I Live Inside

March 15, 2016

Leon presents a series of short recollections in stream-of-consciousness fashion. In a narrative that moves back and forth in time, she writes about her childhood years in Minnetonka, MN, her time as a bass player for the all-female punk band Babes in Toyland from 1987 to 1992, and contemplating the pending birth of her first child in her 40s. Leon was raised by her psychologist mother and cardiologist father in an affluent suburb where the family had a live-in housekeeper and season tickets to the ballet. She developed an admiration for women musicians and was influenced by Janis Joplin, Patti Smith, and Stevie Nicks. Leon left the comforts of home to become completely immersed in the punk rock lifestyle, which included the use of drugs, alcohol, and nights traveling from one town to another in the band's white van. Babes in Toyland performed at festivals across Europe and the United States during their heyday. VERDICT A solid choice for readers who don't mind the overuse of profanity and the author's propensity to divulge too much personal information. See also Kristin Hersh's Don't Suck, Don't Die.--Elizabeth D. Eisen, Appleton P.L., WI

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