Everybody into the Pool: True Tales – A Bestselling and Irreverent Memoir of Life's Paradoxes from Suburbs to Fringe

by Beth Lisick

Beth Lisick started out as a homecoming princess with a Crisco-aided tan and a bad perm. And then everything changed. Plunging headlong into America's deepest subcultures, while keeping both feet firmly planted in her parents' Leave It to Beaver values , Lisick makes her adult home on the fringe of mainstream culture and finds it rich with paradox and humor. On the one hand, she lives in "Brokeley" with drug dealers and street gangs; on the other, she drives a station wagon with a baby seat in the back, makes her own chicken stock, and attends ladies' luncheons. How exactly did this suburban girl-next-door end up as one of San Francisco's foremost chroniclers of alternative culture? Lisick explains it all in her hilarious, irreverent, bestselling memoir, Everybody into the Pool . Fans of David Sedaris and Sarah Vowell will relish Lisick's scathingly funny, smart, very real take on the effluvia of daily living. No matter what community she's exposing to the light, Lisick always hits the right chord.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Humor, Essays, Biography Memoir, Short Stories, Queer Lit

240 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2005

About the author

Beth Lisick is the author of six books, including the New York Times bestseller Everybody into the Pool. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications and anthologies including Best American Poetry, the Santa Cruz Noir, and Word Warriors: 35 Women Leaders in the Spoken Word Movement. She has contributed to public radio's This American Life and is the cofounder of the Porchlight storytelling series in San Francisco.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out great and ended up to be mostly disappointing. I am a fan a Beth Lisick and attend her Porchlight Storytelling series in San Francisco when I can, so I feel a little bit bad giving this book a 3-star rating, like I am being critical of a friend. And like I said, I LOVED it when I started it, and thought it was so funny and totally related to her sense of humor and wacky adventures, especially when she talks about her childhood in the 70's. But midway thorough, and definitely at the end, the momentum was lost and with it, the point of the book. I was left feeling kind of like, yeah? so what? what did we learn here? Not that every book has to have a lesson, but going through all of that "just because" felt a little unsatisfying. That said, she is a funny writer and it was a quick read and entertaining.

[HeavyReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like this book nearly as much as I thought I would.

I thought a Sister Spit performer would have more interesting things to say, but Beth just wasn't all that interesting. Maybe her pieces are more exciting when she reads them aloud. I hope so. Don't get me wrong, nothing in this collection of recollections is bad...It's just that nothing in this collection of recollections is good. Sigh. Too bad, because I had high expectations.

[Sheila · Rating 1 out of 5]

Recently finished Everybody Into the Pool by Beth Lisick. Not my type of book. It's almost like she was trying to impress the reader with her antics. Then, there was one incident in the first chapter where the "ick factor" almost made me stop reading at that point. But I kept going. Sometimes our first reaction is a good one :-)

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of essays chronicles Beth Lisick's movements through the conventional, homecoming princess world of her childhood to the far fringes of American counter-culture.

Lisick is a smart, honest writer with a very good eye for detail. The book gave me a number of laugh-out-loud moments as I read about things like her attempt to fit in to her first neighborhood ladies' luncheon and the period when she tried to convince herself that she was bisexual despite her inconveniently heterosexual tastes.

I would warn you, however, that some of the ground Lisick covers is not for the faint of heart. Her chapter on what happened when the sewage pipes broke in her illegal warehouse apartment in the seediest part of San Francisco's Mission actually made my stomach turn, and I found her chapter discussing her total inability to live up to the Baby Gap image of new motherhood more painfully honest than funny.

If you have ever wondered what it's like to have drug dealers for neighbors while writing an online nightlife column before most people had even heard of the internet, however, you'll probably enjoy this book a great deal.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
From a typical suburban upbringing, Beth Lisick moves into adulthood to live an atypical life. Everybody into the Pool is a collection of short story essays that follow Beth through her TV-addicted childhood, to her summer "job" of getting a suntan that leads to her election as homecoming princess, to living in a drug-infested slum, writing a cyber column on alternative culture.

Using wry humor, Lisick lets the reader into her life and gives us a glimpse of the road less traveled. Even though she has more unusual experiences than most - trying out being a lesbian, a sewage pipe bursting in her semi-condemned apartment building, traveling with a punk rock band - Lisick still manages to buy and take care of a home, get married, and have a child.

The funny moments and the author's highly readable prose make the stories easier to read, but humor and unusual situations can only carry things so far. It's difficult to relate to an author whose exploits are so far out of my scope of living. The hilarious tales of her childhood helped me to develop an affinity for her, but her adulthood almost reads like fiction.

Everybody into the Pool is engaging and definitely entertaining. It's a quick read and a worthwhile way to spend time--if only for the value of gazing into another person's life and seeing that no matter what, we're not all that different despite our varied experiences.

[Cheryl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really hate this book. It's like an unfunny David Sedaris novel. But it's in my gym bag and I resentfully pull it out when I have nothing better to do.

[laura dutrisac · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh took me forever to read this bad boy and i honestly didn’t like it much. found it at a used book store and bought it bc it sounded interesting. it started out pretty good, it was entertaining and funny but 1/3 of the way through it got boring and very meh. powered through for the sake of my goodreads challenge.

[Waffle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve held on to this book for a few years, but was pushed by read harder to dive in to something local. The stories were funny, light, easy, and very real life. No huge revelations, just the stuff of living. I just read another book by a sister spit vet, and there were some interesting connections.

[Nathanial · Rating 3 out of 5]

okay, so this is fun. lisick gets one star for humor, one star for style, and one star for rhythm. she gets no stars for condescension, and no stars for taking herself seriously (but not seriously enough). i love her quick portraits, her willingness to show affection for foibles, and her scattershot summaries. i can do without the momentary nods towards inclusiveness, and its corollary sketchiness of landscapes in time. i'm probably the last one to figure out that, for what she does, she does it really well.

style...i forget what this was about. i mean, i remember thinking, 'point for style, she's got that,' but i can't remember why. probably for not taking herself too seriously. maybe for remembering all this shit that happened, or maybe for making it all up and still pulling it off. tell you what, i can believe that a bomb-building father wearing a walrus mustache would call Jesus Christ Superstar something "very special," even if those weren't the exact words and that wasn't the exact show.

so what else? rhythm. oh yeah - this is what really made me want to write about her book. not just the 'breezy' pace of delivery, but also the rapid transition between episodes within the stories, and their variation in pattern. Here's more from our on-the-spot-anchor, Gloria:

"Well, Velcro, I'm here in Sunnyvale, where Lisick's first story is set. We have an introductory overview from the standpoint of the current moment, from an author who is aware of herself and us, and a slow jump back to the moment of the story. Following a seemingly-isolated vignette, we have a genial summary of habitual action, a transformative encounter, and the resultant epiphanies. So that's story number one.

Story number two seems to repeat this pattern, with a short scene in detail, a longer summary of idle time, and then a longer scene that spans two nights. More concise, this story does away with the introductory overview, and the summary conclusion.

Story number three develops this pattern with a longer scene at the start, a quick summary in the middle, and then a long scene at the end that only covers a few hours.

Story number four does away with the established template, and even its variations, with one long summary punctuated by instants of dialogue.

That's all for now, Velcro. I'll follow-up with further updates as events unfold. For KGR radio, I'm Gloria LaBelle in Sunnyvale."

Thanks, Gloria. And now, a word from our sponsors.

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[Warning: Side effects may include glib condescension, self-satisfied evaluations, and compassion fatigue. Beware of backlash from over-analytical critics. See a doctor to ask if 'Sudden Insight' is right for you."

Next up on KGR radio, we have a report on a public health crisis - the abuse of 'Sudden Insight' in narrative prose. For more on this story, we turn to Zeuner Valve, live in San Francisco.

"Thanks, Velcro. Clever, refreshing, and amusing - these are all characteristic we're used to find in the users of Sudden Insight. But pompous? Overwrought? Patronizing? We look now at the life of B., our annonymous subject, to learn how a gift can turn into a curse. B.:"All I want to say is, it's really nice of her to come down from her throne and deign to hang out with us art dorks, chess nerds, and science geeks. It's so nice of her to find out that we're interesting and complicated people, too. How lucky we are."

[Willow Redd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I relate to Beth Lisick. While she had a quite normal and uneventful childhood, she found herself as part of the "counter culture." I don't really fit in well with the middle-America of my childhood, and I'm not sure why. Lisick seems to have similar issues. We can both fake it really well, though.

The main difference between Beth Lisick and myself? She figured out a way to make a living doing what she enjoys. I'm still figuring that part out.

But that's one of the main reasons I enjoyed this book so much. Here is an example of someone who didn't make it huge, didn't aim for the stratosphere of recognition and fame, but eked out a modest living doing what she wants to do. She's got the house with the white picket fence, never mind that it's in a really rough neighborhood and her neighbor is a drug dealer. He's a better neighbor than the ones I have here in this "out in the county" housing development full of people with "regular" employment. The story about the unkempt lawn is one I related to quite personally.

Lisick's stories are personal and honest accounts of a life spent doing what had to be done in order to live the life she wanted. She works hard, no matter the job. She's an inspiration.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This is a different girl! She and I have not led very similar lives, but how funny it is to read her life from her perspective. There are definitely the "gasping -she did not just say that!" moments to the laughing out loud / loving it moments.

This book is not for the complete faint of heart. That said, however, I think that a lot of people will enjoy Ms. Lisick's writing style. She's funny, poignant and very sassy.

But, she definitely leaves me asking questions -- like, what do her parents think of her lifestyle?? why is her brother paul living at home? is she still living in her house that she bought before she had her son? simple things that she doesn't get into much detail about have me wondering about more of her life.

I totally get her last chapter about her son. I found it very moving.

All in all I would recommend this book, but be forewarned that she delves into the world of - lesbians, drugs, rock n roll, her non-faith in religion and the such.

Have fun and enjoy the ride!

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished reading this somewhat amusing book about the reminiscences of the author's life growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1970s and into her adult life in the 1990s. Some of this was laugh-out-loud funny including the chapter when she was the homecoming queen in the outrageous dress with hues of various colors and her subsequent date with the handsome and believed-to-be reserved senior. Some of the other parts of the book were not as funny but overall this was an enjoyable read. This reminded me of similar humorous books about growing up that I enjoyed including The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson, A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel, and probably my favorite: In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd, the basis for the wonderful movie, A Christmas Story.

[Ayny · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out with a rather tactless episode, did not get much funnier. Trying too hard to be witty, hip, Cali' might be the way to describe it.

[Callie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was going to give Everybody in the Pool 4 stars but what the heck, I'm feeling generous, and I did really enjoy this light hearted hilarious read so I'm going with the big 5.

Since it really is a collection of short stories from Beth Lisick's life, I recommend starting with chapter 3, "Didn't I Almost Have it All?" to kick off your journey. It is an ode to Ms. Lisick's high school years and was easily my favorite; it will give you a good idea on whether you will like this book or not. I read chap. 3 aloud to Jay who thought it read like a female David Sedaris, which it actually suggests on the inside back cover flap.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the chapters about Lisick's childhood and teen years. Her hipster life in SF was too cool for me for the most part. I REALLY stopped caring, and the writing got thinner as the material petered out.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible. . don't bother. This is one of those books where you just know you wouldn't like the author. . since she is writting about her life after all

[stillme · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot less interesting that I hoped, and I felt sorry for someone who could never seem to be satisfied with anything in her life.

[Cheeseboy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just because you do stupid crap in your life, does not make it funny. Unless, of course, your writing makes it funny, which it does not in this book. Total waste of time.

[Deidra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Literally just a note to self...Deidra you hate books like this stop thinking you'll like them because it will just take you four months to read get it together.

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first few stories of her childhood are funny, but as the author grows older, the stories become stranger, darker and sadder.

[Laura Foxworthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book while visiting a good friend of mine in San Francisco a few years ago. It was a magical trip, and I brought back a few books and music, and a ton of memories, with me. I'd been waiting for a special time to read this one for some reason, and then realized that all times are special - and cracking this open would also remind me of so many good memories. A win-win, really.

Short stories used to be one of my favorite go-to's. Somewhere along the line, though, I stopped indulging in them. They used to be my bedside table standby, as well as bathroom reading material. Enter the lull and addiction of social media and cell phones, which I wind up indulging in instead of the short story. In an attempt to both read more and get off my phone more, I am renewing my interest (and indulgence) in the short story.

Everybody Into the Pool was my first dive into short story land (pun intended). I chose it for the memories it would bring with it, because of my love of San Francisco, and because I've been trying to write my own memoir - both in book form, and in short essay form - for quite a few years, and was hoping this would inspire and ignite my writer's motivation (it did).

I loved some stories more than others, which is always the case with story collections. The stories of Beth in her youth - especially as a teenager, and later as a young adult navigating sexuality, bad neighborhoods, and odd jobs - were my favorite. I also had a lot of affection for the last story of her and her son, and the unattractive realities of new motherhood/parenthood that is rarely seen, or shown, in Media and Art.

As I read each story I kept imagining hearing them read aloud in a spoken word, one-woman show type environment - something like the Moth, or a show with Beth telling all these stories herself. Her voice was often so clear on the page that I felt like I could "hear" it.

I'm glad I chose this one to start with - its a must-read for anyone who a) grew up/or became "grown-ups" in the '90s, b) has a love of San Francisco, c) enjoys the complex stories of women and people as they hit all the many "coming-of-age" moments in a life.

[Jeff Lyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beth Lisick takes us on a humorous adventure into the seedy side of San Francisco's drug neighborhoods. She highlights the comedy in the dingy reality of its bottom-of-the-barrel inhabitants and surroundings. She writes Everybody Into The Pool with a keen eye for finding the funny in life's grittier circumstances. Her style and sense of humor remind me of Erma Bombeck.

Everybody Into the Pool is a fast read, but a somewhat disjointed account of Beth's childhood to adulthood with a baby. Shaped by liberal parents from the San Francisco hippie era, her tolerance for the bizarre is exceptional.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars, but I rounded it up to 3 because of the cover (which was why I bought it at a used book sale). The first half of the book was funny, and I enjoyed reading about her childhood, but it got to the point where I thought someone needed to tell her it was time to be a grown-up. All the edgy, live-in-a-warehouse-where-sewage-rains-down-on-my-stuff got old after a while, and the ending really petered out.

[Alex Wheeler · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was hood, nothing amazing. The first half of the book had me laughing and super entertained, I don’t know if it was just me or what, but the last half of the book I was just reading it to get through it.

[Austin Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good Gen-X memoir/essays.

Deep, shallow, entertaining. Great narration as an audiobook.

I could have done without the Bi-Erasure chapter (Proudly bisexual, despite not being attracted to women, until she realizes she was confused and is just straight).

[Emily Mellow · Rating 3 out of 5]

We grew up around the same time, so it was interesting to hear what was happening in SF during the early 90s... Her autobiographical stories were entertaining, but hyperbolic enough that they annoyed by with the obvious lack of accuracy. Still, a mostly fun read.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beth Lisick shares all in a indie style book. It is a relatively quick read. I read the entire book in four days.

I enjoyed Beth's candidness. Life in a nutshell with fun thrown in for those who like to know everything about everything!

Thanks for the fun read Beth.

[Erin Tuzuner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and enjoyable romp in the blog memoir as life lived hard and then soft.

[Alicia Cisneros · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful memoir with some true grit and real relatable moments