What do you think?
Rate this book
The Feel-Good Hit of the Year
What happens when a young man adopts the practices of a counterculture, without any of its ethics?
Liam Pieper was raised by his bohemian parents to believe in freedom and creativity, and that there's nothing wrong with smoking a little marijuana to make life easier. Nothing if not precocious, he used these lessons to develop a fledgling drug habit and a thriving business selling pot from the back of his pushbike.
Liam's adventures as a teen entrepreneur taught him many valuable skills, like how best to enrage a deranged jujitsu master, and how to negotiate pocket money with his parents based on how much he was charging them for an ounce. But from these highs (chemical and otherwise), Liam's life began to spiral down to some striking lows. After a family tragedy and then his arrest on several counts of possession and trafficking, Liam had to pause and ask himself: How the hell did I get here?
This is the story of how he got there – from muddled flower child to petty criminal to amoral coke monster – and of how he finally found some kind of way out.
Hilarious, compelling and sometimes heartbreaking, The Feel-Good Hit of the Year is a memoir about family, drugs and learning how to live with yourself, from a sharp and original new Australian voice.
Liam Pieper was raised by his bohemian parents to believe in freedom and creativity, and that there's nothing wrong with smoking a little marijuana to make life easier. Nothing if not precocious, he used these lessons to develop a fledgling drug habit and a thriving business selling pot from the back of his pushbike.
Liam's adventures as a teen entrepreneur taught him many valuable skills, like how best to enrage a deranged jujitsu master, and how to negotiate pocket money with his parents based on how much he was charging them for an ounce. But from these highs (chemical and otherwise), Liam's life began to spiral down to some striking lows. After a family tragedy and then his arrest on several counts of possession and trafficking, Liam had to pause and ask himself: How the hell did I get here?
This is the story of how he got there – from muddled flower child to petty criminal to amoral coke monster – and of how he finally found some kind of way out.
Hilarious, compelling and sometimes heartbreaking, The Feel-Good Hit of the Year is a memoir about family, drugs and learning how to live with yourself, from a sharp and original new Australian voice.
272 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2014
3 people are currently reading
318 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
December 1, 2016
This book is not a feel good hit.
Yes, it's quite good, but man it sure isn't going to give you a sense of the warm and fuzzies. This book is like a car crash, I couldn't stand to read what was going to happen next, and yet I couldn't bear to put it down, either.
This book is incredibly readable and easy to digest. Sometimes memoirs by plain old people can be boring, stilted or just plain unmemorable. But this one, while a little pretentious at the start, gave way to a heartbreaking tale of addiction, despair, healing and self discovery.
Based in my hometown of Melbourne, there was something glorious about knowing the roads and suburbs mentioned throughout Liam's adventures. I have a feeling that perhaps the setting is the original reason I added this to my shelf in the first place? I'm not quite sure, but I'm very glad I finally picked this up from the library.
I can't say this lives up to its name, but it was enjoyable and Liam has a way of writing that I'd be happy to read again in the future.
3.5 Stars
Yes, it's quite good, but man it sure isn't going to give you a sense of the warm and fuzzies. This book is like a car crash, I couldn't stand to read what was going to happen next, and yet I couldn't bear to put it down, either.
This book is incredibly readable and easy to digest. Sometimes memoirs by plain old people can be boring, stilted or just plain unmemorable. But this one, while a little pretentious at the start, gave way to a heartbreaking tale of addiction, despair, healing and self discovery.
Based in my hometown of Melbourne, there was something glorious about knowing the roads and suburbs mentioned throughout Liam's adventures. I have a feeling that perhaps the setting is the original reason I added this to my shelf in the first place? I'm not quite sure, but I'm very glad I finally picked this up from the library.
I can't say this lives up to its name, but it was enjoyable and Liam has a way of writing that I'd be happy to read again in the future.
3.5 Stars
June 24, 2014
Liam Pieper was born in the mid-80s to parents who favoured a bohemian lifestyle. For the first couple of years he lived in a derelict manor house known as Labassa which was home to many types like his parents. Then they decided that they needed a bit more space and that he and his brother might need a backyard. And so they moved to Oakleigh.
Liam grew up knowing that his parents smoked marijuana – they didn’t see that there was anything wrong with a joint or two, or hallucinogens on special occasions. By the time he was 12, Liam had tried it himself. Then he started selling it to people in his local neighbourhood and his school friends. He became known as the person to go to whenever anyone wanted some product. He was making large amounts of cash and as his business grew, so did his knowledge. He realised the danger of meeting people or being on his bike and so he hired a driver. He befriended a crazed martial arts master for protection and allied himself with people that could help him.
For a while, it all went well. But then Liam began dabbling in other drugs, such as coke. And with that came the uppers and downers as well. His family suffered a drug-related tragedy and then Liam was arrested and charged during a police raid on his house, all in front of the mother of his girlfriend. After his court case, Liam decides that it might not be as rewarding anymore – he owes money all over town and his life is a mess in pretty much all aspects. Maybe it’s time to leave the drugs behind and adopt a different lifestyle.
Have you ever read a book where you’re not sure if it’s a work of genius or a pile of self-indulgent twaddle? For me, this memoir is pretty much that book. There’s much in here that I feel should be very moving but there’s so much in here that just bothers the hell out of me. Firstly, I’ll be up front and say I have a) no time for drugs and b) very little time for anyone that uses them. I’ve never been particularly curious about drugs and I’ve seen too many people fall into the temptation and then struggle to extract themselves. I’ve been around drugs before (I lived on campus at a university, there was just about everything within easy access) but not to the extent of the people within this book. And especially from such a young age.
There’s quite a move to decriminalise marijuana and I’ve never really felt strongly one way or another on the matter. Honestly, I think this book changes that. Taking away the mystery and ‘forbidden’ element of drugs, making it familiar does not mean that kids won’t desperately want to do it. Liam’s parents both openly smoke pot in front of their children and most of their children start joining them at a young age….I think this book says something like the parents didn’t really mind, so long as their chores were done. The way in which all three children fall victim to drugs is rather disturbing. It’s easily and readily available and there’s nothing but apathy for when the children decide to experiment. The father doesn’t believe pot has any negative side effects at all and I think this is a common misconception. Because it’s not heroin, it’s not cocaine, it’s relatively harmless. It’s not. And they don’t just stop at smoking marijuana. They all move on to taking other, even more harmful drugs and experience tragedy of varying degrees.
This is not an attempt to really glamourise the life of a petty suburban drug dealer but nor is it a cautionary tale either. Pieper is rather flippant about most things, the only thing that really seems to wring emotion out of him is what happens to his older brother Ardian, to whom this book is dedicated. Even when bad things happen to him, it’s related with a casual tone, like it’s no big deal. I’m not sure if that’s just the style or if it’s written with the relief that it all turned out okay anyway and things are fine now. There are some inconsistencies with the timing and at one stage Pieper is down and out, owing money to people, including his dealer and then he just jets off to Japan a few days later and stays there for a lengthy period of time. There’s no explanation of how he could afford this, even with some of his accommodation being courtesy of other people’s hospitality. There’s also very little on the actual quitting of taking drugs and what that might’ve been like for him after years of indulging. He gets some job that he doesn’t appear qualified for (once gain, not really explained how this happens or why) and although I applaud him for paying back those he owes money too, it’s about the only thing redeemable.
Which brings me back to my former dilemma/question: work of genius or self-indulgent? Anyone can write a memoir, but really very few of them should be published. Unfortunately I’m really not sure that this one falls into the first category. For a memoir to really affect me, I have to feel some sort of emotion for the characters, a connection or at least, sympathy. I’m not sure I ever felt anything remotely like that here. In fact what I mostly experienced was apathy.
Liam grew up knowing that his parents smoked marijuana – they didn’t see that there was anything wrong with a joint or two, or hallucinogens on special occasions. By the time he was 12, Liam had tried it himself. Then he started selling it to people in his local neighbourhood and his school friends. He became known as the person to go to whenever anyone wanted some product. He was making large amounts of cash and as his business grew, so did his knowledge. He realised the danger of meeting people or being on his bike and so he hired a driver. He befriended a crazed martial arts master for protection and allied himself with people that could help him.
For a while, it all went well. But then Liam began dabbling in other drugs, such as coke. And with that came the uppers and downers as well. His family suffered a drug-related tragedy and then Liam was arrested and charged during a police raid on his house, all in front of the mother of his girlfriend. After his court case, Liam decides that it might not be as rewarding anymore – he owes money all over town and his life is a mess in pretty much all aspects. Maybe it’s time to leave the drugs behind and adopt a different lifestyle.
Have you ever read a book where you’re not sure if it’s a work of genius or a pile of self-indulgent twaddle? For me, this memoir is pretty much that book. There’s much in here that I feel should be very moving but there’s so much in here that just bothers the hell out of me. Firstly, I’ll be up front and say I have a) no time for drugs and b) very little time for anyone that uses them. I’ve never been particularly curious about drugs and I’ve seen too many people fall into the temptation and then struggle to extract themselves. I’ve been around drugs before (I lived on campus at a university, there was just about everything within easy access) but not to the extent of the people within this book. And especially from such a young age.
There’s quite a move to decriminalise marijuana and I’ve never really felt strongly one way or another on the matter. Honestly, I think this book changes that. Taking away the mystery and ‘forbidden’ element of drugs, making it familiar does not mean that kids won’t desperately want to do it. Liam’s parents both openly smoke pot in front of their children and most of their children start joining them at a young age….I think this book says something like the parents didn’t really mind, so long as their chores were done. The way in which all three children fall victim to drugs is rather disturbing. It’s easily and readily available and there’s nothing but apathy for when the children decide to experiment. The father doesn’t believe pot has any negative side effects at all and I think this is a common misconception. Because it’s not heroin, it’s not cocaine, it’s relatively harmless. It’s not. And they don’t just stop at smoking marijuana. They all move on to taking other, even more harmful drugs and experience tragedy of varying degrees.
This is not an attempt to really glamourise the life of a petty suburban drug dealer but nor is it a cautionary tale either. Pieper is rather flippant about most things, the only thing that really seems to wring emotion out of him is what happens to his older brother Ardian, to whom this book is dedicated. Even when bad things happen to him, it’s related with a casual tone, like it’s no big deal. I’m not sure if that’s just the style or if it’s written with the relief that it all turned out okay anyway and things are fine now. There are some inconsistencies with the timing and at one stage Pieper is down and out, owing money to people, including his dealer and then he just jets off to Japan a few days later and stays there for a lengthy period of time. There’s no explanation of how he could afford this, even with some of his accommodation being courtesy of other people’s hospitality. There’s also very little on the actual quitting of taking drugs and what that might’ve been like for him after years of indulging. He gets some job that he doesn’t appear qualified for (once gain, not really explained how this happens or why) and although I applaud him for paying back those he owes money too, it’s about the only thing redeemable.
Which brings me back to my former dilemma/question: work of genius or self-indulgent? Anyone can write a memoir, but really very few of them should be published. Unfortunately I’m really not sure that this one falls into the first category. For a memoir to really affect me, I have to feel some sort of emotion for the characters, a connection or at least, sympathy. I’m not sure I ever felt anything remotely like that here. In fact what I mostly experienced was apathy.
March 27, 2014
The only way to survive a charmless life is to possess a lot of personal charm, and it seems that Liam Pieper has more than enough - on paper, at any rate.
All memoirs are an act of self-indulgence - those of people not already in the public eye perhaps more than others.
Pieper's tale of suburban drug-dealing in all its petty, squalid unpleasantness is actually quite refreshing; there is no attempt to glamourise any aspect of his life, and judging by the tales he recounts almost cheerfully, it is hard to imagine he's left much out on purpose.
His is a tale of exceptional selfishness, self-delusion and willfully bad decision-making. Perhaps the cheery nature of the book is due to the fact that the author has survived it all, and now he can get on with something different.
The author never forgets he's writing for an audience; this is less self-indulgent and much more entertaining than this sort of book usually manages. You will laugh at things you really shouldn't - and that's the charm of his life.
All memoirs are an act of self-indulgence - those of people not already in the public eye perhaps more than others.
Pieper's tale of suburban drug-dealing in all its petty, squalid unpleasantness is actually quite refreshing; there is no attempt to glamourise any aspect of his life, and judging by the tales he recounts almost cheerfully, it is hard to imagine he's left much out on purpose.
His is a tale of exceptional selfishness, self-delusion and willfully bad decision-making. Perhaps the cheery nature of the book is due to the fact that the author has survived it all, and now he can get on with something different.
The author never forgets he's writing for an audience; this is less self-indulgent and much more entertaining than this sort of book usually manages. You will laugh at things you really shouldn't - and that's the charm of his life.
April 13, 2014
For me this book was a self indulgent odyssey of drugs and drug dealing that I found rather tedious. I found a lot of it implausible and self serving. There were a lot of gaps in the story and much of the chronology was off. His brother Ardian was born in 1979 yet be begins high school in 1996! Liam was born in 1984 but is in grade 3 in 1996! Does not make sense,
August 30, 2014
Loved it! laugh out loud funny, touching with a slice of Melbourne suburbia
October 23, 2014
After having attended one of Liam Pieper's sessions at a writer's festival, I was immediately drawn to his frank and distinctly Aussie sense of humour and was thus stimulated into reading his work.
His skillfully crafted writing made reading this book so very easy, from his hilarious comments to his explicit metaphors.
However, that's not to say that there weren't moments in the book I had trouble getting my head around. There are drugs, violence and other stigmatic terms that would no doubt be banned from a year 7 classroom. Yet the way Pieper describes what I would have previously deemed perilous forms of activity really altered my perspective on these matters as a whole.
The beauty of his writing style isn't that of an embellished critcally-acclaimed author, but that of a real human being, which in effect made his writing much easier to connect with. His subtly profound insights mashed perfectly with his humour, and in consequence tricked me into loving a piece of work I wouldn't have previously thought completely well-suited to my reading taste.
All in all, it was a great book and has persuaded me to read more memoirs and non-fiction that I had until recently been hesitant towards. I can only thank Liam Pieper for all the laughs and moments he's shared, and hope his witty charm never dies down.
His skillfully crafted writing made reading this book so very easy, from his hilarious comments to his explicit metaphors.
However, that's not to say that there weren't moments in the book I had trouble getting my head around. There are drugs, violence and other stigmatic terms that would no doubt be banned from a year 7 classroom. Yet the way Pieper describes what I would have previously deemed perilous forms of activity really altered my perspective on these matters as a whole.
The beauty of his writing style isn't that of an embellished critcally-acclaimed author, but that of a real human being, which in effect made his writing much easier to connect with. His subtly profound insights mashed perfectly with his humour, and in consequence tricked me into loving a piece of work I wouldn't have previously thought completely well-suited to my reading taste.
All in all, it was a great book and has persuaded me to read more memoirs and non-fiction that I had until recently been hesitant towards. I can only thank Liam Pieper for all the laughs and moments he's shared, and hope his witty charm never dies down.
October 14, 2014
Probably 3.5.
This is a breathless memoir about the depraved, disturbing, hilarious and bonkers things that Liam Pieper got up to over about a decade from the age of 15 or so. By the time he finished high school, Pieper had a thriving drug dealing business, fancied himself as a bit of a gangster and was already attracting the attention of the police. After the death of his brother, he packs in the dealing and focusses more heavily on using with increasingly disturbing results. Pieper's book manages to dodge away from being the cliched recovery memoir, happily acknowledging the wonderful times he had on drugs and gently mocking himself for his own sanctimony once he'd stopped using. It's a wild ride - genuinely funny at times and slightly terrifying at others, it provides a refreshingly clear-eyed view of a druggy, messy world.
This is a breathless memoir about the depraved, disturbing, hilarious and bonkers things that Liam Pieper got up to over about a decade from the age of 15 or so. By the time he finished high school, Pieper had a thriving drug dealing business, fancied himself as a bit of a gangster and was already attracting the attention of the police. After the death of his brother, he packs in the dealing and focusses more heavily on using with increasingly disturbing results. Pieper's book manages to dodge away from being the cliched recovery memoir, happily acknowledging the wonderful times he had on drugs and gently mocking himself for his own sanctimony once he'd stopped using. It's a wild ride - genuinely funny at times and slightly terrifying at others, it provides a refreshingly clear-eyed view of a druggy, messy world.
August 15, 2014
On the cover there are the words 'brilliantly written', 'tragic', 'heartbreaking', 'achingly funny'...
Yes - definitely tragic! Funny? I laughed once. Brilliantly written? I'd go with compelling...to a point.
It's great this writer came through his addiction but so many others don't. And I felt there were lots of things unsaid, gaps in his story...and at times just plain self-indulgent. This book certainly evoked feelings of sadness and anger which is why I decided on two stars...it did move me and that's what good writing is supposed to do - make you think and feel.
So I don't regret reading it - it was a quick and easy read but I wish now I hadn't bought the book and instead donated my money to a drug and alcohol charity. Would be nice if some of the money from this book was going to be put to good use for others.
Yes - definitely tragic! Funny? I laughed once. Brilliantly written? I'd go with compelling...to a point.
It's great this writer came through his addiction but so many others don't. And I felt there were lots of things unsaid, gaps in his story...and at times just plain self-indulgent. This book certainly evoked feelings of sadness and anger which is why I decided on two stars...it did move me and that's what good writing is supposed to do - make you think and feel.
So I don't regret reading it - it was a quick and easy read but I wish now I hadn't bought the book and instead donated my money to a drug and alcohol charity. Would be nice if some of the money from this book was going to be put to good use for others.
June 6, 2014
I DEVOURED this book on the flight home from the Emerging Writers Festival. Utterly hilarious, heartbreaking and wonderfully written. Liam Pieper does a good job of looking back on his own narcissistic, amoral, criminal life with a humorous eye. He doesn't really try to justify anything, and he doesn't over-apologise. He lets you judge him through a frank presentation of his life. Liam grew up in a crumbling mansion populated by a commune of hippys - and his entire life from that point is kind of overshadowed by the selfish nature of his parents, who not only let him become an early teen drug dealer, but actually bought their weed off him. Things then get really weird and awful and amazing. I loved it. Read this book.
September 8, 2014
Oakleigh has finally been immortalised in the pages of this novel; the Oakleigh Wogs too, and the scrap metal yard on Kangaroo Road, which is now a gentrified apartment block. But have to say that this was a compulsively readable memoir from a writer "who's been there, and done that" and a good nostalgia trip for those of us who grew up in the South-Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne in the 80's and 90's.
May 26, 2014
Gutsy, twisted, sardonic, suprising, sad and so fucked-up funny I was cackling in the night. I loved the candidness of this book. There's a real human on the page here, flaws and all. He comes across as a selfish prick in parts, but wins you over in the end. Compelling writing.
July 4, 2016
This book made me laugh so much and yet it deals with such heavy content. I don't know how Pieper does it. Also, it rockets along! Never a dull moment and precisely the length it needs to be. So so good.
March 9, 2020
My life feels so boring compared to Pieper’s. This is a wild ride which Pieper looks to have escaped relatively unscathed. My engagement with this dipped and waned but then occasionally Pieper comes up with a cracker of a simile that is pure genius.
May 6, 2025
So many said it they found it funny, but not to this reader. This is very readable and it is a mercifully quick read, and whilst I was happy enough to see it through, it was enough.
This best I can say, is if needs must.
This best I can say, is if needs must.
July 15, 2014
The Feel Good Hit of the Year is a memoir of Liam Pieper; raised by his bohemian parents to believe in freedom and creativity, and that theres nothing wrong with smoking a little Marijuana to make life more interesting. This book is an insight to the world of growing up with drugs from being born and would probably recommend it to anyone out there who wanted to know what drugs are like from a safer distance.
Whilst most memoirs are self indulgent, due to the fact it is essentially all about one person. Pieper does not glamourise his old life as a petty suburban drug dealer but he does not write a straight forward cautionary do not do drugs story either. I found surprisingly that the book was insightful and filled with kick-ass metaphors that had me underlining it for later reference.
We die alone, yes, but we are born alone too, so the people who enrich our lives are gifts, whether that are here fro a lifetime or just a few moments.
The book being a tale of highs (chemical, financial and otherwise) it is also a tale of how Liams life fell to dramatic lows. It did not fail to make me laugh; I wore the same outfit every day; a black denim jacket over a white t-shirt and black tracksuit pants. At 13 I imagined it quite stylish, a bit like a relaxed tuxedo something James Bond might slip into in a post-coital languor while he searches for his cigarettes. It however did not fail to make me feel for Pieper as certain events fractured my heart, (not a complete breaking of the heart).
Whilst this book was intriguing because it was a new perspective of drugs and life that is written so honestly, some find the book a self indulgent odyssey of drugs and drug dealing that [they] found tedious. Mixed reviews are common for this book and whilst I enjoyed it and commend Pieper for his writing, it was a slow read for me and I found myself just wanting to finish the book at times.
However, I am deeply glad that I read this book as new perspectives and thought provoking books are some of the most interesting and The Feel Good Hit of the Year falls into both these categories.
(Overall probably a 3.5)
I received this book as part of the Bookworlds readers reviewers program.
Whilst most memoirs are self indulgent, due to the fact it is essentially all about one person. Pieper does not glamourise his old life as a petty suburban drug dealer but he does not write a straight forward cautionary do not do drugs story either. I found surprisingly that the book was insightful and filled with kick-ass metaphors that had me underlining it for later reference.
We die alone, yes, but we are born alone too, so the people who enrich our lives are gifts, whether that are here fro a lifetime or just a few moments.
The book being a tale of highs (chemical, financial and otherwise) it is also a tale of how Liams life fell to dramatic lows. It did not fail to make me laugh; I wore the same outfit every day; a black denim jacket over a white t-shirt and black tracksuit pants. At 13 I imagined it quite stylish, a bit like a relaxed tuxedo something James Bond might slip into in a post-coital languor while he searches for his cigarettes. It however did not fail to make me feel for Pieper as certain events fractured my heart, (not a complete breaking of the heart).
Whilst this book was intriguing because it was a new perspective of drugs and life that is written so honestly, some find the book a self indulgent odyssey of drugs and drug dealing that [they] found tedious. Mixed reviews are common for this book and whilst I enjoyed it and commend Pieper for his writing, it was a slow read for me and I found myself just wanting to finish the book at times.
However, I am deeply glad that I read this book as new perspectives and thought provoking books are some of the most interesting and The Feel Good Hit of the Year falls into both these categories.
(Overall probably a 3.5)
I received this book as part of the Bookworlds readers reviewers program.
September 15, 2016
Now, I read this one because as I was waiting in line at the Bendigo Writers Festival to have Liam sign The Toymaker and he said to another 'reader' in the queue that 'this book (the Toymaker) was a little dark and if they wanted something hilarious to read they should try 'The Feel Good Hit of the Year'"; so I bought this book too.
And I didn't enjoy it at all.
It is a memoir of Liam's youth and it was an interesting youth - in that he was a drug dealer and user and grew up in a bohemian, hippy using light drugs family.
But I didn't find anecdotal stories of him being a drug dealer funny. I think I laughed once. However, I am amazed that he came out of younger years (at about 25) a more sensible and grounded person. He realised what wasn't good for him and embraced 'normality' in the guise of an author.
And describing how difficult it is to come out of a 'petty crime' lifestyle to the 9 to 5 drag rang true. We all realise how disappointing a 9 to 5 lifestyle for life can be - and if you're used to the highs and lows of a previious life and especially the highs of drug use, it must be amazingly difficult to persevere with a 'normal' life after all that.
Some people will love this story. I'm cheering him on quietly and hope he has the best 'rest of his life' that he wants.
And I didn't enjoy it at all.
It is a memoir of Liam's youth and it was an interesting youth - in that he was a drug dealer and user and grew up in a bohemian, hippy using light drugs family.
But I didn't find anecdotal stories of him being a drug dealer funny. I think I laughed once. However, I am amazed that he came out of younger years (at about 25) a more sensible and grounded person. He realised what wasn't good for him and embraced 'normality' in the guise of an author.
And describing how difficult it is to come out of a 'petty crime' lifestyle to the 9 to 5 drag rang true. We all realise how disappointing a 9 to 5 lifestyle for life can be - and if you're used to the highs and lows of a previious life and especially the highs of drug use, it must be amazingly difficult to persevere with a 'normal' life after all that.
Some people will love this story. I'm cheering him on quietly and hope he has the best 'rest of his life' that he wants.
January 11, 2015
Great writing - shame that it's an excruciatingly underwhelming memoir.
The best part of this memoir is essentially while they are at Labassa. The writing on whole felt really fluid, but wow what a terribly average story. For every review applauding Liam's charm and wit I'm left thinking I've missed something. At the very least it's sad that while writing this memoir he's managed to make every other character in his life more interesting and self-aware than himself.
Nothing says it better than the self serving description of 'The Artist', and how Liam can manage to not only show a handy ability to switch empathy on and off, but to really let us know how annoyed he is at her success. What an awkward, bitter section, written by someone with no qualms about writing for mining, but upstanding morality when it comes to stealing coke!?
Essentially, the writing was lovely until, while ego tripping, it fell flat on its face and never picked itself back up again.
The best part of this memoir is essentially while they are at Labassa. The writing on whole felt really fluid, but wow what a terribly average story. For every review applauding Liam's charm and wit I'm left thinking I've missed something. At the very least it's sad that while writing this memoir he's managed to make every other character in his life more interesting and self-aware than himself.
Nothing says it better than the self serving description of 'The Artist', and how Liam can manage to not only show a handy ability to switch empathy on and off, but to really let us know how annoyed he is at her success. What an awkward, bitter section, written by someone with no qualms about writing for mining, but upstanding morality when it comes to stealing coke!?
Essentially, the writing was lovely until, while ego tripping, it fell flat on its face and never picked itself back up again.
May 16, 2014
This is yet another mediocre book that seemingly has more effort put into marketing it than in writing it. The arrogance implied in the title is almost admirable. Titling your book as a "Hit of the Year"? Amazing gall.
It has what would be called plot holes - if it had a plot. It is reminiscent of the boor who will sometimes trap you in a aircraft or on a long trip and talk incessantly about himself and how amazing he is. It is poorly developed, it has timing errors, lacks logic and promotes a decadent and hedonistic lifestyle. I have read washing machine instruction manuals that offered more in the way of style and erudition. I was given it as a gift by someone who fell for the saturation advertising/spam campaign currently mounted to promote it. Basically it would need work to be regarded as awful. At the moment it is both annoying and boring. I can't finish it.
It has what would be called plot holes - if it had a plot. It is reminiscent of the boor who will sometimes trap you in a aircraft or on a long trip and talk incessantly about himself and how amazing he is. It is poorly developed, it has timing errors, lacks logic and promotes a decadent and hedonistic lifestyle. I have read washing machine instruction manuals that offered more in the way of style and erudition. I was given it as a gift by someone who fell for the saturation advertising/spam campaign currently mounted to promote it. Basically it would need work to be regarded as awful. At the moment it is both annoying and boring. I can't finish it.
May 19, 2014
This book took me by surprise. I snuggled up in bed, opened to page 1 and read and read and read until my eyes couldn't take it anymore and I had to turn the light out, then unfortunately wait until the next day to finish it. Obviously it goes without saying that I really enjoyed this memoir. I'm not 100% sure that it's all completely factual but quite frankly I don't really care as it had me well and truly hooked. Liam's writing flows so smoothly whether he's making you laugh or writing about the more unsavoury and tragic aspects to his life. I really liked this book.
June 9, 2014
This was a bit more engaging than your average drugs-and-redemption memoir mostly because the portrayal of substance-affected 90s-00s Melbourne was super well-drawn and kind of, ahem, relatable. I raised a bit of an eyebrow at Pieper's descriptions of Melburnian winters though: like I know this was pre climate change but seriously dude, your bedside glass of water ICED OVER while you were sleeping? Really?? (Oh god I just realized that I am a huge pedant, sorry everybody.)
June 6, 2014
Tedious. Boring. Very very sad. The story is so disparate from the title - who the hell came up with that?? (No it doesn't work as a double-entendre or a word play or as a cynical reference to drug use. Why? Because this book is about a family devastated by drug addiction. There is nothing 'feel-good' about it whatsoever).
June 25, 2014
I'm not that interested in memoirs unless you're Stephen Fry. But I absolutely raced through Liam Pieper's accounts of misspent youth, from his birth in a sort-of hippy commune in the Melbourne suburbs to becoming an accidental teenage drug dealer, to figuring out that life's a little more profitable when you're a little less criminal. (Only a little...)
June 3, 2014
Great story that many rebellious young people and former rebellious young people can relate to.
May 21, 2017
Prob more like 3.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book for what it was - a light, humorous memoir of drug dealing as a teen. It might sound strange to describe a book about drug abuse as 'light' but I don't know how else to describe it - even though the content was often quite grim, it never really felt particularly bad or dark, which probably has a lot to do with Pieper's witty writing style. I guess it didn't feel particularly deep, and it all rounded off a bit to neatly at the end. It felt a bit like the publisher was like 'we need to give this book a happy ending and provide some heartwarming insights into human nature' which felt a bit forced and made the whole ordeal sound not as a bad as it was, like it was more of a big lol rather than evidence of some pretty bad social problems. It also felt pretty short, like an extended personal essay rather than an actual book. Some bits could have been more fleshed out. But it was a good read while I was on a weekend away.
I really enjoyed this book for what it was - a light, humorous memoir of drug dealing as a teen. It might sound strange to describe a book about drug abuse as 'light' but I don't know how else to describe it - even though the content was often quite grim, it never really felt particularly bad or dark, which probably has a lot to do with Pieper's witty writing style. I guess it didn't feel particularly deep, and it all rounded off a bit to neatly at the end. It felt a bit like the publisher was like 'we need to give this book a happy ending and provide some heartwarming insights into human nature' which felt a bit forced and made the whole ordeal sound not as a bad as it was, like it was more of a big lol rather than evidence of some pretty bad social problems. It also felt pretty short, like an extended personal essay rather than an actual book. Some bits could have been more fleshed out. But it was a good read while I was on a weekend away.
June 5, 2017
The synopsis for one of Liam's events at the 2017 Sydney Writers' Festival piqued my interest. The blurb suggesting this memoir was about "learning how to live with yourself" convinced me to read it. I "liked it" because of Liam's voice and vulnerability in reliving his troubled past. Grateful for seven gems of expression, on themes including hero worship, abandoned dreams, rebuilding life and peace of mind.
October 7, 2018
A frank and funny memoir about the author's upbringing in a bohemian household with dope smoking parents, his subsequent career in the drug trade and his gradual integration into the 'straight life.' His style of humour is wry and self-effacing but at the same time the memoir is quite harrowing in parts, and I'm guessing the title is purely tongue in cheek.
September 9, 2022
I loved this story, couldn't put it down! I enjoyed the depiction of growing up in suburban Australia and the characters development through out. It was heart breaking. I found it to be both relatable and different to my own upbringing, I believe most people can relate to Liam and his story of growth.
February 19, 2024
In depth self reflection, even when Liam admits it’s hard to recall what went down in the haze. I laughed out loud on many occasions and insisted on reading well written and witty paragraphs to my partner out of admiration for the book. I will definitely read more of Liam’s work now, with a deeper appreciation for him as a writing now knowing his very deep and real story.
May 1, 2020
Fucking brilliant. I have recommended this book to everyone I know. I'm not going to post any spoilers, but you will laugh, cry and be completely drawn into the story and the life. Incredibly engaging, astute, well crafted and has a brilliant arc.
August 18, 2017
Excellent. Charming and enjoyable, which is surprising considering the author's harsh way of life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews