Glenn DixonBesprekingen

Famous Almost YA
Review of the Simon & Schuster Canada paperback edition (April 2021)
[TW: Drug use, self-harming behaviour, foster home upbringing]

I wanted to love this first novel by a Canadian author as it is in one of my favourite historical fiction genres of the imagined 1970s/1980s rock or jazz group e.g. such as Adrianne Geffel: A Fiction, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, Daisy Jones & The Six etc. The marketing seemed to point in the direction of Daisy Jones, but the final product is in a much lighter YA direction. That is fine, I love good Young Adult fiction at times as well. But Bootleg Stardust wears its influences a bit too broadly and there was a distinct whiff of poor editing (e.g. we hear a few times that protagonist Jaxon loves the letter x in a name, we hear a few times that band member Miguel has named his accordeon, etc.). Anyway, it all combined to make it a 2 rating on the 'it was ok' scale.

When it became evident on how the book was going to proceed, the main game was to spot the real-life influence behind the fiction, the following were my main tick-offs. I don't know how to insert a table in GR, so this has to be point form (BS = Bootleg Stardust, IRL = In Real Life). Some might consider these spoilers although I don't give away any major plot points, so I've blocked it accordingly.

• (BS) An extra guitarist is hired to cover for an erratic band member = (IRL) Similar to David Gilmour being hired to fill in for Syd Barrett in Pink Floyd.
• (BS) Manager Bobby “Surly” Malone = (IRL) probably lots of managers, but Peter Grant of Led Zeppelin comes to mind the most.
• (BS) Labyrinth Records (reggae beginnings) = (IRL) Island Records
• (BS) Sir Charles Blackmore = (IRL) part Chris Blackwell of Island Records (reggae beginnings/same initials) + part Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Records (the Sir).
• (BS) Signing away your music rights on a contract = (IRL) much too widespread
• (BS) Closeted musicians = several examples e.g. Elton John, Freddie Mercury.
• (BS) Photographer girlfriend with a monied background = (IRL) Linda Eastman (of Eastman-Kodak), later Linda McCartney
• (BS) Elton John song as background (“Candle in the Wind” on the tour bus) = (IRL) Elton John song as background (“Tiny Dancer” on the tour bus in the movie “Almost Famous”)
• (BS) Band members having a physical fight on stage = (IRL) Only backstage as far as I know, but the Gallagher brothers in Oasis apparently had a few physical dustups.
• (BS) Recording an album in a villa in Southern France = (IRL) The Rolling Stones for the album Exile on Main Street at Nellcôte on the Cote d’Azur
• (BS) Crashing a bus through gates = (IRL) Similar scene in the movie "Almost Famous"
• (BS) Greek Island retreat on Naxos = (IRL) Leonard Cohen on Hydra

Trivia and Link
Several of the 'fictional' songs performed and recorded by Downtown Exit have been written and recorded by the author Glenn Dixon and his band the Barrel Dogs and you can hear them on Soundcloud.

There is an article about the recording here from the Calgary Herald, July 3, 2020.

Entertaining and enjoyable. I enjoyed finding out about the historical background (theory?) of the Romeo & Juliet story. I did find myself asking Glenn what the heck he was doing, wasting his life pining after Claire. Talk about an undeserving object of affection. As a romance story, it sucked. As a travel memoir, it was a pretty fun read.

This true story is about one man's search for love and happiness. Glenn doesn't have the best luck in relationships and spent many years with an unrequited love. Seriously, your heart breaks for him when you read his story.

He is a man who believes in love. He teaches Romeo and Juliet to highschool kids for goodness sakes.
As an intellectual, he has also researched different theories on love.

He goes to Verona to answer letters people have written to Romeo's Juliet. He hopes that he will find his own answers there. Glenn really wants to believe he will find real love.

Very likable person, very sweet story.

Don't look at the pictures in the book too early or you'll spoil the ending for yourself.

A high school English teacher, Glenn Dixon spends his summer volunteering in Verona, Italy as one of Juliet's secretaries, responding to the letters from individuals all over the globe who send letters to the iconic lover. In trying to gain a better understanding of the context of the play he teaches his students every year and also searching for wisdom for his own love life, Dixon's memoir details both the universal experience of love and his own journey that took a dramatic turn shortly after that trip to Italy. A fun read, particularly for Shakespeare nerds and those who enjoy a good relationship memoir.

So bored by this book that I couldn't finish it. I will keep to try again soon.

I won this in a GOODREADS giveaway - Juliet's Answer: One Man'the s Search for Love and the Elusive Cure for Heartbreak by Glenn Dixon - A interesting twist of a way to learn more about Romeo & Juliet... not really my type of book but I learned some new things about a new place.

Please visit www.readrantrockandroll.com for this review and others.

Juliet's Answer: One Man's Search for Love and the Elusive Cure for Heartbreak is an intriguing story about a high school teacher who's attempt at love has fallen short. He then embarks on a journey to Verona, Italy to spend a summer answering letters that were sent to Juliet.

I thoroughly enjoyed this touching memoir. It sort of reminded me of the movie "Letters to Juliet" which my mom has influenced me to watch at least ten times. Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" is incorporated into the story which adds a nice touch.

It's written well and even though it's not my favorite type of book, I was happy with it from beginning to end.

4****

Thanks to Netgalley for sharing a copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

I look at Juliet's Answer: One Man's Search for Love and the Elusive Cure for Heartbreak by Glenn Dixon as two separate books. One is a personal journey. The other is a history of a place and an organization. While the personal story of this book is not for me, the legend of Casa di Giuletta and the history of the secretaries of Juliet is fascinating. It makes me want to visit Verona and the Casa di Giuletta and perhaps write my very own letter to Juliet.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2017/02/juliets-answer.html

Reviewed for NetGalley

Juliet’s Answer is a highly entertaining read. Glenn Dixon, a high school teacher in Canada, spends the summer in Verona answering the thousands of letters that come to Juliet Capulet. Struggling with love himself, he gains insight into matters of the heart while visiting the various haunts associated with Romeo and Juliet. My favorite part of the story by far was learning so much more about Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and the prior stories that it may be based on. Dixon imparts this knowledge in a creative manner by relaying the lessons he taught his high school class regarding the play. I also enjoyed learning more about the letters that come to Juliet and how the process of answering the letters began.

After reading Juliet’s Answer, I have added Verona to my list of places to visit. Dixon describes the town beautifully, and I cannot wait to see it someday for myself including Juliet’s house and statue. I enjoyed this book very much and recommend it. Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to reach this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an enjoyable memoir about an American English teacher who spends time in Verona Italy as a volunteer answering letters written to Shakespeare's Juliet. Who knew that Juliet receives thousands of letters from all over the world asking about the nature of love, especially the heartaches and disappointments of relationships? Dixon was himself at a crossroads after the love of his life moved on to someone else, so he was a seeker of answers himself, and as we might expect, he made some discoveries during his two sojourns in Verona. His journey is made all the more interesting by his description of the year in his high school classroom as he and his students studied Romeo and Juliet and each other. By interspersing tidbits from various research studies on the nature of love Dixon adds depth to his work.½

This is a wonderful though-provoking book, written in an accessible and personal style. It has humor, usually when the author is laughing at himself and some sad parts. It makes you think about our world and how people can be very kind or very cruel to each other. Its a book about languages, but mostly about culture and shared experience.

Quite an entertaining book, though Dixon has a habit of repeating himself. he others a definition for agglutinated two or three times. Dixon's use of metaphor and language in general is excellent but at all times is he clear.
His enlightened view of different cultures is wonderful and refreshing. His examinations of language are the most fascinating aspect of the text. If you have an interest in other cultures, other languages or just travel literature, read it.

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