Customer Reviews (3)

Ok, but liked "Nevermind Nirvana" better
I think this was a good first novel. The characters were believable and the story was easy to follow. I didn't feel much for the characters in the end. I think he did a much better job with "Nevermind Nirvana," but this was a good, quick read.

1980s Rule
I bought this because of the "Trailer Park Chicks Dig It" review below.It came out about seven years before Nick Hornby's "High Fidelity" and it's sharper, funnier, cooler, and, of course, American.It's very 1980s, I agree with the other reviewer, but it's also"timeless" I suppose in that it's a guy in his 20s coming of ageand all that.The author has a new novel coming out, "Never MindNirvana," which people here in Seattle are talking about, but I don'tknow much about it yet except it's supposed to be great and Peter Buck ofR.E.M. wrote a quote for it.

trailer park chicks dig it
I bought this book shortly after it was published on the strength of a Brett Easton Ellis blurb on the back. Remember him? Anyway, I rather enjoyed the gray, narcissistic moodand the protagonist's obsession with murdering himself. Cool song quotes from the Smiths and Replacements place the bookbetween melancholy self-possession and sensitive longing, though I would not be surprised if the feel is at least somewhat dated by now (think of "Less Than Zero"). My copy was absconded by a trailer park wench who later confessed and told me it was the only book she ever read all the way through. She also said one of her kids shredded it and she tossed the carcass. I have searched for it ever since, lamentably to no avail. This last should not so much stand as a tribute to the novel's force, but rather as a nod toward cheap sentamentality. Nevertheless, "Sad Movies" is a fine, relatively light read if you can find it ... Read more

Product Description
From a widely acclaimed author and prominent prosecutor, an electrifying novel that deftly penetrates America's latest and fastest-growing drug epidemic

Detective Wyatt James is a veteran police officer with the Meth Lab team in Pierce County, Washington -- an epicenter of methamphetamine production. At the core of the local meth problem is the elusive, self-proclaimed "King of Meth-lehem." The king moves from one shelter to another, relying on the kindness and desperation of a variety of women. He's the top meth cook in the region, a dangerously successful identity thief, and he travels under a number of famous aliases, among them Lars Ulrich, Peter Farrelly, Ted Nugent, and most recently Howard Schultz.

Wyatt has been chasing Howard relentlessly, but the pursuit has become a fixation that threatens to destroy Wyatt's personal life and disrupt the lives of his bookish girlfriend, Suki, who just moved into his loft, and his best friend, Mike, a prosecutor -- and perhaps involve them all in a dangerously volatile situation. Neither Suki nor Mike nor Wyatt's supervisor seems able to deter him from his obsessive hunt.

Though Wyatt is closing in on him, Howard is on the verge of a breakthrough as he transforms his small-time "guerrilla" cooking into a large-scale meth lab. As he becomes more ambitious, plotting to stay one move ahead of Wyatt and rival dealers, he descends to fascinating levels of addiction, paranoia, egoism, and madness. His newfound success forces him to take greater risks, and his list of enemies becomes more extensive and more dangerous. The king will not go down without a fight.

With startling precision and compelling prose, the author of Never Mind Nirvana once again brings his insight and wit to a topical slice of our popular culture. Lindquist takes us deep into the heart of what has become America's most dangerous drug epidemic, exposing the complex and horrifying lengths to which addicts -- tweekers -- will go for their meth, as well as the extraordinary challenges that society faces in eradicating a nationwide plague. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Awesome accidental book!
I went to my local bookstore searching for a different book entirely.They did not have the one I was looking for, but King of Methlehem was right there where my book should have been.The title made me laugh, so I picked it up and read about it.I usually don't go for the cop-thriller genre, but it sounded very interesting, since Meth is getting to be a problem in my region, also.I got home and finished it within the next four hours.It is an awesome, awesome book.The description on the back does not do it justice.The characters are all incredibly interesting.You'll run the gamut of emotions with this one, laughter, sadness, anger, suspense.
I only wish it had been longer!

Good Local Author
This book contains a lot of places that really exist in Tacoma, WA.Interesting look into the Meth phenomenon. Felt my teeth rotting as it followed the main character to his various labs.

The funniest book about Tacoma ever written
Maybe not so funny for you what don't come from around here, but still pretty good.

The Title Was the Best Part of the Book
I initially picked up this book because of the catchy title.After reading the DJ, I figured I'd give it a try......sounded kind of interesting.Was I ever disappointed.It is a rather short book, coming in at just over 200 pages....little more than a pamphlet, really.This simply did not give the author enough time to fully flesh out the story or develop the characters. I found it virtually impossible to connect with anyone in the story.It wasn't until the final few pages that I even started to give a flip about Wyatt, the main character.

While the story may have a moral to it, I suspect that the kind of people who would actually read it probably don't need to be to told not to use meth.

Overall, the idea had much potential, but fell short.Perhaps the author was under pressure from the publisher to get it finished quickly, or maybe he was rushing to collect his paycheck?

A true (fictional) portrayal of the meth scene
In my work I have interacted with scores of meth addicts.If you have not done so, be prepared to be shocked when you read this.In fact, you may believe that the addict/dealers in this book are overdone charicatures.They are not.They were so believable that the book really shook me.

Mr. Lindquist describes their lifestyle, their homes, their conversational style, and how they treat their children to a "T".In that way this book is truly remarkable and an eye-opener who doesn't understand the impact of this most sinister drug.

The underlying story is also very engaging.I read this in only a couple of quick sittings over 24 hours.My only criticism is that I found the ending a little abrupt or choppy, but I don't want to ruin the book by revealing anything further.

This is definitely a worthwhile read. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Before Never Mind Nirvana
I bought this book because I loved NEVER MIND NIRVANA, the author's latest novel.This is not as good as NEVER MIND NIRVANA and it's much slower and longer, but it kept my attention because it's a lot like NEVER MIND NIRVANA in its postmodern approach and all the music and the great dialogue and characters.I think this book is slower becasue it follows several characters, instead of just one, but some people may prefer that.The women characters are surprisingly real, and I totally related to one.And I should mention that there's one character who is just like Pete Tyler from NEVER MIND NIRVANA.If you're a fan of this author you will like this book.

Be there...
I recommend reading this book with a bottle of your favorite poison in one sitting.It moves fast and it takes you along for the ride.Appealing and intriguing characters and a great story.

Best Hollywood Book Ever But
This is what happens when smart literary writers take on trashy popular subjects - even if it's one of the best Hollywood books ever, I'm not sure how much that is saying. I enjoyed it a lot though.The writing is bothhip and traditional.

Why didn't someone make a movie of this?
Highly entertaining, almost shamefully so.This very funny novel of young Hollywood in the late eighties focuses on a group of friends in the industry.Female readers will fall in lovewith Bick, and try to understand what he sees in actresses.L.A. insiders will enjoy the guessinggame of who's-who.(Hint:WILD HORSES couldn't drag it out of me.) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Eloquent, lucid discussions of Indian issues through history
and why they are still vitally important today.Why are so many non-Indian Amerciansdrawn to Native American culture, to the collective view of the world andthe human niche within it?Learn, through example, how the oral tradition is a source of inspiration, education, humor and emotional release for those who still practice the arts of story-telling.Learn why Trickster is as or more important today not only to Indian stories but to cultures around the world.And if you're curious about the stand Native Amercianstend to take regarding environmental issues, read this book.The Constitutional precedence of treaties with Indian tribes is clearly, succinctly discussed, and if you have any questions remaining after reading this slim volume, many sources of additional texts are cited.This is a wonderful blend of academics and plain speaking.Quite rare! ... Read more

Product Description

"Hip deep in music, Never Mind Nirvana is a telling inside view that perfectly captures the rhythms and sights of late-nineties Seattle."
— Peter Buck, guitarist of R.E.M.

Pete Tyler is at a crossroads. Eight years ago he dropped out of a seminal Seattle grunge band to try his hand at a more grown-up calling. Now he's thirty-six ("almost forty!"), a deputy prosecutor (a suit), still hanging out at the same clubs he played ten years ago (the ones that haven't shut down), and still dating the same kind of girls (except now they tell him how much their older sisters loved his band).

Pete decides it's time to get married—he just doesn't know to whom. Possibilities include Beth, his first love, who has disappeared; Winter, his on-and-off stripper girl-friend, who has been living the grunge life too long; and Esme´, a Sub Pop A&R executive who has some life decisions of her own to make. When a date-rape case lands on his desk—the accused is a local rocker Pete's age, the accuser an eighteen-year-old from the scene—Pete finds his past and present facing him from both sides of the aisle, and he finally has to decide where he stands.

Pete Tyler is a cooler version of Everyguy, and Never Mind Nirvana is a hilarious and unexpectedly moving story of a man with one foot stuck in adolescence and the other planted in adulthood. Richly textured with references to classic rock and the music of Seattle's legendary alternative rock scene, it is also a fascinating, bittersweet riff on a particularly American zeitgeist.Amazon.com Review
Twentysomething New York had its Bright Lights, Big City.Pre-grad L.A. had its LessThan Zero. And now thirtysomething, post-grunge Seattle has itsNever MindNirvana (a less-than-clever twist on the title of a seminal album). InMark Lindquist's third novel, we find Peter Tyler at a crossroads. He'straded in his gig as a bassist with a quasi-successful grunge band for arespectable career in law. Instead of flannel he wears suits, and insteadof taking the bus he zips around town in a Volvo. Emotionally, however,this paragon of maturity is still a kid: he hangs in the same bars, treatswomen merely as potential conquests (only now he's dating the littlesisters of the strippers and groupies who used to notch his bedpost), andstill slips the same old CDs onto his stereo.

In the midst of this adolescent purgatory, a date-rape case lands onPeter's desk, and he finds himself prosecuting an old rock-star friend forcommitting an act he himself may have committed in the past. Time to growup? Unfortunately not: throughout Never Mind Nirvana, theintricacies and ambiguities of the case often take a backseat to Tyler'sdrunken angst. When his hero is grappling with the grayest, most subtleaspects of the trial, Lindquist does imbue him with a certain depth andcompassion. Otherwise, his novel can seem a mere exercise in name-dropping:the washed-up rock stars who populate Seattle's nightlife, the bartenderswho serve their scotch, and the bouncers who toss them out into the rainystreets. And it's no consolation to discover that Lindquist's portrayal ofSeattle is technically accurate. Substituting fact for fiction, he's used amap and a phonebook--and not enough imagination. --Tod Nelson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

Well Done
What easily could have been bogged down by the author jamming his musical preferences down your throat, turned out to be a solid novel with music kept in the background. I was worried when I saw that Brett Easton Ellis was a Lindquist fan, but this book has a story that sucks you in, makes sense and has characters that you can empathize with. In the end, I felt somewhat shortchanged by the fact that some elements of the book weren't expanded on, but you know you've read a solid book when the author leaves you wanting more.

Choosing between right and wrong
This romantic tale is based in the Seattle atmosphere of the late 90s. A prosecutor finds a catch 21 situation in his job, between choosing to follow his principles or please music fans of a charged rock musician. This kind of dilemma might seem its the central engine of this novel, but it isn't.
The main character passion for women in every aspect, how being succesful and attractive for ladies is not enough to secure a womans heart, are some of the plots aspects I found fascinating. His writing style is captivating without pretending to be Nobel prize material.
The subplots and dialogues are very realistic. Many references to songs of that time. A soundtrack for this book could be released.
The novel works sometimes as a nostalgia deliver....its been only 10 years...but come on, most Gen Xers would love to live that era again.
The author is actually a lawyer, this adds a sense this might be in some way an autobiographical novel.
Highly recommended.

Seattle dreams and many flings
Author Mark Lindquist writes a simple story in "Never Mind Nirvana." There is nothing overly flashy or anything that adds a monumental aspect to the realm of English literature, however, here sits a fine piece of storytelling that works nearly like Bret Easton Ellis novel but more like a movie on Showtime.

For anyone of the late Generation X-movement, this book is for you. While not as cutting edge as Ellis' novel, "Glamorama", "Never Mind Nirvana" features many celebrities in appearances no different than Ellis' previous works. Several grunge rockers show some face and there's a throwback to past memories that anyone who listened to radio or music in general from the 90's can relate to.

It's text with a soundtrack.

The story follows the prosecution of one aging rocker that is a bonafide celebrity in the dear music scene of awesome Seattle, Washington. The prosecutor is a former musician and finds himself on the edge of the next level of his life, contemplating his past and asking himself, "Who was I? What am I now?"

There are countless short romances, the club goers, the drinks, and sing a longs that almost entrance the reader to throw down the book and head bang for a bit.

Lindquist is about simplicity and this book is an easy read for a quiet afternoon on the couch or a rainy day at a cafe. While it's not a book for everyone, it's enjoyable to the majority...

when's the freakin' movie coming out!?
this is the coolest book and it would make the coolest movie! It's like the movie's already written, it just needs someone with a camera and some actors.Someone suggeted Vince Vaughn play Pete Tyler, I say Johnny Depp.Whatever, someone should just hurry up 'cause "I can't hardly wait!"If you know what song that line is from, you'll love this book.You'll probably love it anyway.

Possibilities
This is a great light read.The comparisons to Hornby are justifiable, but Lindquist does create an original storyline.The idea of couplingSeattle pop culture laden material with courtroom drama seems odd, but he pulls it off.A lot of the reviews I read pertaining to this novel mention pace and rightly so.The book becomes increasingly hard to put down once you start, as cliche as that sounds.And the music references!Love It!I spent the night digging through hundreds of old CD's after I read this. The characters are believable and easy to relate to, especially for those of us who are just like or know people just like them. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of Mark Lindquist, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thomson Gale. The length of the entry is 628 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Product Description
Chapters: Po Shun Leong, Charles I. D. Looff, Jim Flora, Mark Lindquist, Joseph A. Bailly, Moulthrop Family, Irvan Perez, Mel Lindquist, Willard Stone, Robert Longhurst, David E. Pergrin, Amanda Crowe, Cherie Currie, Birds of Vermont Museum, Wendell Castle, Dudley C. Carter, Bob Spear, H. S. "Andy" Anderson, Ward Brothers, Ellin ... Read more