Heads up fans of great books, 80′s and 90′s music, geek lovers, and memoir fanatics – I’m giving away 5 copies Rob Sheffield’s hilarious new memoir Talking To Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man’s Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut. Please feel free to listen to me ramble on and talk about Talking To Girls About Duran Duran by Rob Sheffield, even if you aren’t a fan of any of the things I listed. Even if you need a quick laugh, just watch my lame-as-hell YouTube video.
Why am I crazy about Rob Sheffield? In my heart of hearts, the answer is simple. He loves music, pop culture, and karaoke just as much as I do, or shall I say did-back when I was fun and not full of chronic pain and auto-immune diseases. He reminds me of me, hanging out in the 9th grade, fighting with my guys friends about who is the better guitarist, Eddie Van Halen or Angus Young. He reminds me of every single boy and half the girls I knew and hung out with from 1981 – 1992. I am certain Rob Sheffield eats, breaths, lives, and dreams in music 24-7, as the way our good lord intended. Even though Rob Sheffield never grew up in my ghetto, versions of him have been in my life for most of my life, making him seem like a familiar old friend the moment I met him. When I say I love Rob Sheffield, I really mean I love Rob Sheffield, because I am one with him and his kind. It isn’t often that I feel this strongly about a rock journalist. If by some crazy miracle Rob Sheffield, Cameron Crowe and I could all meet, make mix tapes, and sing karaoke together for one night, I really could die an extremely happy woman.
As I said in the video, I feel in love with Rob when I was still reading Rolling Stone magazine. The deal breaker was when I saw him on countless episodes of those kick-ass “I Love the 80′s” on VH1. He just seemed so much fun, if you know what I mean. He enjoyed talking about the silliness of the pop culture of our youth. Once I read his first memoir Love is a Mix Tape, it was all over for me, because I rarely can connect with an author on a musical and personal level like that. I can’t recommend that book enough to people.
When I found out Rob was going to be at the BookExpo America, I knew I had to get there. Jobless and a little hopeless, I made my way there on the shoulders of strangers, and waited an hour and a half just to be one of the first in line to meet him and get an autographed copy of his newest book. In person, Rob comes off exactly as he does in his writing and televised appearances – genuine, fun, and sweet and nerdy. (Nerd is never a bad word in my book!) Any author who not only poses for a photo, but hugs their fans and thanks them too is a kick-ass guy in my humble opinion.
You’ve got to read Talking To Girl’s About Duran Duran for one simple reason – Rob’s story about his love of the cassingle. Now, to be honest, there are literally hundreds of reasons why you should read this book, but if you ever wore out a one song tape by playing it over and over again, you can respect this chapter. I had a few songs back in my day that I obsessed over, and Rob and I shared a cassingle that was one of the great cassingles of all time – Young MC’s Bust a Move. The year was 1989, and it was the song of my freshman year of college, actually of my entire college experience. Every girl with big hair needs a singular song she can listen to repeatedly during the entire two hours it takes her to get ready and still be ready to dance after hours of hard labor making my hair stand on end, and this was my song. I’m assuming it was Rob’s power song because it was a huge confidence booster and mood builder. Just as each lyric lifted my hair a little higher, each line of this song must have lifted everyone else in other similar ways.
As I flip through this book, I am reminded of the dozens of memories he writes about life and the music surrounding it brilliantly. His adventures driving an ice cream truck through the mean streets of Boston, worshiping David Bowie and John Hughes, mastering the handclap routines of the infamous “Miss Lucy had a steamboat,” the greatness of MTV, discovering his love of karaoke, and of course, the mysterious appeal of Duran Duran. What girl didn’t love DD? I certainly did, and even had a DD folder in sixth grade, a rare school supply for a girl on welfare. I even managed to find a small section for my DD pics in my Eddie Van Halen covered-bedroom. My favorite Duran Duran song used to be Save A Prayer, but after Donnie Darko, Notorious has taken over. All these years later, I pull of my DD CD a few times a year and dance like it’s the early to mid 1980′s. People, if you buy just one book this year, please, please please buy this book. A trip down memory lane with tunes as good as the ones Rob writes about is certainly worth the price.
To purchase your copy of Talking To Girl’s About Duran Duran, click here.
You’ve gotta love a man who posts a pic of himself with Snookie on his Facebook page!
Talking To Girl’s About Duran Duran by Rob Sheffield Contest
RULES:
**Open to U.S. residents and please, no P.O. boxes!
**You must include your email address in your comment (You don’t have to type it in your comment, just use your “real” email account when you sign in to leave a comment)
**All comments must be SEPARATE to count as additional entries
HOW TO ENTER:
+1 ENTRY: Go to Rob Sheffield’s website HERE and tell me via your comment below what fascinating thing you learned or noticed about him there.
+1 MORE ENTRY: Comment if you are a loyal follower of Rob’s, either on Facebook, or Twitter. Tell me where and how you follow him. Heck, you can even tell him how you found him via the Girl from the Ghetto.
+1 MORE ENTRY: Comment if you are a loyal follower of mine, either on Facebook or Twitter or THE GIRL FROM THE GHETTO blog. Tell me where and how you follow me.
+1 MORE ENTRY: Comment here and tell me why you need to win this book! Do sensitive geek-types have a special place in your heart? Are you simply in the mood for a free book? Have you read and fallen in love with Rob’s first memoir, Love Is A Mix Tape? Do you wish you could have lived in the 80′s and early 90′s and listened to the coolest teen music ever? Do you have an abnormal fascination with rock journalists who write for Rolling Stone? Are you just a huge fan of memoirs and music books? Are you impressed by my lame YouTube video? Or, will this be like free therapy as you love to read funny books that make your own dysfunctional teenage years seem a bit more normal?
+5 MORE ENTRIES: Blog about this giveaway, share a link via Twitter, or post a link via Facebook or any other social networking site about my Talking To Girls About Duran Duran giveaway and come back here and leave a comment by sharing your link.
Contest ends Tuesday, September 7th at midnight. Good luck to you all!
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I’ve been dying to read this book. Duran Duran has a lot to answer for in my life. I was crazy about John Taylor. My parents would say oh he’s told old for you. So what did I do ended up marrying a British musician who was older than my beloved.
Cat – A Brittish musician? I.Am.So.Jealous!
Wow! He is a rock star of music journalism. Two of my favorite things in one guy.
I must admit I raised my kids to the background of Duran Duran.
Okay, if this doesn’t work, then I need to use the fact that my eldest son is a nerd, oh yes, a nerd. With three cats. And a computer to envy.
Anna- Works for me & congrats on having a nerdy son!
I was trying to figure out how I knew his name besides from his books…..there it is VH1! I grew up in the 80′s and love everything about it….yes..especially my hair and all the hairbands that went along with the decade…my friends and husband enter the 80′s timewarp when they get in my car with my totally 80′s Ipod…it’s clearly the ultimate mixed tape and Rob Sheffield would be proud to go on a road trip with me….and of course, Duran Duran is included in my 80′s shuffle..
Michelle – OMG, I didn’t even consider a road trip with him! I like how you think and dream big girl!
I am a child of the 80s – I was in 8th grade in 1986… I admit I had Duran Duran pictures taped to my bedroom wall.
I still have a mix tape my husband (who was merely my boyfriend at the time) made me in college even though I have no means to listen to it any longer.
I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, “Love is a Mix Tape” – it had me laughing and crying in the first ten pages – I am so looking forward to reading this new book.
I hope these three comments are enough to win me a copy since I am currently back in school and grossly underemployed. There’s no way my town’s tiny library is going to have this book on its shelf although I will ask them to stock it.
One more thing… Rob once interviewed my husband for an article in Rolling Stone. It’s the issue with the Seinfeld people on the cover dressed like the Wizard of Oz – the interview and photo were published. Does this earn me extra points?
J-Cro – Yes! But, I am dying … will you email me who your husband is? I’m just curious and I don’t have that R.S. in my back catalog. You don’t have to tell me, but curious minds want to know-thegirlfromtheghetto [at] gmail.
It looks like my initial first comment didn’t take so I’ll try to recreate it here….
I am a child of the 80s – I was in 8th grade in 1986. I admit to having Duran Duran pictures taped to my bedroom wall.
I still have a mix tape my husband (who was merely my boyfriend at the time) made me in college even though I have no means to listen/play it any longer. I am too sentimental to get rid of it.
I loved, loved, LOVED “Love is a Mix Tape” – it had me laughing out loud and then crying in the first ten pages.
Since I am currently back in school and grossly underemployed I hope these comments earn me points to win since I can’t afford to go out and buy the book. I’ll make sure to ask my tiny town library to get the book for their shelves but I won’t hold my breath.
J. Cro – Love that you still have the mix tapes … I just tossed mine three years ago due to eloping and having no space in our house and I’m so sad I did that!
I hear you on unemployment – I’m still technically “underemployed.” In a word -SUCKS!
Checked out Rob’s site and he doesn’t look old enough to have be “a music journalist for more than twenty years. ”
Would love to add this book to my library. Gotta agree with J Cro w/ regards to waiting on my local library…ummm I’ll be waiting FOREVER.
Tomi – He looks much younger in person.
This is one book on my reading list. My wife is a child of the 80s. I am more the 70s.
But I did notice on Rob’s site, his appearances are outdate, which is a shame, we would have gone to see him.
Thanks!
Dan – Oh, you will love it. And, total bummer to hear you and the wife missed seeing him.
Nice to see you and hear you in your YouTube video. Glad to hear your busy I think for the most part busy is a good thing. :+) The 80′s make me smile.
Starla – I love to be busy, as it keeps my mind off things (pain) but I’ve been so slammed my brain feels a bit scrambled. The 80′s always make me smile, too.
I love how you spoke to us about the book. You are very good with your descriptions. I love it. Let us see more of ya. Stay well and happy.
Doraz – Thanks … I’m trying to balance my life and new job with blogging … it’s getting a bit more easier and I hope to be able to keep it up!
I would love to win a copy of this book, just to keep reading Rob Sheffield. I just read “Love is a Mix Tape” last week. I laughed and cried, and my ipod has been on 80′s shuffle ever since.
And I too must confess a huge crush on John Taylor of Duran Duran. Why is it always the bassist?
DJ – Oooh, I love that you’ve got that iPod cranking 80′s!
Though I was born in 1987, I still have managed to fall in love with Robbie Hart, Jake Ryan, and Farmer Ted. I love 80′s music…and when my middle school students have an 80′s day, I don’t wear spandex and an off the shoulder sweatshirt. I wear mile high teased hair, blue eye shadow, and do my best to be Bret Michaels back in the day. I do not see the 80′s as a novelty era, I actually know my music, all of my music, and believe that a truly perfect mixtape must contain at least one 80′s song. Addicted to Rolling Stone, and to all music countdowns on VH1, Rob manages to talk about everything I want to hear. Love is A Mix Tape is my life, and I hope the Duran Duran speaks to me in the same way.
Jayme – I love that you wear the blue eye shadow for the kiddies!
I actually believe the 80s was the last decade we’ll ever have where all music was good music. I miss the days when you could turn on any radio station and enjoy what was playing. I loved everything-pop, rock, alternative, metal, rap, country, etc., etc.
I still have the big hair, how’s that for a sympathy plea? I have heard great things about this book, and I’m quite fond of geeks.
Want want want.
Amy – My hair is getting big these days, too. Not as big, but pretty respectable.
Entry: I really want to read this book. Thanks!
Entry +1: I love that Rob mentions the languages his books have been translated into that he can’t read.
I can’t read Russian either, Rob. I feel your pain.
Entry +1: I LOVE mix tapes and the music of the 80s. As soon as I saw the words “Duran Duran” I knew I had to read this book. I grew up during that era and remember it fondly.
Melydia – I’m convinced their isn’t a child of the 80s who hates Duran Duran.
I,m dying to read this book. I loved the 80,s wish i could turn back time. I love how you spoke about the booki felt i was actually reading it right then.
Georgiann – Agreed! I mean about the love of the 80s … thanks for the great compliment.
Entry +5: http://twitter.com/melydia/status/22702495676
I need to read this book because I have “Jesse’s Girl” stuck in my head and I can’t get it to stop.
I must have this book. I was in love with Roger Taylor. My girlfriend got 2 tickets to Duran Duran in high school. I made the stupid mistake of asking my dad for permission to go. I went to christian school so he wanted to think about it. A day later, he comes home and calls me into his room. He puts a movie on and says there is no way you are going to see this band. To my horror, he starts playing Girls on Film, the unrated version. I had never even seen that. All I remember is boobs and embarrassment. I was not allowed to go…I was horrified. Finally 2 years ago DD came to town and my hubby took me. It was the best concert I’ve ever been too and Roger still looked hot and I totally screamed out his name lol. Too much fun! The 80′s rock!
“All I remember is boobs and embarrassment.” OMG, I love that line!
lol I drew a few members back in college from one of the albums. They are really cool if you want to see them let me know and I can email them to you.
I would love to have this book! i am a huge fan of pop culture and music, i consider Chuck Klosterman a wise, wise man. Unfortunately, I have the misfortune of being born in the late eighties and missed experiencing its awesomeness during its prime. I used to listen to New Kids on the Block with my babysitters and the older girls in the neighborhood, not quite knowing the words or dance moves. But still had a Joey doll and NKOTB beach towel that sadly just got thrown away because it was ripped to shreds. Also, i just added Sheffield’s first book to my bookcase and would love the second.
Amanda – Be happy you can relive the best parts of the 80′s without having any of the bad hairstyles in photographic evidence. You should see my prom and senoir pictures! So glad to hear you are into Rob and the great music of the day!
i love duran duran! at rob’s site is was a treat to hear simon lebon reading and excerpt! also spotted rob’s disneyworld photo. he was pretty tall as a teen. wonder how tall he is?
but what interests me about the book is that we’re getting a guy’s perspective in regards to duran duran.
Entry 1: I learned that, according to Rob’s sister, talking to girls about Duran Duran is equivalent to talking to boys about professional wresting.
Entry 2: I lived in Charlottesville and graduated from the same U.Va. grad department that Rob wrote about in _Love Is A Mix Tape_. I spent a lot of time at the college radio station where he was a DJ. I was there just a few years after he was, so I get all the local references. I lived one block over from the house where he and his wife lived. Completely dig what he’s up to. Plus, I’m skinny, and a geek, and I grew up in the ’80s. Totally the ideal reader. C’mon, lady!