Hostile City Or Bust by Phil Irwin (aka The Whiskey Rebel)
Steel Cage 2003
Phil Irwin, best known to his fans as the Whiskey Rebel, is not just a legendary rock n' roll lifer, but an established author. On the heels of his critically acclaimed first book, Jobjumper, he has delivered a second effort equally deserving of praise in Hostile City Or Bust. Par for the course, it's a multifaceted read and magnetically compelling.
Hostile City Or Bust is, at its core, about the Irwin family's move from Portland, Oregon (or as the Whiskey Rebel disdainfully refers to it "Snoreland, Boregon") to Philadephia, Pennsylvania. Not only does it lay out every funny and frustrating scenario encountered during the trip itself, it sets up where things were at in Irwin's mind leading up to the move, what ultimately drove him to it, and the fallout of that decision. It isn't just a tale of the pitfalls involved with a move, it's also about the letdown in discovering friendships that weren't as true as they seemed, as well as how the love of a faithful family can pull you through just about anything (though the stubborn inability to concede failure in the face of those who would rejoice to see it pulls through for the Whiskey Rebel when even that love doesn't seem enough).
As with all his writings, Irwin largely succeeds on Hostile City Or Bust due to a conversational feel in style. There is an immediacy to the way he paints things that makes you feel like you're right there in the thick of it all with him. It's incredibly easy to empathize with the family's plight, an emotion which flows natuarally through this read. Irwin's ability to look back and laugh, or at least make you laugh, at most of the rough times is also very endearing. He's one hell of a storyteller.
That said, the real power of the Whiskey Rebel's writing is how forthcoming he is with the truth, even when it doesn't make him look so good. He may jump from protagonist to antagonist time to time during Hostile City Or Bust, but his ability to recognize and try to learn from those faults makes it impossible not to cheer the guy on--even when things get a little ugly or pathetic. This brave characteristic is what seperates all great works from the truly mundane. Hostile City Or Bust is an entertaining, emotional rollercoaster that you can't put down for a second. Bravo.
Score this book directly from STEEL CAGE
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