The last part of the book is disappointingly boring but most of this memoir is well-worth reading. ( )

Not very good. I don’t even think he writes the words Marquee Moon. Nope. Just searched the text. Ugh.

4.30 ( )

I Dreamed I Was A Very Clean Tramp
by Richard Hell
2013
Harper Collins
3.5 /5.0

I enjoyed reading about Richards childhood playing cowboys in the caves around Lexington, Ky, to touring with Elvis Costello, dope sick. His stories of running away as a young boy, and eventually moving to Greenwich Village, in New York; of starting a poetry magazine, and working in bookstores are full of dark and hard times. Its a good book, but hard to read.
This books focus is on his life until the late 1970's. His drug addiction and mental health were his biggest obstacles, his sexual addiction and abuse of women are only hinted at. It has obviously been a factor for most of his life. His life has never been easy. He seems lonely and misunderstood. " Richard Hell and the Voidoids " is still one of my favorite albums, the songs are so true and crafted with expertise. I am a fan, I love his talent, but I find it hard to like him. ( )

More (& more) songs about buildings and sex (& drugs).

I didn't hate this, Hell had a lot of connections to music, writing & art I love, so there were facts I found interesting, but this has to be one of the dullest autobiographies I've read by someone who lived in an interesting milieu.

The under-examined life is, apparently, worth publishing. I'm just glad I got this from a library and didn't buy it. ( )