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Rating: 
Summary: Too much pain.
Review: First let me say that Jerry Stahl is a good writer. This book does not disappoint because Stahl can't get his point across clearly or in an entertaining way. It's just that he covers the same ground again and again and again. He tries for self-depracating humor which works early on, but by the half-way point the reader knows what's coming next. More self-loathing, more flashbacks to a cruddy childhood and more platitudes about loving his child while simultaneously shooting up. Apparently, Stahl finally kicked his addictions, but he doesn't ever really explain his enlightenment. I give Stahl an A for realism and showing that the life of an addict sucks, but I give him a C for redundancy and a C on his self-analysis.
Rating: 
Summary: Smack in the City of Angels
Review: How many books about junkiehood are there out there? Let us count... Many, many, many, and I've read a majority of them. However this one was different, as it seemed to speak directly to me. That may sound slightly self-centered, but as someone who has been a heroin addict in LA, I can tell you, this book is right on the money. The glitzy, seemingly mindless Hollywood types, the dope-slinging zombies down at Sixth and Alvarado, all of it- it's all here. When I feel the need to remind myself that someone out there truly understands me, I read this book. And I most definitely reccomend it to anyone, past or present junkie or not. Those who have lived through similar experiences will nod and smile in recognition, those who haven't will hopefully be enlightened.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Start, Medium Middle, Slow Finish
Review: Like many drug memoirs, Permanent Midnight starts off with a great premise: man is young, man is poor, man meets drugs, man falls in love with drugs, man gets sudden rush of money, man takes too much drugs, man learns to take too much drugs and still make money, man gets tired of taking too much drugs and making too much money, man moves to Arizona.
And like many drug memoirs the end is grueling and slow. Near the end of the book it seems the writer is thinking more about his paycheck than his work. But I would definetly buy this book just for the first 80%.
Rating:
Summary: Good Start, Medium Middle, Slow Finish
Review: Like many drug memoirs, Permanent Midnight starts off with a great premise: man is young, man is poor, man meets drugs, man falls in love with drugs, man gets sudden rush of money, man takes too much drugs, man learns to take too much drugs and still make money, man gets tired of taking too much drugs and making too much money, man moves to Arizona.
And like many drug memoirs the end is grueling and slow. Near the end of the book it seems the writer is thinking more about his paycheck than his work. But I would definetly buy this book just for the first 80%.
Rating:
Summary: The Seductiveness of Wit in Brilliant Memoir
Review: Permanent Midnight is a deservedly praised masterpiece of a memoir, the chronicle of a man with enormous imagination and writing talent who is hell-bent on overcoming his sense of inadequacy with "success" and in the process engages in a Faustian Bargain, writing "Alph" and other inane television comedies, resulting in his guilt, his defensive, sarcastic armor, his self-loathing, and his need to medicate that self-disgust with drugs. One of the memoir's major themes is the seductiveness of wit and its accompaniment, brilliant language, a double-edged sword that razzle-dazzles us but is also an instrument of cynicism and self-flagellation, which screams for self-medication. We sympathize with brilliant wits like Jerry Stahl who tend to have addictive personalities because they are constantly seeking some kind of medication to soothe the soul's inevitable ache, the result of their razor-edged wit turning most harshly against themselves.
Rating:
Summary: As the Junkie Turns...
Review: Some of us stop off at McDonald's for an egg mcmuffin and coffee on the way to work. Not Jerry, his is an assortment of chemicals that make a big mac look healthy. I can't write an e-mail if I haven't had enough sleep and somehow this guy was able to write tv shows nodding off on heroin. His honesty will pull you in. If you want to know the truth about what it's really like to make it in Hollywood, read this book.
Rating:
Summary: A truly great book - written very well
Review: This book is about a subject that I did not really want to read about (drug addiction) but the way it was told made me love this book. Jerry has a great sense of humor in his writing. He is self effacing while sharing these intimate details of his life. He is humorous, not jokey and writes extremely well. I was pulled into his tale and really enjoyed every minute of it even though this is a horror story of sorts. You will not be able to put it down. Avoid the movie they made of this book starring Ben Stiller. The movie is HORRIBLE and not at all like the book. I look forward to Jerry's other books.
Rating:
Summary: former junkie
Review: This book reads as a wonderful and contemporary account of Hollywood, television, drugs, and most importantly, the life and drama of one lonely man. This man also happens to be an incredibly intelligent and brilliant writer, who is able to not only re-tell strange, funny, and sometimes disturbing tales from his years under the gun of heroin, but at the same time, provide subtle insights into the nature of addiction, and the faults and lies which are an inherent facet of modern American life, (something junkies tend to do all too well). An excellent read for someone looking for realism, humor, and insight into the mind of a fairly ordinary guy. Also would be a valuable asset to someone contemplating the personal challenge of a memoir.
Rating:
Summary: Titles are for losers.
Review: This book was PHENOMENAL! I haven't read a book this good since I picked up American Psycho, and that was probably about a year ago. (American Psycho is better, though. Nothing beats Patrick Bateman, ever.) I was addicted to this book. Jerry Stahl made me feel his confusion and his pain. It was as if he jammed the neelde into MY vein, and we rode the horse in Chinatown together. I feel like I know Jerry Stahl now. I feel like we're really good friends. I think I want to give him a phone call and talk about Mother's Day. And then I think I want to go to the park, giggle with him, and point at geese. Oh, the fun! Like, Oh my GAWD Jerry! Let's go to tha Mall! Haha, I really need sleep. This was such a good book. It will get under your skin. You will NOT be able to put it down. But let's not put the cart before the horse, or we'll shoot ourself in the foot... Don't see the movie! As much as I love Ben Stiller (a guilty pleasure?), this was just not good. And I thought Mr. Stiller did a wonderful job of acting like a junky. I kept thinking, "this can't be the guy that keeps shooting horses in his recent movies..." Maybe he really liked doing this movie... maybe they're all strange, cryptic references to Permanent Midnight: The Movie. Anyway, I'll stop rambling. Read this book! Read it and love it, beeyotch.
Rating:
Summary: A cautionary tale, to be sure
Review: To be honest, I bought this book expecting an inside peek into the world of a TV writer. What I got was a teeny bit of that; this book is Stahl's no-holds-barred account of heroin addiction at its utmost ugliest. At the same time riveting, disgusting and interesting, this memoir would deter anyone from falling into the same horrible abyss. His honesty is raw and unflinching, but I was a little irked by his writing style -- you'd think a TV writer would cut to the chase without enveloping his thoughts in an Ivy League-inspired miasma of metaphors and similes. He touches all too briefly on his upbringing, the true root of his seemingly narcissistic behavior . . . and ends the book on a "wha' happened?" note. A good, sturdy read, but I could have done without the mind-numbing descriptions, which were too clever by half. I hope his life has turned around . . . but you never find out.
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