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Subversia
In this bare-knuckled, frankly autobiographical collection, D.R. Haney shares a series of personal essays on his life, struggles, and artistic evolution; from punk-rock malcontent in 1980s New York, to B-movie actor in the films of Roger Corman; to screenwriter on Friday the 13th Part VII; to expatriated American writer in Serbia; to author of the celebrated underground novel Banned for Life. Consisting of material originally published by the popular online literary magazine The Nervous Breakdown, Subversia is written with the bracing candor and lyrical beauty that have earned Haney a well-deserved cult following worldwide.
"Subversia is an excellent collection of autobiographical short pieces, original and often raw...Haney is what you could call an authentically authentic voice—he comes out of the mold of beat-punk Kerouac worship, which has inspired enough writing and music making that it should be considered genre, and judged by its own standards...but, if such a genre exists, then Haney rises above it easily. He is a near-master of the final sentence, the one that pulls it all together and adds a dimension to the whole piece..." - L.A. Observed
"...a fast ride on the wild side...Subversia is an accounting of real life in perfect focus..." - The New York Journal of Books
"Frequently heartfelt and personal, Haney interweaves tiny details with weighty subjects deftly, through articles smartly ordered for just the right balance of thematic lilt and interest-holding lurch...[he] writes in a way that is infectious and gimmick-free...his enthusiasm for people, creativity and the whole world, is bottomless...[Subversia is] a joyful read on depressing subjects, and the consistency and precision of the writing makes it work." - PANK Magazine
"...whether he’s fantasizing about killing his talkative girlfriend (and then sharing that thought with her) or taking a shower for his camp counselor’s private Kodak moment—no matter how ugly, Haney just puts it out there without care or thought to judgment." - BookFetish
"Drug abuse, wild punk rock concerts, a short-lived James Dean icon phase, a car accident that nearly killed him, all of the shitty side jobs he worked and screenplays he wrote to keep a dollar in his pocket... it's all in here...Subversia reads like a conversation between two very close friends." - The Next Best Book Blog
"...a series of vivid episodes—formative and destructive, hilarious and heartbreaking—that illuminate the mind of an intense soul whose charisma is outshined only by his unrelenting honesty." - Richard Cox, author of Rift and The God Particle
"D.R. Haney may very well be the illegitimate love child of Henry Rollins and David Sedaris." - Jeff Martin, author of My Dog Ate My Nobel Prize and editor of The Customer Is Always Wrong: The Retail Chronicles
"Haney's blend of intoxicating content, sharply selected language, and unexpected humor is better than all the heroin in Serbia." - Lenore Zion, author of My Dead Pets Are Interesting
"Haney is absolutely compelling. You'll want to read his pieces over and over, and each time you'll marvel at how he took you someplace utterly different than the time before." - Robin Antalek, author of The Summer We Fell Apart
"It is a tribute to Haney's immense charisma, brutal honesty, and charming prose that in spite of everything he confesses, one can't help but fall hopelessly in love with him." - Jessica Anya Blau, author of The Summer of Naked Swim Parties and Drinking Closer to Home
"The man writes a book. It is a great book of fiction. How will I ever top this? he says. He walks around, and sits and thinks. Then he writes a great book of essays." - Ben Loory, author of Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day
"Subversia is an excellent collection of autobiographical short pieces, original and often raw...Haney is what you could call an authentically authentic voice—he comes out of the mold of beat-punk Kerouac worship, which has inspired enough writing and music making that it should be considered genre, and judged by its own standards...but, if such a genre exists, then Haney rises above it easily. He is a near-master of the final sentence, the one that pulls it all together and adds a dimension to the whole piece..." - L.A. Observed
"...a fast ride on the wild side...Subversia is an accounting of real life in perfect focus..." - The New York Journal of Books
"Frequently heartfelt and personal, Haney interweaves tiny details with weighty subjects deftly, through articles smartly ordered for just the right balance of thematic lilt and interest-holding lurch...[he] writes in a way that is infectious and gimmick-free...his enthusiasm for people, creativity and the whole world, is bottomless...[Subversia is] a joyful read on depressing subjects, and the consistency and precision of the writing makes it work." - PANK Magazine
"...whether he’s fantasizing about killing his talkative girlfriend (and then sharing that thought with her) or taking a shower for his camp counselor’s private Kodak moment—no matter how ugly, Haney just puts it out there without care or thought to judgment." - BookFetish
"Drug abuse, wild punk rock concerts, a short-lived James Dean icon phase, a car accident that nearly killed him, all of the shitty side jobs he worked and screenplays he wrote to keep a dollar in his pocket... it's all in here...Subversia reads like a conversation between two very close friends." - The Next Best Book Blog
"...a series of vivid episodes—formative and destructive, hilarious and heartbreaking—that illuminate the mind of an intense soul whose charisma is outshined only by his unrelenting honesty." - Richard Cox, author of Rift and The God Particle
"D.R. Haney may very well be the illegitimate love child of Henry Rollins and David Sedaris." - Jeff Martin, author of My Dog Ate My Nobel Prize and editor of The Customer Is Always Wrong: The Retail Chronicles
"Haney's blend of intoxicating content, sharply selected language, and unexpected humor is better than all the heroin in Serbia." - Lenore Zion, author of My Dead Pets Are Interesting
"Haney is absolutely compelling. You'll want to read his pieces over and over, and each time you'll marvel at how he took you someplace utterly different than the time before." - Robin Antalek, author of The Summer We Fell Apart
"It is a tribute to Haney's immense charisma, brutal honesty, and charming prose that in spite of everything he confesses, one can't help but fall hopelessly in love with him." - Jessica Anya Blau, author of The Summer of Naked Swim Parties and Drinking Closer to Home
"The man writes a book. It is a great book of fiction. How will I ever top this? he says. He walks around, and sits and thinks. Then he writes a great book of essays." - Ben Loory, author of Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day
240 pages, Paperback
First published October 9, 2010
1 person is currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Duke Haney
4 books126 followersBorn and raised in Virginia, Duke Haney, aka Daryl Haney, has spent most of his adult life working in the movie business as an actor and screenwriter, with twenty feature-film credits as the former and twenty-two as the latter. He used pseudonyms for some of the screenplays and went by “D. R. Haney” as the author of Banned for Life, a novel, and Subversia, an essay collection. After he was struck by a car in a crosswalk on in Hollywood, a friend claimed he walked like John “Duke” Wayne and gave him the nickname by which most people know him and he has adopted belatedly as his pen name. He plans to follow his latest essay collection, Death Valley Superstars, with a novel tentatively titled XXX.
A few links:
Book trailer for Death Valley Superstars
Other People with Brad Listi podcast interview for Death Valley Superstars
Interview about Death Valley Superstars at Cease, Cows
Death Valley Superstars Book Notes/playlist at Largehearted Boy
Banned for Life Book Notes/playlist at Largehearted Boy
If My Book contribution to Monkeybicycle
Review of Banned for Life at The Next Best Book Blog
Interview at The Next Best Book Blog 4/10
Interview about Banned at The Nervous Breakdown 7/09
Piece in Tank magazine (UK) 1/2009
Reflections on William Faulkner at Three Guys One Book
Self-interview about rock & roll, movies, fame, and the writing process, among other matters
A few links:
Book trailer for Death Valley Superstars
Other People with Brad Listi podcast interview for Death Valley Superstars
Interview about Death Valley Superstars at Cease, Cows
Death Valley Superstars Book Notes/playlist at Largehearted Boy
Banned for Life Book Notes/playlist at Largehearted Boy
If My Book contribution to Monkeybicycle
Review of Banned for Life at The Next Best Book Blog
Interview at The Next Best Book Blog 4/10
Interview about Banned at The Nervous Breakdown 7/09
Piece in Tank magazine (UK) 1/2009
Reflections on William Faulkner at Three Guys One Book
Self-interview about rock & roll, movies, fame, and the writing process, among other matters
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 19, 2011
I’m the author of this book, and here are a few things I would like to say about it.
It was written over the course of a year, with no idea for most of that year the included pieces would be published as a collection. When the collection was announced, a few new pieces were written for it. I wish there had been time enough to write others. The book’s brevity is, for me, its chief fault.
Some pieces are stronger than others, as will inevitably be the case, though I’ve been surprised when people have cited as favorites pieces that I considered comparatively weak.
Since the cover features a photo of me, it might sound vain for me to say I’m a fan of the cover, but it’s the design I admire. The photo was taken at L.A.’s Cedars-Sinai Hospital shortly after I was nearly killed in a traffic accident, and some think the photo was staged, because of its artful lighting, but I promise you it’s authentic. Others are put off by the photo (including my mom), which I didn’t anticipate (though I should have with my mom), and a few have said they were afraid to open the book because of it, though they’ve always—so far—followed with: “I’m glad I did open it.”
Most books are released with little or no promotion, except what their creators can drum up. So it is with Subversia. I gave my first book a five-star review at Goodreads because it took me nine years to complete and I figured my hard work alone had earned me five stars. I worked hard on Subversia, too, though, again, it only took a year to complete, but I’m giving it five stars because it’s promotion of a sort that I can afford. In fact, this rating will pretty much bust my promotional budget. Forgive me, won’t you? And please don’t let the cover put you off. This means you, too, Mom.
It was written over the course of a year, with no idea for most of that year the included pieces would be published as a collection. When the collection was announced, a few new pieces were written for it. I wish there had been time enough to write others. The book’s brevity is, for me, its chief fault.
Some pieces are stronger than others, as will inevitably be the case, though I’ve been surprised when people have cited as favorites pieces that I considered comparatively weak.
Since the cover features a photo of me, it might sound vain for me to say I’m a fan of the cover, but it’s the design I admire. The photo was taken at L.A.’s Cedars-Sinai Hospital shortly after I was nearly killed in a traffic accident, and some think the photo was staged, because of its artful lighting, but I promise you it’s authentic. Others are put off by the photo (including my mom), which I didn’t anticipate (though I should have with my mom), and a few have said they were afraid to open the book because of it, though they’ve always—so far—followed with: “I’m glad I did open it.”
Most books are released with little or no promotion, except what their creators can drum up. So it is with Subversia. I gave my first book a five-star review at Goodreads because it took me nine years to complete and I figured my hard work alone had earned me five stars. I worked hard on Subversia, too, though, again, it only took a year to complete, but I’m giving it five stars because it’s promotion of a sort that I can afford. In fact, this rating will pretty much bust my promotional budget. Forgive me, won’t you? And please don’t let the cover put you off. This means you, too, Mom.
August 26, 2013
I was feeling pretty sick and shitty this past week or so with a summer cold and the coming of the new semester, and Duke came by to talk. He regaled me with tales of Belgrade, and his time as a Montenegrin film star. We talked about screenwriting in L.A. -- a job we both did, though he was more successful than I in substanitive terms -- and I couldn't help being impressed by his credits, but mostly I was impressed by the way he absorbed the world he was moving through. That story about wandering the Paramount lot and trying to imagine those who'd come before is a fine example of his presence in those moments that matter, and its one of my favourites to hear him tell.
I found out a whole bunch about his friends that I didn't know. He surprised me with how comfortable he was talking about things that many people would want to keep hidden forever, knowing full well that there was nothing for him to be ashamed of and acting accordingly (which sounds so easy to do but is actually quite difficult for so many of us). He put aside his ego and told things straight, letting his stories speak for themselves, shit stains and all, embracing his own downfalls as thirstily as a bottle of Cutty Sark on a night of blackout madness.
And he pissed me off too, but of course that was going to happen. Duke, the doctor, D.R. thinks pretty highly of himself at times, and I was sick and crabby (and I think just as highly of myself), so I listened and nodded, and thought, "C'mon, man. Don't be such a douchebag," but then he'd sense my eye rolling and take just the right turn again, pulling back, redirecting with something self-deprecating or philosophical or surgically incisive, and then I'd feel like a prick for getting pissy.
Then he left me with a mix disc he'd made for me, pointed me to a couple of cool interviews he'd given, kicked my ass, and headed out the door back from whence he came, making sure that I'd never forget my weekend with him, snot infused though it was.
He's available for you too. When you need to just hang out, when you need a little motivation, when you need to remember what you're writing for, you can give him a call in these pages, and he'll come hang out, give you his unique form of therapy (deeply Freudian though it is), and you too will come out of it better for the experience.
p.s. You are the real deal, Duke. Seriously.
I found out a whole bunch about his friends that I didn't know. He surprised me with how comfortable he was talking about things that many people would want to keep hidden forever, knowing full well that there was nothing for him to be ashamed of and acting accordingly (which sounds so easy to do but is actually quite difficult for so many of us). He put aside his ego and told things straight, letting his stories speak for themselves, shit stains and all, embracing his own downfalls as thirstily as a bottle of Cutty Sark on a night of blackout madness.
And he pissed me off too, but of course that was going to happen. Duke, the doctor, D.R. thinks pretty highly of himself at times, and I was sick and crabby (and I think just as highly of myself), so I listened and nodded, and thought, "C'mon, man. Don't be such a douchebag," but then he'd sense my eye rolling and take just the right turn again, pulling back, redirecting with something self-deprecating or philosophical or surgically incisive, and then I'd feel like a prick for getting pissy.
Then he left me with a mix disc he'd made for me, pointed me to a couple of cool interviews he'd given, kicked my ass, and headed out the door back from whence he came, making sure that I'd never forget my weekend with him, snot infused though it was.
He's available for you too. When you need to just hang out, when you need a little motivation, when you need to remember what you're writing for, you can give him a call in these pages, and he'll come hang out, give you his unique form of therapy (deeply Freudian though it is), and you too will come out of it better for the experience.
p.s. You are the real deal, Duke. Seriously.
January 9, 2011
I was lucky enough to meet Duke Haney once at a party at a mutual friend's house in L.A. I remember immediately liking him and after reading this book of his personal essays I now understand why. How could you not like someone who can write about their own life with such honesty and humor and depth? There is no pretension in Duke's stories even though the life he's led would allow for some. Reading this was like talking to Duke at that party. He's just a cool guy, a nice guy, telling you a bit about himself until suddenly you find yourself completely drawn in and fascinated and you want to just let him keep talking, keep entertaining you. As I read this collection, each story I finished became my favorite story. They all feel very immediate even though some take place over twenty years ago. But if I had to choose my favorites I think they would be "Cutty Sarked" for it's hilarious honesty, "That's What I've Been Trying to Tell You" for it's tragedy, beautifully expressed and "The Right Profile" because I myself once had an obsession with Montgomery Clift.
So, thanks Duke. Keep telling your stories. I'll keep reading them.
So, thanks Duke. Keep telling your stories. I'll keep reading them.
December 28, 2010
Subversia is a collection of short stories that were originally published on thenervousbreakdown.com. The stories have a great mix of humor and tragedy. Haney is a very talented writer. Some people have a natural way with words that flow and he is one of them. I love when I can find a book and be struck by just a sentence and think, "Now that was a beautiful sentence."
I just have to say I love the cover. I was instantly drawn to it. After starting the book and reading Haney's Goodread's review, I learned that it was in fact the author following an accident. I automatically assumed that it was staged before learning of the accident, but there was something about it that was so real. Some people might be turned off by the cover, but not me. Isn't it nice to see something real for a change? I really can't put my thoughts into words at the moment (if ever), so I'm just coming to comment on the emotions it made me feel: sad, blessed, inspired, resilient, tragic, and hopeful.
I should admit to my usual books I read before I review this one. I love to read but keep my choices fairly limited. I usually read romance and erotica , and if it happens to have a Scottish laird in a kilt on the cover, all the better. Toss in the occasional history book and that about sums up my reading. It was quite a nice change going from
to
. :)
I was surprised by how much I actually related to his stories. He talks about the many people who came in and out of his life. Haney lost a few friends due to illness, and I can definitely relate to that. This book actually made me reminisce about my own life and the people who have affected me. The people who he writes about and himself actually made me think of my cousin, who died in 2006. He was very much into the music scene and was in bands when he was younger, but ultimately became a rigger. He use to describe it as "builing a city and tearing it down in a day just to rebuild it again tomorrow in another country." His entire life revolved around his family and music, but sadly he passed away from an undetected heart problem while on tour in Croatia. I am rambling, I realize, but it was just nice to read of someone who loves music that much also.
Haney has led a very interesting life and has crossed paths with many people. His stories are very relatable though, and makes you reminisce about your own life and the people who have affected it.
I can honestly say I enjoyed each story and look forward to getting a copy of Banned For Life to read sometime too. I would definitely recommend this book.
I just have to say I love the cover. I was instantly drawn to it. After starting the book and reading Haney's Goodread's review, I learned that it was in fact the author following an accident. I automatically assumed that it was staged before learning of the accident, but there was something about it that was so real. Some people might be turned off by the cover, but not me. Isn't it nice to see something real for a change? I really can't put my thoughts into words at the moment (if ever), so I'm just coming to comment on the emotions it made me feel: sad, blessed, inspired, resilient, tragic, and hopeful.
I should admit to my usual books I read before I review this one. I love to read but keep my choices fairly limited. I usually read romance and erotica , and if it happens to have a Scottish laird in a kilt on the cover, all the better. Toss in the occasional history book and that about sums up my reading. It was quite a nice change going from
to
. :)I was surprised by how much I actually related to his stories. He talks about the many people who came in and out of his life. Haney lost a few friends due to illness, and I can definitely relate to that. This book actually made me reminisce about my own life and the people who have affected me. The people who he writes about and himself actually made me think of my cousin, who died in 2006. He was very much into the music scene and was in bands when he was younger, but ultimately became a rigger. He use to describe it as "builing a city and tearing it down in a day just to rebuild it again tomorrow in another country." His entire life revolved around his family and music, but sadly he passed away from an undetected heart problem while on tour in Croatia. I am rambling, I realize, but it was just nice to read of someone who loves music that much also.
Haney has led a very interesting life and has crossed paths with many people. His stories are very relatable though, and makes you reminisce about your own life and the people who have affected it.
I can honestly say I enjoyed each story and look forward to getting a copy of Banned For Life to read sometime too. I would definitely recommend this book.
January 7, 2018
D.R. Haney wrote a piece about a young actor and member of Mel Lyman's infamous Boston “family” who gobbled acid and resembled their west coast counterparts, that included an astrological reading by a fb friend in its exhaustive research. Like many past the flushing bloom of youth (44) I tend to sleep a few hours before waking up, I usually then read a bit and go back to sleep. But this was different; sleep would have to wait until the next night.
Long form journalism, exquisitely researched, and written with a bold, muscular flourish, insightful, poetic and revelatory - I added him right way on the social media behemoth undermining our social fabric - and to my shock - given my profile and cover photos - he added me back.
As a writer too, I love introducing myself with "I just bought your book", what better way to make people like you? I didn't realize D.R. Haney was a widely published novelist, actor, musician, film-maker and screenwriter - an eclectic dilettante or new world renaissance man depending on who you ask. As I used to say in my stand-up set, "I'm a jack of all trades masturbator number one!"
Then D.R. Haney sent me his e-mail address and went dark. Then his collection of writing Subversia arrived. Released in 2010 this anthology details in words and pictures the life and times of an American writer wedging himself into the world with a punk ferocity that evokes Hunter S. and the cerebral gravitas of Norman Mailer.
Bone-crushingly honest and full of hero worship for his mentor musicians and bands who are like gods to a demented, acid soaked priest immersed in the flash and flicker of his childhood and New York and L.A. debauchery, juxtaposed with occasional superhuman work flows.
Hamlet’s tragic flaw was indecision, phrased differently it is his courage to not try and solve the mystery of the Universe prematurely and therefor incorrectly. Whether analyzing his own idle murderous thoughts or turning the soil of another failed love affair Haney is guilty as well of allowing the mystery to persist – dark and wild.
But beyond his insights on ordinary life are the adventures of his extraordinary life – being a photographic subject for a child pornographer, working at becoming the next James Dean, diving into punk rock, shredding his voice in bands and trashing house parties.
He goes to Budapest to make films and somehow writes his first novel there Banned for Life that smashed him onto map in 2009, he also released the photo-book Room 32 about holding a Los Angeles séance for Jim Morrison. He even wrote the script for Friday the Thirteenth Part VIII, and about a million other articles, screenplays, songs and paraphernalia.
Long form journalism, exquisitely researched, and written with a bold, muscular flourish, insightful, poetic and revelatory - I added him right way on the social media behemoth undermining our social fabric - and to my shock - given my profile and cover photos - he added me back.
As a writer too, I love introducing myself with "I just bought your book", what better way to make people like you? I didn't realize D.R. Haney was a widely published novelist, actor, musician, film-maker and screenwriter - an eclectic dilettante or new world renaissance man depending on who you ask. As I used to say in my stand-up set, "I'm a jack of all trades masturbator number one!"
Then D.R. Haney sent me his e-mail address and went dark. Then his collection of writing Subversia arrived. Released in 2010 this anthology details in words and pictures the life and times of an American writer wedging himself into the world with a punk ferocity that evokes Hunter S. and the cerebral gravitas of Norman Mailer.
Bone-crushingly honest and full of hero worship for his mentor musicians and bands who are like gods to a demented, acid soaked priest immersed in the flash and flicker of his childhood and New York and L.A. debauchery, juxtaposed with occasional superhuman work flows.
Hamlet’s tragic flaw was indecision, phrased differently it is his courage to not try and solve the mystery of the Universe prematurely and therefor incorrectly. Whether analyzing his own idle murderous thoughts or turning the soil of another failed love affair Haney is guilty as well of allowing the mystery to persist – dark and wild.
But beyond his insights on ordinary life are the adventures of his extraordinary life – being a photographic subject for a child pornographer, working at becoming the next James Dean, diving into punk rock, shredding his voice in bands and trashing house parties.
He goes to Budapest to make films and somehow writes his first novel there Banned for Life that smashed him onto map in 2009, he also released the photo-book Room 32 about holding a Los Angeles séance for Jim Morrison. He even wrote the script for Friday the Thirteenth Part VIII, and about a million other articles, screenplays, songs and paraphernalia.
December 18, 2011
i should've written a review for this months ago. as it is, i gave my copy away because i wanted to share these thoughtful essays with other friends. a great collection of non-fiction writing, a collection of essays from the careful and incomparable duke haney. definitely worth picking up, and adding to your library. i'd also recommend his novel banned for life. (for some reason goodreads is not letting me add a link to it, so i'll do that later. :)
Read
October 28, 2010What an amazing cover!
January 5, 2011
Signed, and tea-spilled, by author for review.
I'm a fan of Duke Haney. I fell in love with his novel Banned For Life, which I reviewed here in March. As a struggling actor, screenplay writer, musician, and author, I don't think there is anything out there that this guy hasn't seen or done first hand... and in Subversia, his newest release - an autobiographical collection of stories/essays - he puts it out there, "warts and all", for the whole world to read.
From attending summer camp at the age of 10 under the perverted eye of a Camp Director who took naked photographs of the boys, to finding himself plagued by compulsive-obsessive thoughts of murdering his family, to chance encounters with Elliot Smith and Al Pacino, to spending 9 years of his life writing and rewriting Banned... Duke allows us to walk a mile in his well-worn yet incredibly hip shoes.
Subversia reads like a conversation between two very close friends. Tweeting with Duke as I read through the book, I explained to him that it's almost as though he is sitting beside me at a bar, sharing stories of his childhood and young adult life over a couple of beers. These are the sort of things you talk about when you're on a first date with a girl; embarrassing stories that you think might impress her, or get her giggling; horrific stories that will make her gasp; stories that allow you to show her your scars. These are the things that made you who you are, and you want her to either accept them, or run away screaming.
"Forever Strangers" reveals his tender, thoughtful side - discussing the millions of strangers who weave in and out of our lives, and the few who manage to make an impact as they pass through. This is a topic I could talk forever on. It begs us to ask the age-old questions - What's our purpose? Why am I here? Does anything I do really matter?
"The Uninvited" shows his vulnerable, easily spooked side - hearing strange noises in the house, calling a friend on the phone contemplating the place being haunted, only to find that a big ass rat has moved in! And then contemplating how the heck to rid himself of it. This one made me giggle, because (1) I am terrified of ending up someplace that is haunted, and so every noise I hear immediately starts me thinking of ghosts and spirits and (2) if you swap "rat" for "spider" I would be climbing the walls in fear until I knew the damn thing was dead, dropped into the toilet, and flushed away for good. (For those of you who read this story: Duke tells me that, to this day, he doesn't know what happened to the rat.)
In "Romance, Bromance, and Deja Vu" he teaches us that yes... men ARE like women. They can get catty and let people come between them too.
Drug abuse, wild punk rock concerts, a short lived James Dean icon phase, a car accident that nearly killed him, all of the shitty side jobs he worked and screenplays he wrote to keep a dollar in his pocket... it's all in here.
Most of these essays were previously published on The Nervous Breakdown, an incredibly cool online magazine that Duke regularly contributes to.
My hat off to Duke. For having the guts to put his life stories out there, in black and white, to be dissected by the public, because that is not always an easy thing to do. Man, This guy can write. And he deserves to be read. I have a much greater appreciation for his novel Banned now, having read everything he went through and understanding more of what went into it.
I also want to thank Duke - for supplying me with a signed, tea-stained copy of this book to review. I will cherish it always. (and yes, I sniffed the pages.) And for humoring me over Twitter this past week.
Congrats to The Nervous Breakdown as well, for this is their very first release as a brand spankin' new publishing company (TNB). I cannot wait to see what you guys are serving up next!
I'm a fan of Duke Haney. I fell in love with his novel Banned For Life, which I reviewed here in March. As a struggling actor, screenplay writer, musician, and author, I don't think there is anything out there that this guy hasn't seen or done first hand... and in Subversia, his newest release - an autobiographical collection of stories/essays - he puts it out there, "warts and all", for the whole world to read.
From attending summer camp at the age of 10 under the perverted eye of a Camp Director who took naked photographs of the boys, to finding himself plagued by compulsive-obsessive thoughts of murdering his family, to chance encounters with Elliot Smith and Al Pacino, to spending 9 years of his life writing and rewriting Banned... Duke allows us to walk a mile in his well-worn yet incredibly hip shoes.
Subversia reads like a conversation between two very close friends. Tweeting with Duke as I read through the book, I explained to him that it's almost as though he is sitting beside me at a bar, sharing stories of his childhood and young adult life over a couple of beers. These are the sort of things you talk about when you're on a first date with a girl; embarrassing stories that you think might impress her, or get her giggling; horrific stories that will make her gasp; stories that allow you to show her your scars. These are the things that made you who you are, and you want her to either accept them, or run away screaming.
"Forever Strangers" reveals his tender, thoughtful side - discussing the millions of strangers who weave in and out of our lives, and the few who manage to make an impact as they pass through. This is a topic I could talk forever on. It begs us to ask the age-old questions - What's our purpose? Why am I here? Does anything I do really matter?
"The Uninvited" shows his vulnerable, easily spooked side - hearing strange noises in the house, calling a friend on the phone contemplating the place being haunted, only to find that a big ass rat has moved in! And then contemplating how the heck to rid himself of it. This one made me giggle, because (1) I am terrified of ending up someplace that is haunted, and so every noise I hear immediately starts me thinking of ghosts and spirits and (2) if you swap "rat" for "spider" I would be climbing the walls in fear until I knew the damn thing was dead, dropped into the toilet, and flushed away for good. (For those of you who read this story: Duke tells me that, to this day, he doesn't know what happened to the rat.)
In "Romance, Bromance, and Deja Vu" he teaches us that yes... men ARE like women. They can get catty and let people come between them too.
Drug abuse, wild punk rock concerts, a short lived James Dean icon phase, a car accident that nearly killed him, all of the shitty side jobs he worked and screenplays he wrote to keep a dollar in his pocket... it's all in here.
Most of these essays were previously published on The Nervous Breakdown, an incredibly cool online magazine that Duke regularly contributes to.
My hat off to Duke. For having the guts to put his life stories out there, in black and white, to be dissected by the public, because that is not always an easy thing to do. Man, This guy can write. And he deserves to be read. I have a much greater appreciation for his novel Banned now, having read everything he went through and understanding more of what went into it.
I also want to thank Duke - for supplying me with a signed, tea-stained copy of this book to review. I will cherish it always. (and yes, I sniffed the pages.) And for humoring me over Twitter this past week.
Congrats to The Nervous Breakdown as well, for this is their very first release as a brand spankin' new publishing company (TNB). I cannot wait to see what you guys are serving up next!
January 20, 2011
If you read online Lit journals you've no doubt heard of The Nervous Breakdown. Unless you're like me and even though I'm a writer and profess to be down with whatever is new and happening and interested in what my fellow writers are putting out there – I've been too "busy" – read: too totally self-absorbed getting my own crap published – that I missed all the essays D.R. Haney wrote for the TNB (I actually personally know a few of the site's contributors, and I haven't read their stuff either). Yeah, I suck – but fortunately for me I can now read Subversia as total new material, because it's his collected essays from TNB.
The writing is great. His memories, his recollections, his stories flow with an edge. There's fleeting tender moments and horrific inner admissions. Haney writes like a mad man – not the stylistic retro cable TV show – no, like a fucking manic. It's like he's channeling my inner insanity – it's like he's in my goddamn head. Maybe he's really writing this review. I'm outta control. Haney's outta control. Buy his book. Read it. I am. Really, I am.
Subversia – Yeah.
The writing is great. His memories, his recollections, his stories flow with an edge. There's fleeting tender moments and horrific inner admissions. Haney writes like a mad man – not the stylistic retro cable TV show – no, like a fucking manic. It's like he's channeling my inner insanity – it's like he's in my goddamn head. Maybe he's really writing this review. I'm outta control. Haney's outta control. Buy his book. Read it. I am. Really, I am.
Subversia – Yeah.
April 21, 2016
Haney's book Subversia is made up of a bunch of stories published on the literary website The Nervous Breakdown. Stories range from Hollywood, hanging out with old and new friends, punk music, etc. You think you have a pretty straight forward story going and then all of a sudden at the end Haney switches it up on ya and you receive a nice little emotional punch to the gut! The writing is raw, honest and coming straight from the heart. Nothing seems to be held back. If you aren't into little personal stories, give this a try anyways, Haney has so far led a very interesting life. His experiences beat out mine and my friends' put together.
I'm so glad TNB has collected all of Haney's stories into one place, and published this book. I read the whole thing in two sittings!! D.R. Haney truly has a unique voice and is an amazing, writer and artist.
I'm so glad TNB has collected all of Haney's stories into one place, and published this book. I read the whole thing in two sittings!! D.R. Haney truly has a unique voice and is an amazing, writer and artist.
September 8, 2011
A series of autobiographical essays, told with a raw honesty, at times funny, sad, humiliating, cringeworthy, gutwrenching, but all riveting. I didn't want to put it down. He has a way of capturing the everyday in a way that pulls you right into the story, like you're hanging out with your best friend who's relating an adventurous night out, or revealing some secret from the past.
July 19, 2011
I am so excited to read this book. The author is a friend on Good Reads and was kind enough to send me a signed copy. Gonna finish up my Chelsey Handler book tonight and start on this one tomorrow. Thanks Duke!
March 29, 2023
I discovered the essays of D. R. Haney because I'm a fan of schlocky (but exuberant) 80's horror films and stumbled upon a piece he did about his job writing Friday the 13th VII: The New Blood. In it he discussed the ins and outs of getting and keeping the gig, working for Roger Corman, and reinventing himself years later as a novelist and essayist, including the decision to change his name to distance himself from his work as a b-movie actor and screenwriter. It was a fun, fascinating read and I picked this book up to continue my time with Mr. Haney. The essays in this book are thoughtful and entertaining, particularly for anyone with a passion for the history/culture of Los Angeles and punk rock, two further interests of mine.
The reason I give four out of five stars is perhaps an unfair personal judgement, driven too heavily my initial discovery of him. He is so ashamed by his previous life in the world of genre film that he completely disregards it. The essay I read online is the only one that makes more than a passing mention of his screenwriting. This is truly unfortunate as his piece about Friday the 13th VII was a highly revealing look into a world that very few people discuss. Most writers from his world don't make it out of the trenches the way that he has or don't discuss it at all if they do. For someone interested in the very niche arena of b-movie genre screenwriters, I was hoping for much, much more, if for no other reason than it's almost impossible to find anywhere else. I also ended up feeling a little badly for Mr. Haney, as he seems to heap so much scorn on himself for his contributions to cinema. And contributions they are: A wildly entertaining entry into the Friday the 13th series, some well-regarded Corman flicks, and several more mainstream films like "Mockingbird Don't Sing" and "Life Among the Cannibals." Far as I'm concerned, he doesn't deserve the shame he seems to feel.
Please know that this is a recommendation. Even as I write this, I think I may end up regretting giving this a four star review over what, in the face of his larger work about life and death, is a rather personal preference. Still, if I learned one thing from "Subversia" it's to say what you feel you need to say and go for what you wanted. All I wanted was more.
The reason I give four out of five stars is perhaps an unfair personal judgement, driven too heavily my initial discovery of him. He is so ashamed by his previous life in the world of genre film that he completely disregards it. The essay I read online is the only one that makes more than a passing mention of his screenwriting. This is truly unfortunate as his piece about Friday the 13th VII was a highly revealing look into a world that very few people discuss. Most writers from his world don't make it out of the trenches the way that he has or don't discuss it at all if they do. For someone interested in the very niche arena of b-movie genre screenwriters, I was hoping for much, much more, if for no other reason than it's almost impossible to find anywhere else. I also ended up feeling a little badly for Mr. Haney, as he seems to heap so much scorn on himself for his contributions to cinema. And contributions they are: A wildly entertaining entry into the Friday the 13th series, some well-regarded Corman flicks, and several more mainstream films like "Mockingbird Don't Sing" and "Life Among the Cannibals." Far as I'm concerned, he doesn't deserve the shame he seems to feel.
Please know that this is a recommendation. Even as I write this, I think I may end up regretting giving this a four star review over what, in the face of his larger work about life and death, is a rather personal preference. Still, if I learned one thing from "Subversia" it's to say what you feel you need to say and go for what you wanted. All I wanted was more.
November 30, 2010
A golden chronicle of the history of TheNervousBreakdown.com. And not that it means to be. What it means to be might be more like a good mix of touching, silly, and/or rowdy stories about some key experiences that Duke Haney has chosen to share. And it is that! But what it also ends up being is an important historical document that chronicles (in its own way) the history of the original and golden era of the fantastic literary site that is The Nervous Breakdown.
And goodness, there's a touching story about Elliott Smith in this book (didn't we all meet Elliott Smith at some point? If you missed your chance, read about Duke's--Smith was buying ice cream at Ralph's). And this book has pictures. So you don't have to read it all.
And goodness, there's a touching story about Elliott Smith in this book (didn't we all meet Elliott Smith at some point? If you missed your chance, read about Duke's--Smith was buying ice cream at Ralph's). And this book has pictures. So you don't have to read it all.
April 29, 2011
Well, I have finally started reading through this cornucopia of life snippets. Took me long enough, huh? I am one essay in and in all honesty I can see this being one of those books that makes me feel just a little more normal, in the everyday sense of the word. And by that I mean boring.
This book is going to make my lower-middle-class upbringing in the Southern part of the United States feel like it falls short. Of what, I don't know. But inadequate is a word i find myself wanting to use. I have nothing against the author. I am just white-bred blandness, in all it's glory. Maybe this book is exactly what I need.
This book is going to make my lower-middle-class upbringing in the Southern part of the United States feel like it falls short. Of what, I don't know. But inadequate is a word i find myself wanting to use. I have nothing against the author. I am just white-bred blandness, in all it's glory. Maybe this book is exactly what I need.
August 2, 2011
This was a great book of essays. When not incredibly moving (as a few of the essays are) they were humorous, and forthright. I was a bit lukewarm with the interviews at the end of the book when compared to the preceding essays.
Regardless, I am definitely going to pickup Haney's novel Banned for Life soon.
Regardless, I am definitely going to pickup Haney's novel Banned for Life soon.
February 27, 2015
Review to come..
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