Box Of Mustaches: The darkly funny, true story of how twin brothers survived their mother's madness

by Stan A. Evans

Box of Mustaches is the powerful, true story of identical twin brothers and how they coped with their mother's descent into madness.At first, Stanley and Jimmy Evans thought their mother was normal, but they soon discovered that her twisted views and mood swings were a result of her schizophrenia. And the mental illness was making her more dangerous by the moment. Their journey took them from orphanages to the television studio of a televangelist to a front-yard shooting that would liberate them from their nightmare. The fabled Box of Mustaches they pined for was really a fake facial hair kit advertised in comic books, but also their metaphor for the absurdity of adult life thrust upon them at a young age. Interlaced with shocking drama and dark humor, Box of Mustaches is an absorbing tale of survival. It is also a satirical look at the cynical, sex-charged, American culture of the '70s.

172 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2003

Reviews

[Jane Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emmy winner Stan Evans and his twin brother had to live creatively to survive their stripper mother's schizophrenia and the rebirth of their man-on-wheels stepfather.

Trying every trick from a "clone machine" to Leo Buscaglia affirmations, Stan overcomes his life as a feral child raised by virtual strangers. What does he learn? Hell (and Chuck-E-Cheese) is for children. His life, like his book, is an unbelievably true bunch of set-ups and one-liners. If you like your memoirs packed with comic irony, Box of Mustaches is beyond brilliant.

[Jayt · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you hand Paraplegia Monthly's "Who Needs Sex Anyway?" edition to your stepfather who was shot by your mom, well, then you know you are in unchartered territory. There aren't many memoirs that make you fear for the writer's existence (will Mom's eggs kill Pukey or will Eldie club him to death?) and laugh your head off -- but Box of Mustaches is the real deal. Thank God that Stan Evans survived long enough to grab an Emmy and pen this book.