131 Different Things

by Zachary Lipez, Nick Zinner (Photographer)

“Framed by Zinner’s sly photograpy . . . A boozy, grungy, alt-rock fable” from the collaborators of Please Take Me Off the Guest List (Kirkus Reviews).   When Sam, a bartender in New York, hears that his ex, Vicki, his one true love, has quit AA and is out drinking again, he embarks on a quest to find her. Sam and his sidekick Francis trek from dive bars to gay bars to rocker bars—encountering skinheads, party promoters, underage drug dealers, and dominatrixes—but they are always one step behind Vicki. It begins to seem like 131 different things are keeping the lovers apart. Before the night is over, Sam will have to wrestle with what he is really looking for. Nick Zinner—who plays guitar in the three-time Grammy-nominated band Yeah Yeah Yeahs—provides the visual framework for this inventive novella with his intimate photography. Known for his essays and music writing for Noisey, Vice, and Penthouse, Zachary Lipez brings his pithy, multilayered, and self-deprecating voice to this debut work of fiction. The prose and photography are tied together in a playful taxonomic scheme by editor and art director Stacy Wakefield, the author of the novel The Sunshine Crust Baking Factory.   “Engaging . . . may conjure your worst, most desperate drunken memories of your 20s-30s, but in a good way! The story is illustrated with Nick Zinner’s beautiful photos. This is a must read for all music/nightlife loving New Yorkers, or folks who wished they lived here in the aughts.”—BUST, Holiday Gift Guide   “An entertaining pub-crawl saga like no other.”—The Berkshire Eagle

232 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 13, 2018

About the author

Zachary Lipez sings in the band Freshkills, tends bar at Beauty Bar Brooklyn, and deejays all over New York City. His writing appears on Vol.1 blog.

Reviews

[Lauren Mocny-Branum · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novella that follows an ex punk kid trailing around bars to link up with his ex whom he has rose colored glasses on over.

A truly fun read if you like realistic, culture referencing, and train of thought writing. More so, if you enjoyed the movie Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Even more so if you were interested in the punk, hardcore, street art scene. Get the picture? ;)
Being inside of the main character, Sam’s, head is fun in a pathetic and relatable sort of way.

Photography by Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s is after every chapter (?), which gives it a fun break to help your imagination and put you in the story.

If you like the song Two Beers In by Free Throw you’ll probably enjoy this read. If you enjoy this read, you’ll probably like the song Two Beers In by Free Throw.

[Jay Gabler · Rating 2 out of 5]

For readers who enjoy edgy rambles through the rock and roll life, this will be a journey worth taking. I reviewed 131 Different Things for The Current.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very pleasant journey into 2000s NYC via seven bars and one nightclub. I wish I knew those times. I wish I was part of a scene. I wish people were still into that kind of music. Nick Zinner's photos are great.

[sarah♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this!
It was different from books I usually read; I loved the pictures between the chapters.
It reminded me of a video game, going through all the obstacles to find the woman you love (or think you do) lol.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique collaboration among a photographer and two writers (one of whom is a NYC bartender).

[Steve Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a Best of the Best for the month of January, 2019, as selected by Stevo's Book Reviews on the Internet. http://forums.delphiforums.com/stevo1...

[JuanCarlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bar hop through NY stumbling upon love and what you thought was. I picked this up because it’s a collaboration between the writer and nick zinner guitarist of the yeah yeah yeahs