heard of it."
--Gas Station Attendant--
Chevron - San Francisco, CA
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This is a 1908 Underwood #5 I scored from Dan Shook - this is the before picture.
It was one of the best shows I've ever seen. It was a good night. they said they want to play with me again. How's everything down that way? Oh i tried to get into the crossing to play some pool, and the key that merwins made didn't work.. They suck at making keys.
I woke up with a strange nostalgic tugging and had to look at your incredible photos to satiate my mood. Miss ya, come down to Cali and we'll take care of some Whiskey together. I'd like that.
Friday 10/23 - The Reef: Back at Boise's Favorite Tiki Bar, this one's blowin up! 10pm Wedneday 10/28 - Crusty's: Celebrating our 100th show at our favorite pizza joint! 7pm
Good to hear you dig the new issue - went with a different (better) printer, different physical material, and finally getting my chops with all things Adobe. Still evolving but... Will solicit you for some photography, man, good eye you got there. And of course words, always words. What's the status on the new book?
Hello my friend...so I'm hiding my identity, but I just wanted to let you know that behind this is a little redhead who knows Willie, and the Witte's in general, real well. I've finally decided to write, tell me what you think confidante:)
i remember some time back when a much admired writer died and Zach wrote you to pay homage to the fella (sorry i don't recall his name). but it made me think of you in a recent experience i've had. Thursday was Charles Darwin's 200th birthday and for some reason (the reason being that the man was an inquisitive genius not to mention that he defied his time) a bunch of neeeerdy people all over the world payed homage to him. this is a pic of my advisor. thought you would appreciate it. i'm sure your lost mate will last time as well due to his immortal character and legacy.
That's right, you had another birthday recently. That's the first one in 3 years that I haven't hugged you or given you cookies. Shit. I miss you, mister. How're things?
I started thinking about your birthday early, the morning of, and it took this long for a message to get to you because we're that far apart. I hope y0u survived your duel and made it to see another year. Wanderlost comes up on shuffle on Lanny's ipod all the time. There is no escaping the smell of whiskey and beanie weenies on your breath. Miss you terribly.
Benny boy, I'm gonna give you a holler on the phone here pretty soon so we can do a little cathcin up. Things have been going pretty swell down here for the most part.
Think about you often...you're an incredible manifestation of all that is, all at once. Hope to have more time on this side of someday to booze and flap jaws. You're seriously important.
