Frank Fisher is nothing. He wants to be something. When a mysterious young woman named Bonnie offers assistance by injecting seeds of inspiration d...
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Feb 09, 2012
mp
rated it: 
Those three stars you see up there, those are three ambiguous stars. I am not too sure how I feel about this novella. I don't think I completely get it.
Meet the protagonist, Frank. Full of self-loathing and he feels as if he is nothing. And how does one fix that? With drugs. He finds refuge in drugs and, for the most part, 'Broken Bulbs' swims inside his drug-addled mind. Drugs fuel his search for something, THE EVERYTHING. At times they put him on a creative kick and he would work o More...
Meet the protagonist, Frank. Full of self-loathing and he feels as if he is nothing. And how does one fix that? With drugs. He finds refuge in drugs and, for the most part, 'Broken Bulbs' swims inside his drug-addled mind. Drugs fuel his search for something, THE EVERYTHING. At times they put him on a creative kick and he would work o More...
Mar 24, 2009
Jason
rated it: 
(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally.)
As regular readers know, one of the often overlooked forms of literature I like to cover here in depth is that of experimental and cutting-edge stories, even though it's difficult to analytically critique such books, also for reasons I've gone into before. Take for example a great little no More...
As regular readers know, one of the often overlooked forms of literature I like to cover here in depth is that of experimental and cutting-edge stories, even though it's difficult to analytically critique such books, also for reasons I've gone into before. Take for example a great little no More...
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Dec 22, 2008
Ginnetta
rated it: 
All hail to Eddie!
This book is one of those stories you understand what is going on during the experience. Although, when your done with the process you may wonder what the hell just hit you. You may not be able to explain what may have happened.
Broken Bulbs takes you in the mind of an addict. Written with such complexity the story almost reads like poetry. Reminds me of a movie called Videodrome or Jacobs Ladder.
A surreal novella indeed.
This book is one of those stories you understand what is going on during the experience. Although, when your done with the process you may wonder what the hell just hit you. You may not be able to explain what may have happened.
Broken Bulbs takes you in the mind of an addict. Written with such complexity the story almost reads like poetry. Reminds me of a movie called Videodrome or Jacobs Ladder.
A surreal novella indeed.
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Dec 13, 2008
dead letter office
rated it:
Not half bad.
And I mean Not Half Bad in the category of Book I Read. In the category of Book I Read Because The Random Dude Who Wrote It Friended Me on Goodreads it was flat out amazing.
Not enough people cast a six foot talking hamster as the angel of death.
And I mean Not Half Bad in the category of Book I Read. In the category of Book I Read Because The Random Dude Who Wrote It Friended Me on Goodreads it was flat out amazing.
Not enough people cast a six foot talking hamster as the angel of death.
Apr 18, 2009
Misha
rated it:
A fine debut novel by Goodreads author Eddie Wright, about a young man struggling to find a sense of self and purpose -- what he identifies as "somethingness." The story is strongest when it's inside Frank's consciousness, when Wright's ideas shine through. The writing was a bit weak in some patches, and the dialogue, especially in the early scene with the waitress, was a tad off. But when the book is good, it's very good. I'll look forward to seeing how this writer develops in the fut
Dec 09, 2010
Praj
rated it:
"Everything is equal, Frank. Everything is nothing. Everything is our minds interpretation of what we see and the values that we ourselves place on them. All anyone wants in their lives is something. And if we look at anything and if we chose to place any value on anything in our lives we have something. It all exists within us. We only have what we know. And we only know what we know. And what we know is that everything is actually nothing and nothing is actually everything. Because someth
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Mar 14, 2010
Cheryl
rated it:
Now most everyone knows, I love deviant and damaged. I am also a huge fan of Burroughs’ “Naked Lunch” Dick’s “A Scanner Darkly” and Johnson’s “Jesus’ Son” … so it’s safe to say that I love the drug addled mind on exhibition – providing it’s making a satirical statement, of course. This book is no exception. And even though the writing style is not as rich and elaborate as I normally like, I am standing and applauding as I write this.
Yes, Frank is a drug addict, but the drug is actual More...
Yes, Frank is a drug addict, but the drug is actual More...
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Dec 21, 2009
Melissa
rated it:
Review of Story Line:
There is such a sense of urgency while reading this book. You know you have to put the book down because the pot is over-boiling, but no way in hell am I putting it down. What if I miss something? That’s how I felt reading this book. You live in real time with the story and really feel like if you blink, you just missed what happened!
Review of Characters:
The characters revolted me and made me gag in some parts. Awesome! The way they More...
There is such a sense of urgency while reading this book. You know you have to put the book down because the pot is over-boiling, but no way in hell am I putting it down. What if I miss something? That’s how I felt reading this book. You live in real time with the story and really feel like if you blink, you just missed what happened!
Review of Characters:
The characters revolted me and made me gag in some parts. Awesome! The way they More...
Dec 04, 2009
A.M.
rated it:
I'd give this a 3.5 rating if I could, because while this novella isn't the kind of thing I normally read, I found it fascinating and entertaining, and swallowed it whole in one sitting. Below is the review I posted on my blog:
"Wright certainly knows how to find beauty in the strangest of places.
Broken Bulbs is a curiously surreal novella that reminded me of Donnie Darko and Requiem for a Dream. It follows the main character’s—Frank’s—addiction-fuelled quest for “som More...
"Wright certainly knows how to find beauty in the strangest of places.
Broken Bulbs is a curiously surreal novella that reminded me of Donnie Darko and Requiem for a Dream. It follows the main character’s—Frank’s—addiction-fuelled quest for “som More...
Mar 29, 2009
Eddie Wright is one of my GoodReads friends. He sent me an email asking me to buy a copy of his bk & to review it. Ordinarily, a review copy wd be sent free to the reviewer. Regardless of that, I looked at the bk's GoodReads page & decided I'd give it a shot. I bought it & then wrote Eddie asking him to do the same for me w/ my bk "footnotes".
NOW what? It's potentially a big responsibility to review a 1st bk by a writer. I cd take the easy way out & give the bk a 5 More...
NOW what? It's potentially a big responsibility to review a 1st bk by a writer. I cd take the easy way out & give the bk a 5 More...
Jul 15, 2010
Kate
rated it:
Eddie Wright is another up and coming writer that you should keep your eye on.
This book turned out to be a wild and bizarre ride through an addicts mind. However, this isn't a story about a traditional drug addict, oh no.
The story is told through three main characters - Frank or Franky-boy, Dusty, and Bonnie. Frank is addicted to Insipicorp's Inspirational Toothpaste and Bonnie's inspirational messages such as: "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and More...
This book turned out to be a wild and bizarre ride through an addicts mind. However, this isn't a story about a traditional drug addict, oh no.
The story is told through three main characters - Frank or Franky-boy, Dusty, and Bonnie. Frank is addicted to Insipicorp's Inspirational Toothpaste and Bonnie's inspirational messages such as: "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and More...
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Jun 06, 2010
Moxie
rated it:
Broken Bulbs is either about a junkie trying to write a screenplay or a writer who thinks he needs to fix in order to create. Either way, it's a compelling meditation about the intersection of art and addiction and the way that both are essentially born of our need to feel like our life has meaning. Narratively, the book plays out like a bad trip, existing in a world that's all blood and puke and festering wounds and desperation. But often it's the worst trips that are the most revealing, showin
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Jun 26, 2009
Alan
rated it:
about to read. I downloaded this for free, and as a fellow author I feel kind of dirty. There it was though pay 10 quid or download for free. I was broke your honour.
Problem is it's just a bunch of paper, no cover or feel of a book in your hand.
well started this on the train home, got back and my daughters went out clubbing or some such, Clare had teacherly things to do, I should have mowed the lawn, but instead sat (lay) down and read this with a beer or two. I was hooked - a More...
Problem is it's just a bunch of paper, no cover or feel of a book in your hand.
well started this on the train home, got back and my daughters went out clubbing or some such, Clare had teacherly things to do, I should have mowed the lawn, but instead sat (lay) down and read this with a beer or two. I was hooked - a More...
Mar 22, 2010
Jamie
rated it:
There is something about books that give us a window into the darker edges of the extremes of the human mind. I have always loved movies and stories that proffer this view.
In Broken Bulbs we follow the main character, for I debate with myself about whether to call him a protagonist or antagonist, since he is the one fighting himself, now prone to the constant desire for injections of inspiration. It quickly becomes clear that it is not the possibility of success of one of these innov More...
In Broken Bulbs we follow the main character, for I debate with myself about whether to call him a protagonist or antagonist, since he is the one fighting himself, now prone to the constant desire for injections of inspiration. It quickly becomes clear that it is not the possibility of success of one of these innov More...
Nov 20, 2010
Gabriella
rated it: 
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jun 11, 2009
Pablo
rated it:
The author befriended me in Goodreads and asked that I review his book. I went to his site and read about the issues surrounding self-publishing and how the book came about. I downloaded the book but didn't get around to reading it for many months.
Alas, I was at a client's site with no network access and some downtime, saw this novella on my hard drive, and started reading. I couldn't stop once I started. I found it to be a quick, fascinating read and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Alas, I was at a client's site with no network access and some downtime, saw this novella on my hard drive, and started reading. I couldn't stop once I started. I found it to be a quick, fascinating read and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
May 06, 2009
Jamie
rated it: 
This novella is like a chocolate bunny. You read the teaser and pick it up thinking its going to be one of those really cool solid ones. But as you bite into it, you realize that you've been cheated and it's really one of the lame hollow chocolate bunnies that crumbles in your hands and is made from chocolate that tastes like plastic.
The idea in the teaser was pretty interesting--a guy who is an addict to changing his personality through injections. I expected the novella to explore More...
The idea in the teaser was pretty interesting--a guy who is an addict to changing his personality through injections. I expected the novella to explore More...
Mar 19, 2009
Tom
rated it:
As I spend my days with my head firmly vice gripped up the collective arse of society and it's mundane rituals it becomes a necessity to occasional plant boot on cheek and pry my stifled dome free to inhale a fresh lungful of creative fresh air. This book is pina colada flavored oxygen concentrate. Refreshing.
Oct 31, 2009
Jami
rated it:
Reading this story gave me a headache. Its fragmented sentences and rambling structure however accurately depict the psychotic inner dialog of an addict so in that respect it is very well written. I simply prefer stories with prose that has a rythmic flow.
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Apr 24, 2010
Christy
rated it:
Love the style, love the premise, love the vulerability of the lead.
The only thing that wasn't love for me was the sometimes forced moments. It came off a little like "Remember, I'm being unconventional!"
The only thing that wasn't love for me was the sometimes forced moments. It came off a little like "Remember, I'm being unconventional!"
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Oct 23, 2009
Lori Tatar
rated it:
Broken bulbs is definitely not for the faint-hearted. It is a fabulously original story, quirky and even a little screwed up in a refreshing kind of way. Whether you are sober or high, this is a great read, really Something. It. is. not. nothing.
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Sep 20, 2010
Tom
rated it:
I loved this book. It's hysterical and wretched at the same time. I want to throw in a bunch of quotes here from the book but I wouldn't know when to stop. There's just so much good stuff.
Dec 04, 2010
Lenox
rated it:
eddie wright's work is stunning, compelling and gritty.
i really liked this book and i love his writing. can't wait for more.
i really liked this book and i love his writing. can't wait for more.
Sep 28, 2011
Lemar
rated it:
This is truly a contemporary novel (circa 2011). Things that do not have to be spelled out are not. There is an awareness of the desperation of searching for something as we are inundated by well packaged nothing. A very good read.
Apr 21, 2009
Nazmus
rated it:
i don't know about this book
i'll see about that book leter tell me some
i'll see about that book leter tell me some
Nov 11, 2009
Holly
rated it:
After learning about Eddie Wright and Broken Bulbs on Backwordbooks.com. I immediately purchased his work. I’m always drawn to the drug tales, but Broken Bulbs is different. I realized immediately that, while the work is short, every single word and phrase was methodically placed to perfection to share Frank’s bizarre and desperate world. It’s a bit poetic, sometimes disturbing and challenging as each carefully placed phrase fits into the puzzle of Broken Bulbs. On a bookshelf, I’d sandwich it b
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Jan 20, 2011
Erin
rated it:
This is a great read and very impressive for Wright's first book. The novella jumps right into the weirdness and before you know it you're half way through the book. But don't look back, as Frank Fisher struggles to find his "somethingness" you'll find yourself laughing and charmed at Wright's interesting way of entertaining you. "It's always a lovely day, for tooth decay."
Jun 27, 2010
FabulousRaye
rated it:
This was a fabulously surreal book about a mysterious inspiration pushing woman named Bonnie, weird packages from the mailman, & a gigantic suit wearing hamster. It was enjoyable in a hallucinatory way.
Even now, months later, if you ask me how I am, I'll answer "It's a lovely day for tooth decay!"
Even now, months later, if you ask me how I am, I'll answer "It's a lovely day for tooth decay!"
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