Searching for John Hughes: Or Everything I Thought I Needed to Know about Life I Learned from Watching '80s Movies | 
"I wanted to live in a John Hughes film. I wanted everything to turn out just right, and I wanted to feel as though no matter what, if my parents forgot my birthday or if a principal was trying to hold me back, that everything would be fine...The worse things got, the tighter I held on to my unreasonable expectations, all while falling deeper into depression because I wasn't one of the kids in a John Hughes film."
#memoirs #currentread #nextread
so-soI loved John Hughes films back in the day, many of which would likely be considered problematic by today‘s standards, particularly my favourite, 16 Candles. This memoir isn‘t so much about Hughes, although the author spent many years trying to write Hughes‘s biography - without any access to the man himself or the people who knew him. I found this repetitive, grim and kind of annoying. Basically, our 20s. 😂
#bookspin @TheAromaofBooks
pickNovember #bookspin for the win! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I felt the stirrings of his most recent book in this one…I need a deep dive into the Hughes catalog.
#7Days7Covers #CoverCrush
Day 6
Post 7 book covers that you love over 7 days, with no explanation.
Have you been tagged yet? If not, you‘re it! Join the fun!
1. Bridesmaids 🤷🏻♀️ (that scene on the plane 😂)
2. John Hughes films 🎂
3. Amsterdam 🇩🇰
4. Contemporary Fiction📖
5. English and some French and Sign Language ✊
#premondayvibes
@pepsicola
We call it ‘teen angst,‘ adults make fun of it as if it‘s this totally hilarious thing because we just didn‘t know any better when we were young, but when we sit down and actually think of how terrible we felt when we were teens, it‘s chilling.
#nonfiction2018
Photo by Unsplash
pickDiamond's childhood is dismal at best, often times his narrative is painful to read as I'm sure it was to recount. He uses Hughes' movies as lenses to filter his life through, as well as an escape/coping mechanism. He is searching for John Hughes, to write an autobiography of sorts, but gives up on his search and in doing so, sets himself free and finally sheds his past.
1. The Breakfast Club - Just watched this last night!
2. Traveling to Finland to watch an NHL game there.
3. Probably memoir but not movie/music/tv star. Just regular people. Or true crime.
4. Red!
5. What's your theme song? Mine is Here I Go Again by Whitesnake 😆
#friyayintro @jesshowbooks
so-soComing from a broken home in Chicago, Diamond wanted to write a biography of John Hughes. He wasn‘t successful. What he did write, however was a compelling memoir of the attempt.
Post-glass blowing class chillaxing. We didn‘t do any actual blown shapes today—that‘s tomorrow—but I‘m still exhausted! Book is okay so far—kind of bland but not bad, has some good lines.
1. All Harry Potter movies.
2. Mamma Mia (or anything musical). Just saw The Greatest Showman and can‘t wait for it to come out and I can watch it over and over.
3. Any John Hughes movies. Love sitting down and reliving the 80s. Just showed my kids Top Gun.
4. Popcorn with lots of butter! #manicmonday @JoScho
pickA book less about John Hughes and more about growing up in a tough family situation and trying to find yourself (and something to write about). The author learns about himself while attempting to write a book about John Hughes. Read as Non-fiction for #5book5bingo
Finished Searching for John Hughes. Progressed on my audiobook of Atlas Shrugged. Eating and drinking coffee as I listen some more. Then starting a new book 📚 #24in48
Into my 2nd hour. Gonna catch a few zzzz then get up with my husband in a few hours so he can watch golf and I can read some more #24in48
5. I have my masters in Library Science but I don't work in a library....yet 😉
6. Litsy & Instagram @ashsbookmarks ... www.ashsscript.com
Since I have finished The 100 Day Project I have had more time to read. I finished Geek Love and started Searching for John Hughes. I have had this on my tbr for a while. I found it on Libby through my local library so I snagged it!! This is the first time I have used that app and it was really cool and super easy to use! The best part of that app is that all reading is FREE!!! I love libraries 😍
#library #tbr #johnhughes #read #libby #towatch
3rd Turn Brewing is a perfect place to check off two of my favorite activities: reading and drinking 📚🍺
so-soAt times this book was AMAZING. At other times, it was incredibly repetitive. His horrible childhood never seemed far away and I appreciated his honesty about that, as well as his failures and insecurities and mental health issues. And as a member of GenX, it cast an interesting perspective on all the John Hughes movies. This was not a bad book, not at all, but it felt like something was missing. I can't figure out what it is but it's a hole.
so-soHonestly, I almost bailed on this, as the middle third is too meta and navel-gazing. His childhood is horrifying and I would have loved to see that fleshed out more. The segments where he talks about JH's movies and how they touched his life are terrific. This could have been great with more editing.
it's Breakfast Club Day! 🔪🏈💊👑🤓
#17booklove Day 16 - #pinkbooks
Litsy repost! Read this at the end of 2016. I love John Hughes and when I think pink, I think Psychedelic Furs & Duckie Dale.
#riotgrams #day13 #pinkcovers I have more pink covers than I thought, considering I have pretty much no romance novels in my library. This is a broad selection of genres, from classics to memoirs & crime fiction.I quite enjoyed Holly Madison's book, the Jeffrey Deaver I've had for years, the classic Austen & Bronte is a recent addition as well as the Phryne Fisher novel. The John Hughes book I actually won on Litsy in a giveaway. Pretty in Pink.💗
Being a product of the 80s and John Hughes fan, I felt I had to read this.
Jason Diamond reads an excerpt. So funny.
In Austin for the Women's March, so I had to go to Book People. Seems Jason Diamond is here tonight, talking about John Hughes and signing books.
pickI feel like this book was a great book to finish first this year. I enjoyed it so much and it made me just want to plop down with some popcorn and watch all of these great movies that I haven't seen in forever. I thought that Diamond's memoir of his journey to. Evoking a writer was heartfelt and mesmerizing - and I began recommending it to others before I had even finished! 🖤💖🖤💖
Taking a reading break to get my dreadmill on and feeling like this is a good way to connect to this book. So far I am loving this memoir by Diamond and I got to read a good chunk of it during my shift last night 😎🤓🏃🏽♀️🏃🏽♀️🏃🏽♀️
pickAn interesting meta-memoir. In a year that had books & movies that brought back 80s nostalgia, Diamond looks back with something akin to relief/maybe irritation that he didn't get the ideal life promised him in movies. His childhood was not easy, his family life was far from ideal, he was homeless for several years in his teens, and glowing Shermer, IL promised on screen didn't exist for him. This book is how you get up everyday and keep going.
My interview with @Imjasondiamond is now up at Electric Literature. If you're bumming the internet today go check it out!
This book is giving me all the feels! Although the author had a horrible childhood that makes me sad, the discussions of all the John Hughes films fill my heart with joy. His movies were and ARE my faves with The Breakfast Club being my all time favorite film. ❤️❤️❤️
The Chicagoin in me is so excited & happy to be reading this.
#sweethomechicago
My Christmas 🎄 book haul! Not Even Dark Chocolate Can Fix This Mess and Islands of Time are Maine authors and both are signed! These were gifted to me by my cousin who had my name in our annual family gift swap. So fun!
pickI found parts of Jason Diamond's memoir heartbreaking, and, though we have lived very different lives, really connected with his tale of growing up with Hughes' characters. During years of research and close calls with the subject of his wouldbe biography, Diamond found his voice and the result was this book. I'm glad he put it out into the world.
Down with toxic relationships!
I started my Christmas vacation at the library yesterday, checking out one of 4 copies of this book in the county. I'll be spending time with it, my #kindlepaperwhite, and my #iPadmini as I try to wind up my year-end reads.
#introvertlife
Loving the hot pink cover and Jason Diamond's memoir and the influence John Hughes' movies had on his life.
pickI came of age with John Hughes movies & this memoir about a guy w/a tough childhood & enough of a Hughes obsession he spends years trying to write a biography of the famous filmmaker. He doesn't achieve that goal, but in the process he finds himself. Poignant with funny moments, if you ever related to a Hughes movie you will enjoy Jason's story & journey. Paired w/Magnolia Bakery's Banana Pudding for my blog book tour review-link in comments. 📚👍
When you show up early for coffee so you have time to read. I am now reading my second John Hughes related book this week. 😬
Starting my Saturday morning of errands & chores with some coffeeshop book time & breakfast. I'm reviewing this one as a TLC Book Tour stop on my blog Tuesday. I've not decided on my official book food/recipe pairing yet... 🤔 #Saturday
pickThis wasn't what I expected it to be but was so good. More of a memoir, the author grew up in the same suburbs of Chicago that many of Hughes movies were based. He compares many of the characters and plot lines to his unbelievably sad adolescence and details his years attempting to capture Hughes' life in a biography. I really enjoyed this book.
Happy pub day @imjasondiamond!
My interview with Diamond is up at Chicago Review of Books. You can check it out here:
https://chireviewofbooks.com/2016/11/29/accepting-failure-an-interview-with-jaso...
