Time for a trip into Bookworm's Book Club for a memoir of life in the wild times of the late 20th century in California:
Staci Layne Wilson came from bona fide show business roots - her dad was a founding member of the Ventures rock group who gave us hits like "Walk, Don't Run" and the radio version of the "Hawaii Five-0" theme song. Her mom was a pinup model and author. And now Staci has intertwined their stories into hers in her autobiography "So L.A. A Hollywood Memoir."
Staci takes the reader back to her parents' early lives and interactions with celebrities as they started their showbiz careers, then moves into the 60's when Staci came into the world. She then takes us through her childhood in the 70's, her "wild child" teen years in the 80's, and her own career in showbusiness in the 90's through today. Staci has been a writer, critic, host, actress, and director in her time in the industry, and she has amazing stories all along the way. Her writing really takes you back to the time period she is describing - I am close to her in age so I remember all the years of her life even though my version took place in the Midwest and featured way less sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. She pulls no punches as she covers alcoholism, suicide, her own brushes with death, and what can happen to those who carve out a career more on the fringes of pop culture than on the A List. She has really lived a life, and she puts it all on the page. Refreshingly she also pretty much goes the good, the bad, and the ugly route - naming names throughout with very few "nameless" references or stories.
Staci has gone from interviewing top stars on the red carpet of big Hollywood premieres to hosting shows and podcasts and she's currently working on her own independent film projects. Her love of movies (and especially horror and genre movies) shines through as she talks about her time reviewing movies for websites. She's been a Jill of all Trades in show business, and covers everything from rock band tours in Japan to the joys of raising horses with stops in between touching on her mom's run as an author of erotica to her appearance on the 70's kids show "Kids Are People Too."
If you're looking for a time capsule of life on the West Coast over the last several decades from someone who has been in the Pop Culture trenches - this book will definitely scratch that itch so I recommend this one most heartily.
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| Staci Layne Wilson |
Keep an eye out for another of these increasingly infrequent posts soon! Until next time, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!
