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Talking to Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man's Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut |  | Author: Rob Sheffield
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Category: Book
List Price: $25.95
Buy New: $15.14
as of 9/9/2010 11:26 CDT details
You Save: $10.81 (42%)
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Seller: pbshopus
Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 4386
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 288
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.1
ISBN: 0525951563
Dewey Decimal Number: 781.64092
EAN: 9780525951568
ASIN: 0525951563
Publication Date: July 15, 2010
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com Review
Amazon Best Books of the Month, July 2010: Don't be fooled by the title: Talking to Girls About Duran Duran may sound like a dream come true to all the women who she-bopped through the 80s, but at heart it's the Feminine Mystique that every boy-next-door has been waiting for (and will actually read). It's something like a prequel to Rob Sheffield's first, fantastic memoir, Love Is a Mix Tape, taking its cue this time from a musical decade so addictive and eclectic that, as he notes, "every night in your town, you can find a bar somewhere hosting an Awesome 80s Prom Night." This hilarious and heartfelt collection of coming-of-age vignettes is arguably a much more satisfying way to spend an evening, though, particularly if you have even an ounce of the New Wave obsession that courses through it. Sheffield riffs on the songs that saw him through the rapture and misery and bewilderment of being a guy who wanted to understand girls, gleefully skewering Duran Duran along the way (even as he professes his love for them) and paying tribute to tunes that captured some of his best moments. If you're going to revisit your youth, let Rob Sheffield be your guide. Nothing compares to him. --Anne Bartholomew
Rob Sheffield's Top '80s Summer Cruising Songs  Reading Talking to Girls About Duran Duran is a nostalgia trip you'll love taking: add Rob Sheffield's exclusive playlist to the mix--featured below, with liner notes--and you'll be ready for some kind of wonderful summer night. You can also sample and download these songs in our custom MP3 playlist.
"Little Red Corvette" (1982) by Prince
 This was my get-in-the-zone song the morning of my driver's test. Prince seemed to be promising me that as soon as I had wheels, all sorts of glamorously messed-up ladies would be trying to hop a ride uptown in my love machine. It didn't exactly work out that way, but at least I passed the test and got my license. Thanks, Prince!
"Missing You" (1984) by John Waite
 I spent the summer of '84 rolling around Boston in an ice cream truck, selling Bomb Pops and Fudgsicles and Nutty Buddys. And with all due respect to Scarface, I got high on my own supply, which means I spent the summer with one hand on the wheel and another one stuffing my face. I was also listening to the radio 18 hours a day, so I got obsessed with this song. I still get choked up at the "heartbreak overload" part.
"Never Let Me Down Again" (1987) by Depeche Mode
 It's weird how bizarre sexual tension fits so well with operating a motor vehicle--you really shouldn't try to drive and feel tragic at the same time, right? But they go hand in hand. No song captures that feeling like this one: just you and your best friend, riding high, leaving the rest of the world eating your dust.
"Is There Something I Should Know?" (1983) by Duran Duran
 One summer I worked on a garbage truck on the southeast expressway into Boston, picking up trash on the side of the road: burger wrappers, soda cups, porn mags, the occasional pair of pants. Duran Duran helped get me through it, although I never did figure out what they meant by "You're about as easy as a nuclear war."
"It Takes Two" (1988) by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
 This brings back fond memories of 1988, when "It Takes Two" was pumping out of every car down my street, with the same "Whoop!" "Yeah!" "Whoop!" "Yeah!" James Brown sample rolling on all summer long. Roxanne Shante's "Go On Girl" had the same sample, so by the end of the summer it was hard-wired into my neurons.
"Our Lips Are Sealed" (1980) by The Go-Go's
 This song puts anybody in serious danger of a speeding ticket--Gina Schock had to be one of the greatest punk rock drummers who ever banged a gong. I'm sad the Go-Go's had to cancel their farewell tour--but hopefully that just means they'll stick together a little longer.
"Hysteria" (1987) by Def Leppard
This song always reminds me of a cool girl I hung around with in the summer of 1988. She liked setting things on fire, getting both of us thrown out of bars, and Def Leppard. It's funny because this is a classic hair-metal ballad, but with all these glossy keyboards, it sounds like impeccable '80s synth-pop--it could pass for prime New Order or OMD. (Editor's note: Song is available on album only.)
"Left of the Dial" (1985) by The Replacements
 It was the summer of '86 when I road-tripped to my first Replacements show, in Providence. Paul Westerberg was standing at the bar before the show, so I stole the Kool butt out of his ashtray and mailed it to a girl I liked in Nova Scotia. She wrote back, "It stinks to high heaven." But I guess that was the kind of stupid romantic gesture only a Replacements fan would make.
"My Prerogative" (1989) by Bobby Brown
 Everybody's talking all this stuff about him! Why don't they just let him live! This is a perfectly badass song for prowling the streets, feeling totally invincible. And if the night ends up in the back of a cop car, it makes an excellent soundtrack to kicking out the windows, because that's what Bobby would do.
"Wild in the Streets" (1986) by Bon Jovi
 One of the funny things about Jon Le Bon is that his career album, *Slippery When Wet*, is packed with cruising songs as good as "Livin’ on a Prayer." I always think "Wild in the Streets" could have been Bon Jovi's biggest, bonniest and joviest hit, but for some reason they never played it on the radio; it's the one that got away. I also love how Jon yells that nutty "rock me!" during the guitar solo. Someday I pray that Morrissey will cover this--and change it to "Wilde in the Streets." A guy can dream.
Product Description
Growing up in the eighties, you were surrounded by mysteries. These were the years of MTV and John Hughes movies, the era of big dreams and bigger shoulder pads. Like any teenage geek, Rob Sheffield spent the decade searching for true love and maybe a cooler haircut. Talking to Girls About Duran Duran is his tale of stumbling into adulthood with a killer soundtrack. Inept flirtations. Dumb crushes. Deplorable fashion choices. Girls, every last one of whom was madly in love with the bassist of Duran Duran.
In his first book, the national bestseller Love Is a Mix Tape, Sheffield shared a heartbreaking true story of love and grief. With Talking to Girls About Duran Duran, he returns with a smart, funny, and emotionally pitch-perfect trip through the music and memories of the eighties. As a confused teenager stranded in the suburbs, mowing lawns, and playing video games, Rob had a lot to learn about women, love, music, and himself. But he was sure his radio had all the answers, whether he was driving an ice cream truck through Boston to "Purple Rain," slam dancing to The Replacements, or pondering the implications of Madonna lyrics.
From Bowie to Bobby Brown, from hair metal to hip-hop, he loved them all. Talking to Girls About Duran Duran is a journey through pop culture of an American adolescence that will remind you of your first crush, first car, and first kiss. But it's not just a book about music. This is a book about moments in time, and the way we obsess over them through the years. Every song is a snapshot of a moment that helps form the rest of your life. Whenever you grew up, and whatever your teenage obsessions, Talking to Girls About Duran Duran brings those moments to life.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 8
 This is pure MTV genius! July 25, 2010
J. Schisler
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
A few of the bands that shaped my teen-dom are missing. There's no ABC, there's no Adam Ant. But what is there is pure genius. Your 40 year old self will look back with longing? embarrassment? I'm not sure what - but you'll look back and laugh your butt off. If you were that kid in the record store in the back corner where they kept the imports looking for the EP of the song that you heard that morning on college radio in 1984 you will love this book. It's written for us! Highly recommend!
Brilliant 80s Flashback August 9, 2010
Miss Terri
This book is a must read for anyone who has grown up with the music of the 80s as the soundtrack to life, love and loss. It's funny, insightful and a little whimiscal supported by a tinny backbeat of immortal walkman and vinyl tracks. Talking to girls about Duran Duran is, of course grounded in the meaning of life as defined by the Fab Five; as for many of us growing up there was no life without them (and for some of us, that's still largely the case!). However, the author reaquaints the reader with some of the most quintessential music of the 80s from Madonna to Culture Club to The Smiths. A great, entertaining, easy read. Highly recommended for the Gen X in all of us.
I love this book its melodramatic with an upbeat tune August 25, 2010
G. Campos (calexico,CA USA)
It perfect i read Love is a mixtape and feel in love with the writing its just such a good book to read I really recommend this :D
A paean to growing up...and '80s music July 21, 2010
E. Jacobs
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
A song can really transport you back to a specific time and place more than just about anything else, and this book may have you frantically googling for videos of the obscure 80's bands described so you can head back there for just a little while. The memories triggered by music are the driving force behind this book.
"Talking to girls..." is Rob Sheffield's second book after Love Is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time. I wasn't sure how this book would hold up after "Mix Tape" because the latter story was so absolutely gut-wrenching and beautiful all at once; it had the feel of a completely singular work of art. But I have to say that Sheffield, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, delivers a second time.
This memoir is about growing up in the `80s, and is told through experiences with many different songs from that time. Sheffield gives us a guided tour (with soundtrack) through the everyday life experiences that we can all relate to--crummy jobs, first loves, first music that got us excited. He does this with as much warmth and humor as he did with "Mix Tape". The only place where this book does not hold up in comparison is obvious, because it couldn't possibly. Whereas Mix Tape was a love letter to his wife who so tragically died young, this book does not pack that kind of emotional punch. It's more of a sweet, breezy walk down memory lane. His love for his family and friends is abundantly clear, and the warmth of this book has made me happy since I picked it up.
My only (minor) criticism is that the writing does get a bit uneven in places, and if you are unfamiliar with some of the bands and music described, you will indeed have to google away to get yourself caught up. My MAJOR criticism is that Mr. Sheffield clearly hates Tom Petty...and this is simply unacceptable. And "Shiny Shiny" by Haysi Fantayzee may actually be the worst song ever to grace the airwaves. His love for this song is inexplicable. Nonetheless Sheffield is such an excellent writer that I won't deduct any stars for these somewhat disturbing character flaws.
Bottom line: recommend, most especially for music fans and kids who grew up in the '80s.
Fun read about a crazy decade July 21, 2010
J. Prather (IN USA)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
My 11 year old son hates it when I listen to the oldies station, because listening to all of those great 80's hits always generates lots of stories that start out "when I was in high school...'' The author has offered firm evidence of something I've known all along. In the 80's, it was all about the music. I am ashamed to admit that I don't remember much of what was going on geopolitically during the 1980s, but I have very vivid memories of the launch of MTV and exactly where I was for the premiere of Michael Jackson's Beat It. The author offers up some hilarious riffs on music lyrics, movies, and his own experiences with a crazy bunch of sisters. His descriptions of his summer jobs brought back memories of some of my own summers spent with Walkman firmly in place, trying to decipher just exactly what some of those lyrics were and the hidden "true meanings" behind them.
The pop culture references come pretty rapid fire and I was able to keep up with most of them, but Haysi Fantayzee? Really? That one threw me. Sometimes the author gets pretty out there, so you have to be pretty up on your 80's new wave if your'e going to ride along, but it's all done in a very affable manner that makes for an easy read. This is a fun book that I would recommend to anyone who spent their formative years in this crazy decade. It brought back a lot of fond memories and quite a few cringes as I remembered things that were better off locked in the vault. It also kind of made me feel better for liking some of the music that I'm still pretty fond of. I must admit though, that with about 50 pages to go, I was getting tired of the 80's all over again and was ready to move on... at least until my next turn at the oldies station.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 8
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