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If Nothing Else the Sky
If Nothing Else the Sky is about Dave Roche's trips to Australia and Southeast Asia. He got bit by a penguin, slept in a record store in Kuala Lumpur, saw a kangaroo with a huge sack, got shaken down at the Soekerno Hatta airport and thought he caught bird flu. It's also about getting older and Dave worrying that he's trying too hard to hold on to his youth. He wonders if it's cool that he's still sleeping on the couches of friends of friends or is he too old for that.
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First published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 22, 2021
DNF'D at 74%.
I normally try to give indie books a try, especially ones that are so short, because there is the potential of something unique and out there missed by bigger publishers. And in the times where traveling had been drastically slowed to a halt, who wouldn't want to read a book about someone's travels?
Unfortunately, this just wasn't it.
Looking past all the grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, this book read like a zine. Not even a collection of polished essays with meaningful insight, just... a zine. A severely dry zine that read like a long middle school journal entry of what a student with early-onset existential crises did over the summer, with some attempts at zany humor and style, but ultimately fell short.
I normally try to give indie books a try, especially ones that are so short, because there is the potential of something unique and out there missed by bigger publishers. And in the times where traveling had been drastically slowed to a halt, who wouldn't want to read a book about someone's travels?
Unfortunately, this just wasn't it.
Looking past all the grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, this book read like a zine. Not even a collection of polished essays with meaningful insight, just... a zine. A severely dry zine that read like a long middle school journal entry of what a student with early-onset existential crises did over the summer, with some attempts at zany humor and style, but ultimately fell short.
September 29, 2024
Great small read about traveling.
For the rest of my review, visit my Vlog at:
https://youtu.be/H2qF3o_ngqw
Enjoy!
For the rest of my review, visit my Vlog at:
https://youtu.be/H2qF3o_ngqw
Enjoy!
June 22, 2013
As a rule I am not a huge lover of travel books or zines. They often have too little personal observations and thought provoking thoughts and often become just a list of we met these people and then we went here and craziness ensued or we ate this and found this out of the way place, aren't we amazing?
Dave Roche's modest book about his zine tour trips to Australia and Southeast Asia is not lacking in that, but because of the inherent likableness and honesty of the writer we are taking this trip with - it is therefore totally my kind of book.
If you're at all interested in the zine and punk scene in Australia and Southeast Asia you will want to read this book. If you are someone who finds themselves feeling like an outsider or awkward in scenes you might want to read this. If you want to know how to be a kind and respectful guest while sleeping on people's couches and floors - please do everyone a favor and read this book.
But, most of all read it because Dave Roche is a unique and fluid writer. His humor is ever present and yet he never seems to try to be funny. Sometimes you read books where you can hear them constructing the jokes and funny bits. With Dave, it's just as fluid as a conversation at a picnic table.
The only criticism I have of the book is that I would like to know more about his thoughts and time after his trips. What were the months like after coming back? People always remark on how this or that is "life-changing" (not that Dave said this) but then they never tell you how. Next time someone says that to you ask them how it changed their life, a lot of time they can't tell you. And this is what's wrong with travel books in my opinion. I want to know how it changed their life, especially after the hum drum of every day life is back on. I would have liked to see some afterward insights in this book.
But, that is a small concern when this $6.00 self-published book is an entertaining and educational way to support a great writer. you can find info about it at https://sites.google.com/site/ifnothi...
Dave Roche's modest book about his zine tour trips to Australia and Southeast Asia is not lacking in that, but because of the inherent likableness and honesty of the writer we are taking this trip with - it is therefore totally my kind of book.
If you're at all interested in the zine and punk scene in Australia and Southeast Asia you will want to read this book. If you are someone who finds themselves feeling like an outsider or awkward in scenes you might want to read this. If you want to know how to be a kind and respectful guest while sleeping on people's couches and floors - please do everyone a favor and read this book.
But, most of all read it because Dave Roche is a unique and fluid writer. His humor is ever present and yet he never seems to try to be funny. Sometimes you read books where you can hear them constructing the jokes and funny bits. With Dave, it's just as fluid as a conversation at a picnic table.
The only criticism I have of the book is that I would like to know more about his thoughts and time after his trips. What were the months like after coming back? People always remark on how this or that is "life-changing" (not that Dave said this) but then they never tell you how. Next time someone says that to you ask them how it changed their life, a lot of time they can't tell you. And this is what's wrong with travel books in my opinion. I want to know how it changed their life, especially after the hum drum of every day life is back on. I would have liked to see some afterward insights in this book.
But, that is a small concern when this $6.00 self-published book is an entertaining and educational way to support a great writer. you can find info about it at https://sites.google.com/site/ifnothi...
June 26, 2013
If you ever get a chance to see Dave Roche read live from his books and/or zines, do it! He is very entertaining. He'll regale you with stories of penguin parades on the Australian coast and show you strange, yet amusing black and white videos of dogs dressed as people walking around and talking on phones, or he'll read to you out of a USSR Jokes books. Regardless, you're bound to be entertained.
I really enjoy his writing style. If Nothing Else the Sky, is a series of essays about his travels throughout Australia and Asia. It's about growing older as a punk, staying true to your ideals, and exploring the world via libraries, walking, botanic gardens and the punk scene.
I really enjoy his writing style. If Nothing Else the Sky, is a series of essays about his travels throughout Australia and Asia. It's about growing older as a punk, staying true to your ideals, and exploring the world via libraries, walking, botanic gardens and the punk scene.
May 23, 2014
I liked Roche's first book, On Subbing, and bought this book. This was a good travel book, as written in the punk zinster on tour mode. The first half was him reading at punk venues in Australia and the second half had him in Asia. That wasn't as good, because it was a little too much tour guide esque. What made this good was the general question of wondering when it is too old to live this nomad existence. I don't think he answered the question well or thoroughly, but still a good time for reading
May 31, 2015
Take a trip around the world with Everyon'e Favorite Zinester, Dave Roche. Share his excitement as he gets bit by a penguin, sweats a lot, sees a billion temples, eats a ton of delicious food, and finally (finally!) gets to see some monkeys.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews