Works Cited: An Alphabetical Odyssey of Mayhem and Misbehavior

American Lives

by Brandon R. Schrand

“Doing things by the book” acquires a whole new meaning in Brandon R. Schrand’s memoir of coming of age in spite of himself. The “works cited” are those books that serve as Schrand’s signposts as he goes from life as a hormone-crazed, heavy-metal wannabe in the remotest parts of working-class Idaho to a reasonable facsimile of manhood (with a stop along the way to buy a five-dollar mustard-colored M. C. Hammer suit, so he’ll fit in at college). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn informs his adolescent angst over the perceived injustice of society’s refusal to openly discuss boners. The Great Gatsby serves as a metaphor for his indulgent and directionless college days spent in a drunken stupor (when he wasn’t feigning interest in Mormonism to attract women). William Kittredge’s Hole in the Sky parallels his own dangerous adulthood slide into alcoholism and denial. With a finely calibrated wit, a good dose of humility, and a strong supporting cast of literary characters, Schrand manages to chart his own story—about a dreamer thrown out of school as many times as he’s thrown into jail—until he finally sticks his landing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

242 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2013

About the author

Brandon R. Schrand is the author of The Enders Hotel: A Memoir (forthcoming University of Nebraska Press), which won the 2007 River Teeth Prize for Literary Nonfiction, and is a 2008 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers summer selection. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in the Dallas Morning News, The Utne Reader, Tin House, Shenandoah, Colorado Review, Green Mountains Review, River Teeth, Ecotone, Oklahoma Review, Isotope, and numerous other publications. He has won the Wallace Stegner Prize, the 2006 Willard R. Espy Award, two Pushcart Prize Special Mentions, and his essay, The Enders Hotel, the title piece from his memoir, was a notable essay in the Best American Essays 2007. He lives in Moscow, Idaho with his wife and two children where he coordinates the MFA Program in Creative Writing at the University of Idaho. Visit him online at www.brandonrschrand.com.

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Reviews

[LPR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh thank God for Brandon Schrand.
He did this so now I don't have to. He has spared you all from the terrible boring garbage that would have been my memoirs.
Now, obviously, due to my MO of rarely taking it upon myself to pad men's egos, I would certainly not read anything so self-indulgent as a memoir written by a writing professor. But! The format got me and it was genuinely a short enough read that I felt like reading it out of sheer curiousity about execution of concept was not unreasonable. And I enjoyed it for all the concept reasons. I was definitely reeling from the self-control required to actually stick to the alphabetized list (even with the smart move to list Huck Finn under Clemens, Samuel. very clever there).
Anyway, now that Schrand has saved us all from dealing with me opining about my life story, the only format left in which I will publish my memoirs is as a bunch of sticky notes designed to be placed inside Fangirl and Anne of Green Gables to form annotated copies which is mostly just me pointing at lines and being like "look at this line and you will see the inside of my brain"
(who are we kidding, these reviews are my memoirs)
"Memoir" for 2019 Reading Bingo Challenge
Also! I got this on ILL from my county library system and the copy was on loan from Harold himself on BYU campus and friends, I'm not going to lie to you, I cried a single tear from happiness.

[Dorian Drage · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am somewhat biased in my opinion, being friends with the author. Being able to place some of the stories despite the name changes made it that much better. I can simply say it was an awesome entertaining way to learn very intimate and personal details about a man whom I respect very much. I would highly recommend it.

[Chazzbot · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first glance, the premise of this collection of personal essays seems pretentious and potentially dull: a memoir told via the books that have been influential on the author. Once one begins reading Schrand's words, however, the premise seems like one of those brilliant mistakes that only a true daredevil would make--unintentional, yet retrospectively precise.

The writing here--for this is ultimately a book about writing--is sharp, controlled, and pointedly honest. At times, Schrand's reckoning with his own fuck-ups is so keen, one feels he should give himself a break. Schrand boldly relates his misadventures with binge drinking and skirt-chasing, but leavens his stories with hilarious commentary and an unblinking look at his own youth.

Many of the essays here will briefly touch on the book in question before sailing off on tangents related and unrelated, but his authorial voice is so assured, the reader will not mind. In fact, one becomes relieved that this is not to be a dry recitation of what makes these books great, but is, more valuably, an examination of what makes them important to one man (or boy) at a particular place and time, ultimately telling the reader more about the person who has read these books than what these books mean.

This is Schrand's second book, yet the writing here is demonstrably more mature and evocative than in his first, which was certainly no dud itself. What is most striking here is the ease with which Schrand moves from documenting the embarrassing shenanigans of his youth with irony and bemusement, to evoking the beauty and inspiration of the Western landscapes that surrounded him, and the great joy he finds in becoming a family man. There is much here that will be inspiring to those of similarly unpromising beginnings, and much to look forward to in this author's next project.

[Travis Hatch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I related so much with the author. He has a great voice and I love how he relates his experiences to books. It’s good.

[Christine Rebbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Subtitled "An Alphabetical Odyssey of Mayhem and Misbehavior", author Schrand tells about growing up in a small town in Idaho and his academic adventures (and misadventures) in college (B.A., M.A., M.F.A.) through a framework of the books that meant most to him during those years. Some of the books, I'd read; most of the others, I'd want to read based on what he said about them. Often comic, always insightful, maybe a little too overdone at times on the sex, drugs and rock'n'roll angle in his undergrad years, but I think that may be a "guy thing". An interesting approach to biography; I definitely got caught up in the narrative and would like to read his earlier book.

[Readersaurus]

Love the premise: a life story told through the lens of books that were important to Schrand during different phases of his growing up. He's a good storyteller but not very likable. While reading, I often found myself wondering why I was wasting my time with this dude. (Sorry.) Wish I could give separate stars for idea (5), execution (4), and overall enjoyment (2).

[Kareena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going into this I expected it to be boring and preachy but it was practically the opposite. Schrand is very open with his past and it makes for a lot of entertaining situations. The compilation style made the book even more interesting. For a book I read in class, surprisingly great!

[RaeLynn Fry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come...

[Jenny]

March 15, 2013 Booklist review

[Richard Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a clever structure, so well written. Absorbing!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accidentally deleted my review.