Filed under: News, Reviews, Contests | Tags: Alan Barton, Anna Carrigan, Bici Coop, Bike Skirt, Birmingham, Carla Jean Whitley, Edwin Marty, Elisa Munoz, Flirty Thirty, Free Think Birmingham, freeThinkBham, Glenny Brock, Jones Valley Urban Farm, Sam Killpack, Scary Troll Dragon
We haven’t posted much about it, but one of our favorite parts of this project has been supporting—and enjoying support from—our amazing artistic community here in Birmingham, Alabama.
Last night both Kevin and I had the pleasure of volunteering for and partying with Bici Coop, a local bicycle cooperative doing fantastic community work. The shop is led by our good friends (and Some New Trend contributors) Elisa Munoz, Anna Carrigan, and Alan Barton.
Some New Trend donated prizes for the event—our own American Apparel potato-printed t-shirts and bags, which you can purchase here if so inclined—and one of our t-shirts was modeled by race winner Edwin Marty, a Birmingham celebrity who does amazing work with Jones Valley Urban Farm, a community-based non-profit that grows organic produce and flowers. (BTW, wearing a skirt was a requirement of yesterday’s race—inspired by Bike Skirt—for both men and women. We like how Edwin’s skirt brings out the colors in his Some New Trend shirt!)
Thanks to these community organizations, both for their support of Some New Trend, and for their impact on our city. And thanks to the local media who’ve supported us along the way, especially Sam at freeThinkBham , Carla Jean of Birmingham Magazine, Glenny Brock of The Birmingham Weekly, and The Terminal.
Filed under: News, Reviews, Contests | Tags: BiciCoop, bicycles, Bike Skirt, Elisa Munoz, List Wednesdays, memoirs, screwed up
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Today’s list comes from our friend Elisa Munoz. Elisa is an Assistant Buyer for Fiction, YA, and Childrens books at a major bookseller based in Birmingham. She blogs at Bike Skirt along with Anna from last week’s list, and is another leader behind the exciting non-profit BiciCoop (shop is now open—speaking of, we’re trying to get Alan to give us a list next to complete the trilogy). Thanks, Elisa!
Memoirs of REALLY Screwed Up People and/or Families!
1. Running with Scissors: Augusten Burroughs. Wow. Possibly the most screwed up family…EVER. (see also Dry)
2. Postcards from the Edge: Carrie Fisher. This chick had issues. If she wasn’t famous, she would just be…another girl with major issues. Relationship issues, substance abuse, all of it.
3. Liars Club: Mary Karr. More of a messed up family situation. Southerners seem to have a special kind of dysfunctionality. Which I love.
4. Dry: Augusten Burroughs. This time he took on his alchoholism, which is a to be expected consequence of his Running With Scissors childhood. Who wouldn’t drink with a mother like that (and let’s not even talk about his father…he does that in A Wolf at the Table)
5. On the Road: Jack Kerouac. Not much about his childhood, but one screwed up trip across America. sex, drugs, rock and roll, poetry and general wandering. Took the Road Trip to another level and made everyone want to take off with only a bag and few bucks.
6. A Complicated Kindness: Mirian Towes. Ok, this is fiction. However, it is so well written and developed that it read as a memoir. Plus, this is my list and I want to include it!
7. Cracker Queen, Stories of a Jagged, Joyful Life: Lauretta Hannon. A new book that I just loved. Another Southern family with issues. I had dinner with Lauretta last week and y’all, she is endearing. A real person with real crap who has made beauty out of it. Oh, and she is hilarious.
8. Dreamseller: Brandon Novak. Skateboarder gone bad. I love stories about drug addicts (don’t ask), and this one did not disappoint. Skated with Tony Hawk, then ended up addicted to Smack. Can you imagine an intervention with Bam Margera and Tony Hawk? It happened.
9. The Basketball Diaries: Jim Carroll. Another athlete on drugs story. This one is probably the most raw drug memoir I have ever read. If you want to cheat you can watch the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio, but you are doing yourself a disservice (besides, who is cute when they are strung out?).
10. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius: Dave Eggers. Story of raising his brother after his parents death. As a big sister to 3 siblings, I can’t imagine this. Eggers tells it with candor and unflinching honesty. I ate it up.
Honorable mention: Lucky by Alice Sebold, The Color of Water by James McBride, The Corner by Simon and Burns
So, whenever you are feeling especially screwed up, pick up one of these and feel better. Much better than watching VH1 or E!. Trust me.
Some New Trend 
