Rating: 
Summary: Portland's Other Literary Low Pressure Sodium Light
Review: James Thaddeus Goad is not, in any sense, innocent. He (in reality) singlehandedly produced the "zine" that effectively put paid to the self-referential, pompous,and usually inept zine culture, basically by being so offensive to the status quo that it simply gave up in frustration. He's been a poster boy for dubious judgment, pleading guilty to an offense that anyone else would have went to trial for and won, and served nearly three years. And, yes, he did the deed: he beat the snot out of a female, a mistress who had hit, tormented, and threatened him so badly that he had had a protection order taken out against her (he did, however, continue to have wild sex with her on a daily basis). Goad says-and it's absolutely true-that had he not been a notorious, politically offensive writer, he would probably have received counseling and a small fine for the offense which could have put him away until he was old enough for Social Security.
All through the convoluted and often ugly story which this book tells-and quite competently-Goad realizes he's doing the wrong thing, for the wrong reasons, at the wrong time, and in the wrong place. Yet Goad-who is obviously intelligent, driven, physically fit, and obsessively introspective-seems doomed by his own compulsion to follow a path he realizes is going to cause him serious trouble. And, it does.
Goad winds up in the Oregon correctional system, one of the few in the country where whites are not a minority, and serves his time without any life-threatening incidents: boredom, frustration, and petty annoyances are the order of the day, not shankings and rape. But Goad clearly does not belong in prison, and it's clear-not just to Goad, but to any rational observer-that Goad is far more victim than perpetrator here.
This book, apparently written during Goad's incarceration, is a readable narrative and, for most of us, a reminder that free speech is never really free: alienate the wrong (or right) people enough and if they get the chance to nail you, they will.
Rating: 
Summary: Gut-Wrenching
Review: "Photo 'A'," writes inflammatory idealogue and misunderstood satirist Jim Goad, "shows the world as I see it. Photo 'B' shows the world as they write about it. I will slowly circle everything that's wrong with photo 'B'." He does, and he succeeds in making the discrepencies between his own atomic-powered sense of ethics and his crushing experiences with the media, the government and the justice system one of the most devastating reads around. Consistent, galvanizing, harrowingly depressing, with a sense of humor as black as a jailhouse septic tank, Goad, as always, will ruin all the right people's weekends by denying them a hero, a villain (his memories from the happy times with his two estranged ex-paramours are as touching as most how-I-met-your-mom stories), or happy endings. It doesn't get any better. But Goad has been there, and to worse places than most of us care to visualise.
Rating:
Summary: Goad keeps getting better and better.
Review: After reading Goad's previous, REDNECK MAINFESTO, I was anxioulsy awaiting the arrival of this autobiographical tome. Those who have followed his life from the early days of zine publishing with ANSWER ME! through to his relationship woes with Debbie and affair with nutjob Anne will be intrigued to get (admittedly) HIS side of the story.
This is a no holds barred look at his time with Debbie and Anne (WHY oh WHY did you KEEP GOING BACK Jim????)with Goad spending equal ammounts of time dissecting both his and their faults.It is a heartwrenching account of infidelity,obsession, hatred and full-blown psychosis.
If nothing else I will NEVER EVER complain again when getting grief from my girlfriend..NOTHING I ever go thru could be one hundreth as bad as the estogen-fuelled dragons Goad had to put up with.
As always he is brutally honest, and admits his part in spousal abuse and his flaws as a human being. You seldom get such honesty in mainstream authors anywhere else. There are no smoke and mirrors here.
The book also covers Goad's childhood and latter-day incarceration.
Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Better Jim, Better than me
Review: Goad is an honest man, beneath the many layers of mean spirited sarcasm (God bless you, Jim). As such, He's niether a hero nor a victim, as many autobiographers tend to paint themselves. Goad is merely a walking, talking, nexus of bad karma; probably passed down from his mother's side of the family. In this book Goad openly dissects his life in an attempt to demonstrate how transfering blame allows humanity to sleep at night. It's a field trip, children, and we're all invited to take a gander at topics that you'll probably revisit again in therapy anyway.
Rating: 
Summary: The Title Says It All
Review: Great first book, The RM was great, but this is just the half-hearted ranting of an overrated crybaby. Obviously, Goad is a man with only one book in him, given underground credibility either b/c he spent time in prison for beating his wife or because he lives in Portland, sucking off the warm dung-squirting teat of Chuck Palahniuk.
Rating:
Summary: Not Your Typical Autobiography
Review: In SH*T MAGNET, Goad uses personal anedotes as catalysts for ranting about various strains of hypocrisy. Along the way, he manages to both move and amuse the reader in just about every paragraph. SM is like a portrait of the elephant man done by H.R. Geiger; ugly yet captivating.
Rating:
Summary: Not Your Typical Autobiography
Review: In SH*T MAGNET, Goad uses personal anedotes as catalysts for ranting about various strains of hypocrisy. Along the way, he manages to both move and amuse the reader in just about every paragraph. SM is like a portrait of the elephant man done by H.R. Geiger; ugly yet captivating.
Rating:
Summary: ''Oh Lord, Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood...''
Review: Jim Goad's life and writing career has been one apocalyptic roller coaster ride to hell. This book wasn't intended as an autobiography, but it becomes one early on and Goad evinces such a magnetic personality that its really hard to put this book down. Goad's writing career began when he published the 'zine called Answer ME! with his then wife Debbie. The zines were an unprecedented exercise in misanthropy that lead to underground notoriety. They then put out the fourth edition, entitled 'The Rape Issue' which scared away all the ironic hipster poseurs and got Goad into trouble with the law. This book chronicles his life and the s*** Goad has had to deal with once the wheels of infamy were set into motion. What makes Goad so charismatic is his ability to admit all his flaws and his unflappable wit. The guy unapolagetically spills the beans on his life. His abusive, guilt-ridden upbringing, his damaged youth, his marriage to a dim Long Island yenta who eventually drove him into the arms of other women, and sent him into the direction of a psychotic fan named Ann. Here's a woman so deranged and manipulative and possessive that Goad had to fall for her, being a lover of damaged goods. The book is certainly compelling, though at times redundant, especially when Goad keeps returning, masochistically, into the arms of Anne, admittedly from a fear of being alone. Goad never really paints a pretty picture but neither does he absolve himself, also painting an ugly portrait of himself in the process (the guy was cheating on his wife, with Anne, while she slowly died from cancer.) The most intriguing part of the book is how Goad challenges long-accepted notions of proper conduct - don't provoke people by satirically challenging notions of women as sacred beings and their bodies as sacred temples; don't hit a woman no matter how many times she's provoked you or threatened your life; don't dare write something that might inspire deranged individuals to misinterpret your words and attack the White House with a shooting spree. Like his earlier book, The Redneck Manifesto, Goad once again puts together an impressive piece of work that provides us with a glimpse of one of America's leading agitators and pundit of politically 'unacceptable'' thought, manner and behaviour.
Rating:
Summary: Adrenaline, prison, regret, and also some humor
Review: Mostly an autobiographical history of Goad's life, mainly focusing on his relationship with now-deceased wife Debbie and his violent dance with a girlfriend which led to his two year incarceration. Along the way, Goad also lists various outside influences which he feels shaped his angry personality. He admits to making bad decisions, but also loudly states that others share the blame. Some people will throw a fit and accuse Goad of dodging all responsibility. But, regardless of what you might think of his self-justification, the writing is good. As for the previous reviewer who reduced the writing to mere shock value, I disagree. Aside from maybe the intro page to each Answer Me! issue, none of Jim's writing has ever struck me as just shock value. He just has an aggressive writing style and a very sharp wit. Although a couple of Magnet's rants get repetitive, most of it is very gripping. Take a chance, and buy a copy for yourself. I don't think there's anything out there quite like it.
Rating:
Summary: Can't really blame Jim.
Review: Sorry, but I've had silly, violent, disgusting wanna-be girls stalk me. I wasn't stupid enough to encourage, or sleep with them, though. Jim did. I'm glad he's out, though. I truly can't say that I'd respond differently given the chance.
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