YES...(and just a little no)
Memoirs are all the rage, and this one brings some of that rage to the page. Maria Headley had some difficult relationships even before she opened herself up to NYC's full-tilt boogie madness. Once she decided to go out with virtually anyone who asked her--for a full year-- the parade of crazies really got intense. And some of the astounding behavior she encountered did indeed trigger a [justifiable] amount of rage. To her credit, she mixes in plenty of bemusement, whereas other writers might simply succumb to fury.
Taking this year-long trip with the author is fun; if you know New York, you cannot help but recognize some of the people and experiences she endures, and wince along with her. If the book has a fault line it might be her need to stretch some metaphorical and allegorical passages into a truly contorted shape. When she simply tells her stories without the sidebars and awkward analogies, it all plays clear and communicative. Perhaps her other life as a playwright pushed her into the fanciful patches....in any event these sections don't mar the book, they simply occur as self-conscious arty writing.
Small negatives indeed considering the sexy charm Ms. Headley exudes on this very brave and astonishingly funny adventure. If you're like me, you will frequently turn to her picture in the back to consolidate her funky and fresh voice with the face and features behind it---and appreciate the whole package for what it is.
P.S. True love wins in the end, and she deserves it!
