No Fun: How Punk Rock Saved My Life

(Paperback)

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No Fun: How Punk Rock Saved My Life is an anti-memoir about growing up punk in a hostile world of abusive and negligent parents, bullies, institutionalized education, formulaic psychiatry and the bureaucratic red tape of the foster care system. From East LA to the backwoods of Alabama, from a mental hospital to a university and eventually to the streets of New Orleans and San Francisco, the author struggles to resolve his traumas and find a place free of mistreatment. Along the way, he continues searching for punk rock albums by Black Flag, DRI, The Circle Jerks, and more, that provide comfort during the hardest times and ultimately lead to his redemption.
While most books that deal with surviving child abuse focus on traditional paths to recovery, No Fun encourages the use of a unique method to overcome a painful past by applying the tenets of punk rock:
Non-conformity (you have the freedom to define your experiences however you wish)
DIY (you cant wait for somebody to solve your problems for you)
Music (anger is an energy)
Anti-authority (since so many abusers take advantage of their authority, resisting them diminishes that power)

Author Bio

Kelly Dessaint was born and raised in Los Angeles and resides in Oakland with his wife. A veteran of the small press, he currently publishes the zine Piltdownlad.