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Banned for Life

by D.R. Haney (Goodreads Author)

4.53 of 5 stars 4.53 · rating details · 74 ratings · 29 reviews

For almost two decades, rumors have swirled around Jim Cassady, the quasi-legendary punk-rock frontman who disappeared without a trace after his girlfriend’s apparent suicide. Though largely written off as dead, some claim to have had brushes with Cassady, now said to be homeless and bumming change on the streets of his native Los Angeles. Intrigued, Jason Maddox, a would-...more

Paperback, 416 pages

Published May 5th 2009 by And/Or Press

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May 04, 2011 Kerry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

I'd read D.R. Haney's collection of personal essays, Subversia, and really enjoyed it. This naturally lead me to buy a copy of this, his novel. And guess what? I loved it! There is so much STORY in this story! Many people will tell you this is a punk rock novel, but that is so misleading! It's about family and where you come from and where you want to go and how you get there and don't get there. It's about friendships, good ones and bad ones and ones that are both. It's about music and movies a...more

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Jul 09, 2011 Maureen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

duke haney's writing voice is completely intimate, and mesmerizing, and this is a remarkable debut novel. banned for life moves along at a good clip, keeps you guessing, and pushes you deeper into the lives of his wonderfully wrought characters until you are completely immersed in the world of his book. i talked a lot to this book while reading it: arguing with the characters, who felt like friends of mine, nodding with satisfaction when they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, cringing wh...more duke haney's writing voice is completely intimate, and mesmerizing, and this is a remarkable debut novel. banned for life moves along at a good clip, keeps you guessing, and pushes you deeper into the lives of his wonderfully wrought characters until you are completely immersed in the world of his book. i talked a lot to this book while reading it: arguing with the characters, who felt like friends of mine, nodding with satisfaction when they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, cringing when they made decisions i thought they’d realize were mistakes.

prior to reading banned for life, i had read duke's essays so i already knew i could expect great writing and i was eager to see what he could do with a fictional landscape. i had some reservations about this idea of "punk novel". i worried that without in-depth knowledge of the punk scene i would be lost (i am pretty positive that i partied with DOA after i went to one of their shows in university but most of my memories of that period are understandably dim and i would not consider myself a punk aficionado otherwise) but as soon as i cracked this book open, that expressive voice began telling me a story, the story of a fella named jason (the narrator), a story where punk is the conduit jason's maturity: it instigates his interest in learning to think for himself, how to face life, how to embrace it, what to do with it, what he's willing to take, and how to stand up. through punk he becomes bonded to his best friend peewee and these two and their actions and reactions are the core of this book, they push and pull, they drive themselves and the story, in their search for an ethos.

jason is such a persuasive narrator that i sometimes wondered if he was duke in reality, and sometimes the novel seemed to confirm that suspicion and then a few pages later would make me disavow the idea entirely. pee wee is a perfectly conceived character, who slides off the page so filled with rage and angst, so snide, so smart, and so vulnerable that he could pass for holden caulfield's grandson. i loved him so much that when he and jason were at odds i was restive. i felt indulgent with peewee even when he was an ass. i can't say that's true for all of the characters that peopled this book. irina, jason's main love interest made me want to punch her in the eye, but again, that's a testament to duke's consummate skill with characterization because he drew such a convincing portrait of a beautiful woman who is self-involved and stubborn, one who doesn't own how her actions affect anybody else, who expects people in her life to sublimate their own desires unless they are in sync with her own, who expects to be indulged. she is one of those women that other women don't like. she is a woman i would not tolerate in life any more than i did in this novel. every time she appeared, i felt as i do when mr. collins makes his appearances in pride and prejudice. truly, i wanted to shake the bejesus out of that bitch. this is not to say that there aren't other sympathetic female characters here: for me, one of the most memorable is irina's polar opposite, monika. monika plays a small but pivotal role in the novel and i adore her. despite the fact that she appears on so few pages, my impression of her is still vivid: a woman who is committed to making things work, who is open and strong, who has a relationship that isn't traditional, but one that she is nonetheless committed to, and even if she can't just be with one person forever, she still loves them in the way she can love, and stays true to herself. in so few words, duke paints a portrait of a woman i could respect, with whom i entirely empathize: she's not a saint, she does some shifty things, but she does those things because she is devoted and honest. i was fascinated by the character of jim, who evokes jim morrison, and daniel johnston very strongly for me. i really responded to jason's desire to help jim, the man who had given him the music that had spawned his own awakening, and i felt his pain when he realized that jim might not be salvageable.

i admire the hell out of this book. i really enjoyed reading it, and the few problems i had with it largely have to do my inability to buy a major character shift as the novel resolves itself. it just didn’t ring true to me that a character that was so definitively delineated could drastically change that quickly, and completely -- perhaps duke did his job too well for me in this instance. but even with that reservation, this novel concludes in ideal circumstances, and setting, with the joy and fury of people who demand change, who are willing to admit protest and violence in order to make a life that they can believe in, echoing the self-realization through the punk ethos that threads itself through this novel.
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Sep 28, 2009 Allie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Banned for Life starts out much like other memoir-style stories, with the main character Jason relating some tale from his past that's bound to lead someplace, but quickly becomes something more. After you've found yourself hooked by the story you realize that what's really holding your attention is not just the story, but also the way it's told. The writing is so honest, so raw and truthful as Jason tells of his experiences and feelings and the complicated situations that all eventually brought...more Banned for Life starts out much like other memoir-style stories, with the main character Jason relating some tale from his past that's bound to lead someplace, but quickly becomes something more. After you've found yourself hooked by the story you realize that what's really holding your attention is not just the story, but also the way it's told. The writing is so honest, so raw and truthful as Jason tells of his experiences and feelings and the complicated situations that all eventually brought him to where he is, it almost seems as if he's just sitting there, telling you his story over a beer or twelve. And it's that same gut-wrenching candor and lifelike flow that makes some parts of this story so personal for me. I won't go into exactly what parts effected me so deeply, but let's just say that there are things in the story so painfully relevant to my past and present that reading mirrors of them scraped the bone and, on more than one occasion, took my breath away.
The only thing part of me wished was different is that I wish there had been some sort of epilogue on Jim. Naturally I'd have loved to have seen Jim get better and start performing again - all that happy ending crap you expect from most novels these days, but really that would have taken away from the heart of the book. This is, after all, not most novels, and its honesty and realism is what makes it that way. By the time I read the last few pages, that frankness and stream-of-memory style had led me to wonder if, just maybe, I was reading something more autobiographical than fictional, and that to me is the mark of a well-written tale.

P.S. Nothing has changed about life as a misfit in small-town North Carolina. My youth was awfully similar to Jason's early punk days, being tormented by ignorant yokels who feared what they couldn't possibly understand, even though there were nearly 20 years between Jason's time and mine. Some things never change.

P.P.S. I just realized that I forgot to mention that I received this book as the result of a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway, but would probably have gone and bought it anyway because it really was awesome. (less)

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Allie Set your apprehensions to rest, my friend. Your little dot on the North Carolina bears striking resemblance to the real thing. I found myself taking g...more
Oct 05, 2009 09:04am

D.R. Haney Yes. It would've amounted to a pamphlet and not the tome it is.

My experience growing up in Jason's hometown was that it was terrific for the universit...more
updated Oct 26, 2009 08:42am

Feb 24, 2013 Dane O'Leary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, fiction, literary-fiction

I enjoyed this book so much that I don't even know where to start this review.

I suppose I could start by saying that I'm extremely picky about the fiction that's written today. Oftentimes it's unoriginal, uninspired, formulaic garbage that lacks any romance and leaves me feeling frustrated because it's clear that the author is trying far too hard to write the next Harry Potter or Twilight series with the movie and merchandising deals that come along with it. And actually, that's another thing I...more I enjoyed this book so much that I don't even know where to start this review.

I suppose I could start by saying that I'm extremely picky about the fiction that's written today. Oftentimes it's unoriginal, uninspired, formulaic garbage that lacks any romance and leaves me feeling frustrated because it's clear that the author is trying far too hard to write the next Harry Potter or Twilight series with the movie and merchandising deals that come along with it. And actually, that's another thing I want to emphasize about the fiction that's coming out today: It tries way too hard. There's something to be said of a story that feels effortless in quality, is quietly charismatic, and isn't simply a knockoff story with different character names. D.R. Haney (who prefers to go by 'Duke,' and I know this because I've had the pleasure of getting to know the author personally via lengthy emails and great discussions we've had and continue to have and whom I can consider a good friend of mine--but isn't the reason I love this book) has really done something special here with Banned for Life, and I'll now take a moment to explain what makes this novel so special.

There are two major threads to the plot of Banned for Life (which I'll refer to as BFL from this point): One is a turbulent romance, and it's not your traditional love story by any means; the other is sort of "search and rescue" in which the main character, Jason Maddox, finds his musical idol after this man mysteriously vanished from the punk rock scene, and Jason's subsequent attempt to breathe life back into the now down-and-out musician. Somewhere in there is also the narrator's back story, which details his transformation into a punk in the punk rock scene of the early 1980s after meeting a rather unforgettable character, to whom a privileged few refer as Peewee (but whose actual name is Bernard). Sprinkle in an adulterous 'cougar,' some recreational drug use, the rise and fall of several attempted bands, and the vivid portrayal of the spirit punk rock and, to be honest, you've barely seen the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Not only is this book special because of its fresh content, but it reads like a memoir. BFL doesn't feel like fiction at all; the descriptions and dialogue are portrayed so realistically that it feels like you're reading the author's life story, which is a testament to his talent as a writer. Not a single page read gave the impression of cheap manufactured fiction like most of what you'll find today. I would even go so far as to say Haney has created something that could easily be considered a modern classic in the vain of Hemingway and especially Salinger. There is some real, authentic grit to this tale, and it's also inspirational, hopeful, tragic, funny, and incredibly entertaining on all accounts. I wanted to pace myself as I read so I could really absorb and process what I was reading, but this was extremely hard to do because once I'd pick it up, the book was unbelievably difficult to put down. And when I'd stop reading, I found myself thinking about it and couldn't wait to continue.

I will stop my review here so as not to give away anything to those who haven't read this book yet, but I'll end by saying this: You'll be extremely glad you've read this book once you've actually finished reading it. It was one of the most pleasant reading experiences I've had, and I'd liken reading BFL with getting to know someone and becoming great friends with them. This is an extremely personal book from which you'll come away having gotten to know several interesting, layered people that are so realistic you'll find yourself wishing they existed so you could meet them in person. The plot is multidimensional and definitely present at all points in the book, but this is definitely literary fiction and not an adventure (although the book is by no means short on adventure if that's what appeals to you). And although the punk rock scene has a significant role in BFL, you shouldn't feel like you need to have personal experience with that movement or listen to punk rock in order to enjoy this book. Having had little experience with punk before reading this book, it is almost an empirical study of the essence of punk and what it means to live that lifestyle, but without preaching or lingering excessively on the peripheral. Someone else said it better when they suggested that with BFL, Duke has "captured the spirit of a generation."(less)

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Aug 29, 2011 Ben Loory rated it 5 of 5 stars

this book is remarkable for two reasons. first, because it has a character in it that is absolutely real. i don't generally read for character, but every now and then one of them leaps out at me and i go, oh, look, a character, that's great! i mean like holden caulfield or tarzan or queequeg or whatever. the character peewee in this book is one of those. really; he's gonna live in my head now. him and his buddy sammy glick (who maybe are cousins? they have a lot in common).

second reason this boo...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, giveaways

Surprisingly, I enjoyed this book very much! It was fast paced and despite my reservations about not being able to relate to a punk rock novel, I found myself drawn into the story. It's not just the plot, the characters were so real and alive that I felt like I knew them. Sometimes it was as if I had just met Jason and he was running his mouth off telling me about his life. Although he is practically a stranger, he spared no details and yet I was not offended.

* I received this book through The N...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Leslie Wilkins rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this for GoodRead's The Next Best Book Club, where the author participated in the discussion, which definitely added to my enjoyment of the book. Honestly, I liked the book much more than I expected to, not having much to related to the underground punk scene of the late 80's / early 90's. But the book is about much more than that. It's about relationships, and about the influence of music, no matter the genre.

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Aug 30, 2009 Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars

D.R. Haney's novel Banned for Life, may be the best rock & roll novel ever. It is actually one of my very favorite novels I have ever read of any genre. Rock & Roll/Punk is kind of the overall arch of the book. However, much more importantly, the novel has to do with growing up, and how one deals with the changes of the people growing up around them and their own changes...letting go, moving on, keeping parts of our past with us. I know I am not making this sound like the most spectacula...more

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Mar 10, 2012 Ethan rated it 5 of 5 stars

As a teenager, I read the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I remember being attracted to the idea of kids who went against the social norm and really enjoyed reading the novel. Now, many years later, I find myself in awe at the power of another novel about young "punks" and growing up. In Banned for Life, author D.R. Haney captures the realism and grit of growing up an outsider, on a level I have never experienced before.

The novel is narrated by Jason Maddox, a struggling filmmaker who recall...more As a teenager, I read the novel The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I remember being attracted to the idea of kids who went against the social norm and really enjoyed reading the novel. Now, many years later, I find myself in awe at the power of another novel about young "punks" and growing up. In Banned for Life, author D.R. Haney captures the realism and grit of growing up an outsider, on a level I have never experienced before.

The novel is narrated by Jason Maddox, a struggling filmmaker who recalls the events in is life that have brought him to where he is today. Jason did everything he could to fit in with the kids at his high school. He wore the same clothes, listened to the same music, and even dated the prom queen. Despite all of this, we get the sense that Jason never really fits in. His life takes a drastic turn when sleeps with his girlfriends mother, and nearly kills his "friend" who told the whole school about Jason's affair. Expelled from school and disowned by his family and friends, Jason turns to the only other person he can relate to.

Bernard, Pewee as he comes to be called, makes it a point to be different. He listens to punk music, wears tattered clothes, and dyes his hair bright colors. When Jason finds himself with nowhere to turn, he finds Pewee to be not so strange after all. Through Pewee, Jason is exposed to new ways of thinking and discovers the greatest music he has ever heard. When the boys go on a trip to New York to hear their favorite band, Rule of Thumb, they are unable to enter the club, but later meet the lead singer, Jim Cassady. In that moment, Jason's life is forever changed.

Flash forward ten years, and we learn Jason is now a screenwriter, struggling to keep his head above water. Gone are the glory days of playing in bands with Pewee. Looking to find some kind of meaning in his life, Jason believes that if only he can find Jim Cassady, his questions will be answered. Unfortunately, no one has heard from Cassady since Rule of Thumb separated years ago. Jason makes it his mission to find this man before his own life unravels before his eyes.

I found Haney's writing style to be very refreshing. Never before have I read characters who carried so much truth in them. I found myself really caring about each one, even those I disliked. This novel captures all of the triumph and heartache of being an artist, and learning how to grow up. The sometimes graphically described moments may be a bit much for some readers, but I found that through this reality, the author perfectly presented Jason's journey to adulthood.(less)

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Jun 30, 2009 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. However, I feel like I need to make a disclaimer here because I know many of you are sensitive about profanity in books and this one has A LOT. You don't even get through the first line without encountering the f-word (best first line of a book ever, by the way). Personally, I wasn't offended by the language in the book. I thought it added a genuine voice to the character, much as I felt toward the profanity used in Lush Life by Richard Price. But, I felt like...more Overall, I really enjoyed the book. However, I feel like I need to make a disclaimer here because I know many of you are sensitive about profanity in books and this one has A LOT. You don't even get through the first line without encountering the f-word (best first line of a book ever, by the way). Personally, I wasn't offended by the language in the book. I thought it added a genuine voice to the character, much as I felt toward the profanity used in Lush Life by Richard Price. But, I felt like I needed to give you all a warning, just in case.

So, about the book. Banned for Life is told by the main character, Jason, who came of age listening to punk and getting involved in several punk bands with his best friend, Peewee. Both were inspired by the legendary Jim Cassady, lead singer of Rule of Thumb. The book is written as if Jason is telling us the story as it all happened. I really enjoyed this way of writing because it felt like I was having a conversation with the main character - as if I was sitting there listening to him tell me his story.

The book starts off with Jason as an adult, telling us about how punk eventually led him to Los Angeles and into the filmmaking industry. He's fairly unsuccessful, as many are in this industry. Then he meets a girl and his life takes a bunch of twists and turns because of her. He ends up seeking out his old hero, Jim Cassady, who had all but disappeared from the map until Jason's girlfriend helps find him.

At this point we learn why and how Cassady really effected Jason's life. We learn all about what happened to Jason during his punk years: how he started hanging out with Peewee, how they started their first band, how that first band broke up, and how he ended up in L.A. I thought this was by far the best part of the book.

And then it gets back to the Cassady part, which got a little weird in parts and bothered me a lot once I got to the end of the book because there was no real resolve with the Cassady character. It was just a little weird to spend so much time on this character to only have it just end the way it did.

In the same way, I had difficulty with the ending of the book. I don't want to give it away for those of you who will go out and read it, but it ended a little too shiny happy for me. I was actually relieved for some happiness at the end of the book after all the downer stuff that happened in the middle part, but at the same time I felt it was a little too neat.

Anyway, there's also this whole side story with Jason and his girlfriend, who is actually married, which, of course, causes a ton of drama throughout the book. What I found funny about this whole thing was how long it took Jason to realize that maybe the husband was actually a good guy and that the girl was just stringing them both along this whole time. It's interesting how the people IN affairs can never see their role in it.

There's a lot of good stuff in this book - some commentary on the homogenization of society, an inside look at the underground punk scene, and some great descriptions of both New York City and Los Angeles. There are also some really great descriptions in general. Haney is able to create some great visuals with his words. For example, here's one of the early descriptions of Peewee:

"At fifteen he'd soaked up more knowledge than most people twice and three times his age, and he'd ramble through it in breathless monologues, veering from subject to subject like a house-trapped sparrow trying to find an open window: it's here, it's there, it's in the kitchen, it's in the attic now."

I love that he creates a sense of how Peewee talks by using that sparrow. Somehow it really made sense to me.
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Dec 30, 2010 Sean Beaudoin rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a love story. A story about embracing people you can't have, music you can't contain, movies you can't make money off of, and people too damaged by the sort of self-destructive brilliance that makes great art. We worship these people from afar, but are rarely in the car or the alley with them, mopping up teeth, realizing what the day to day cost of a true lack of compromise really is. This book captures that feeling, as well as a period of time when punk was vital, the Corporatocracy was...more

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Apr 03, 2010 Lori rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-reviewers-copy, fiction, fricken-awesome, indie-awesomeness

Review copy.

Every once in awhile, I find myself reading a book that surprises me. A book that amazes me. A book that demands attention. A book that forces me to read it slowly, and thoroughly, in an effort to make it last. This is one of those books.

D.R. Haney's book was recommended to me by Greg Olear (author of "Totally Killer") - and I am so glad that he did, because had he not, I fear I may never have come across it on my own. And I want to thank Haney for mailing me a copy to review.

D.R. Ha...more

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Jun 25, 2009 J.M. marked it as wishlist

Saw this on the Goodreads Giveaways and thought it looked neat.

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Sep 17, 2009 Molly rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book began with a great (if profane) opening line and managed to keep a frenetic pace as we journey through through the youth and early adulthood of the narrator, who we meet in high school as a preppy jock and follow into the punk rock scene and beyond. Banned For Life is an authentic and faithful representation of this musical movement in the late '70s and early '80s, and as someone who was on the tail end of that trend, it brought back a lot of memories of bands I haven't listened to or...more

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May 15, 2013 Gillian rated it 5 of 5 stars

“Banned for Life” is an amazing book; it well deserves all five stars. The book is written like a memoir. I felt like I was sitting with the author while he told me about his crazy past. I especially loved the characters in ”Banned.” They seemed so real. I had a clear picture in my head of who they were and what they looked like. Some of the characters in this book reminded me of some of the crazy friends I’ve had in the past.

“Banned For Life” is the kind of book I’d love to see been made into a...more

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Oct 02, 2009 William rated it 5 of 5 stars

In last January's issue of TANK*, D.R. Haney quoted Marlon Brando as saying "We've come to replace art with craft and craft with cleverness."

Haney's first book 'Banned for Life' seems hellbent on destroying all three. Born out of this is a type of raw fiction which redeems itself in the telling--a cocky confessional as introspective as it is explosive. It's a whopper of a book at 405 pages and crammed with enough story and cinematic scope to give peter jackson wet dreams, but reads like a devil'...more In last January's issue of TANK*, D.R. Haney quoted Marlon Brando as saying "We've come to replace art with craft and craft with cleverness."

Haney's first book 'Banned for Life' seems hellbent on destroying all three. Born out of this is a type of raw fiction which redeems itself in the telling--a cocky confessional as introspective as it is explosive. It's a whopper of a book at 405 pages and crammed with enough story and cinematic scope to give peter jackson wet dreams, but reads like a devil's dictionary of exploits few of us have lived (or lived through) and far fewer have been able to execute with any authority in prose. What we're left with is an expansive first person account of punk and its discontents in the conversational/ confrontational style of Celine, the best of Lester Bangs "in the trenches" reportage and the unraveling lure of a contemporary Dashiell Hammett set to the pulse of the evolving culture of revolt.

Reviewing Haney's novel is almost as hard as free-associating a punk anthem. One can try to point toward sources the author nods to or shrugs off as he goes along without a backward glance but ultimately finds oneself with something indefinably original--this book, while reinventing itself as the story jumps between relationships, rivalries, times and locales giving cues toward Selby,Jr., Melville or Mailer is, in the end, undeniably Haney.

'Banned for Life', much like one of its best creations--the miniature Travis Bickle/ Sid Vicious incarnate--"Peewee", rambles between youth and young manhood and the desolate environs of suburban North Carolina, NYC's lower east side, blase Los Angeles and war-torn Serbia "..in breathless monologues, veering from subject to subject like a house-trapped sparrow trying to find an open window."

A bildungsroman, cautionary tale, mystery and eulogy this book exposes the true vein of punk yet at the same time, and rarely so, is highly accessible and maddeningly readable to the outsider. For a novel spinning in orbit around the planet of Punk, its really a story of rare friendship, loss, renewal and revolt. One wonders if the events in this book were set at an earlier time if the main characters would be hitting the road with the Beats, setting the city on fire with the Red Faction Army, or calling for the head of Marie Antoinette.

An excellent debut.

*TANK (Volume 5 Issue 6) January 2009(less)

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Jun 25, 2009 Stephen Bramlett rated it 5 of 5 stars

A friend sent me the book. Though it didn't look like something I would embrace, once I started I was driven by the compelling story, the well developed characters, and the marvelous prose. Haney's story development and style reminds me of Doctorow. The main character is one of those men-on-a-mission to cast off the tag of being damaged goods while working within his own value system - all this in a setting of LA's soul-less one-dimensional lifestyles. This book deserves a wide audience.

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Oct 26, 2009 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book I've read in a long time that I’ve felt a personal connection to. That’s the main reason why I’m giving Banned For Life 5 stars. To me, a good book will suck you in and hold you as an interested spectator. A great book, will reach inside and hold you by the heart until the end—and then some.

For anyone who has ever worked towards artistic pursuits, I think you will find the book inspiring. Maybe even validating. I did.

I also love the realities of the book. Artistic pursuits...more

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Jul 16, 2009 Greg Olear rated it 5 of 5 stars

Banned For Life is about punk rock? Sure, just like Moby-Dick is about whales. This is the thrilling story of Jason Maddox, 80s musician turned 90s screenwriter, who embarks on an Ahab-like quest of his own -- although the blubbery object of his fascination is a vanished punk-poet.

Like Melville, D.R. Haney has created a world so rich in detail, so authentic, so damned cool, you want to take up a harpoon -- or, in this case, a guitar -- and join the fray. Banned For Life is literary fiction at i...more

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Feb 09, 2011 Khris Sellin rated it 5 of 5 stars

How could I not love a book that somehow mentions Joey Shithead of DOA -AND Wanda Jackson???
No, this book is so much more than that. It's about the '80s punk rock scene, it's about friendship, love, loss, grief, the excesses of LA and the Hollywood wannabes scene, life quests, soul-searching...
This book has it all. The characters are so real.

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Aug 12, 2010 Joe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Loved it. Great story packed within realistic vignettes of life in a band, as well as the realities of post-band adulthood.

The story reads at a furious pace, alternating between present day life and the protagonist's past. Super inventive plot points buck cliches like a bronco on steroids- nothing is trite in this book. Characters are developed well, and the undercurrents of music and relationships are powerful and extremely well-done.

Music fans will enjoy the backstories of the author's bands a...more

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May 29, 2009 D.R. Haney rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

I'm not going to review this book, as I'm the author, except to give it five stars. It took me nine years to write, and I figure for that reason alone I've earned my own high rating.

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Apr 01, 2012 Sara Habein rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Sara by: Lori

Shelves: own

If anything, Banned For Life is about how one does not have to sacrifice a punk mentality with age, and that punk does not come at the expense of happiness. Yes, punk is a reaction, and often an anger against the perceived wrongs in the world, but it's also this: If we weren't so hellbent on screwing each other over, if we were all able to do what we want, we might be happy.

(My full review can be found on Glorified Love Letters.)

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Jul 13, 2009 Nick Belardes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Great fiction book on the counterculture of the 1980s and 1990s that reads like an autobiography...

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Jan 05, 2011 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

See review at: http://newyorkhappenings.blogspot.com...

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Jan 24, 2012 Art Edwards rated it 4 of 5 stars

Easily one of the best rock lit titles I've ever read.

People talk a lot about Peewee, but for my money, I loved the rendering of Irina, a lovely girl who learns her own mind and unconscious motives as the drama unfolds. So many riveting characters. Such tough language. This is not MFA writing.

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Jun 04, 2011 Darcia Helle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, general-fiction, music

This is a coming of age story that explores human nature and the choices we make through a journey of sex, drugs and rock & roll. Haney takes us through the punk rock movement, the challenges and rewards of starting a band, and the difficulties of finding a balance between doing what we love and becoming responsible adults. Mixed in there is heartbreak and love, friendship and loss.

Banned For Life is a well written, captivating story with memorable characters. Not only is this an excellent...more

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May 15, 2010 Zack rated it 4 of 5 stars

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-83...

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Mar 10, 2012 Donna rated it 2 of 5 stars

read with a group - didn't like the language, which stopped me from feeling or seeing the story

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Mar 22, 2012 Sydney rated it 5 of 5 stars

short review is: this book is sincerely incredible. I consistantly push this book onto friends, forcing them to also bask in its glory.

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About D.R. Haney

D. R. Haney is the author of a novel, Banned for Life, and a nonfiction collection, Subversia. He's known to friends as Duke.

A few links:

Interview with novelist Darcia Helle 7/2011

Profile in the San Antonio Current 12/10

PANK magazine's review of Subversia

Banned for Life Book Notes at Largehearted Boy

Podcast interview on Indie 103.1 in Los Angeles (Suicide Girls Radio) 9/29/2008

Review of Banned f...more

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Quotes from Banned for Life

“It all began with a fuck. What doesn't? I fucked the wrong person; I fucked up the right one; somebody played me a song. It changed my whole life, that song. That's why I later went to so much trouble to find the guy who wrote and sang it.” — 6 people liked it

“[...] nothing comes from comfort but the fear of losing it, and that's exactly where my generation made its big mistake. Yet discomfort's no good either. There's just no winning, is there? Do it one way and lose your soul; do it the other way and lose your livelihood. You guys who run the world, you've got all the bases covered.” — 4 people liked it

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