Novel Soundtracks: Hudgens' Drive Like Hell

Novel Soundtracks: Drive Like Hell

Second in the series (see Fortress of Solitude for the first) I've called Novel Soundtracks is Dallas Hudgen's first novel, Drive Like Hell. Billed as a Great American Redneck Novel, Drive Like Hell is a coming of age story that takes place in late-seventies rural Georgia. Funny, sharp, heart-warming, Hudgens' novel is a fine first novel. You noticed I used the word fine, didn't you. Well... as far as first novels go, it's pretty durn good and I'll be on the lookout for more to come from the author, but I'm not going to tell you that it's the kind of book that you absolutely must read. But if the idea of a funny redneck novel and the music in this playlist are interesting, it's a quick and fun read.

Anyway, like most the novels I'm profiling in this series, the music plays an important part in the story, practically character status. From the discussion of Charlie Rich's turn from good ol' country to crossing over, to the Neil Young vs Lynyrd Skynrd southern man mythology, to The Ramones providing a lesson in listening to the drummers tempo w/r/t cunnilingus. Right off the bat you know it's going to be an entertaining ride when our hero, Luke, remembers the first lessons his father (Lyndell) taught him: "If you remember anything," he said, "let it be this. A real man eats pussy and drives a stick shift." Now, don't go thinkin' the whole book is crass and crude, because it's actually quite sentimental, almost to a fault.

Dallas Hudgens has also been doing the blog circuit, creating playlists for folks both related to the book and not. So you get three playlists for the cost of one blog posting. Maybe someday he'll call on this blog for some more playlist fun ;) [--and he did!--]

Largehearted Boy's Book Notes from Hudgens... here Hudgens details songs he thinks the characters listen to and talks about what music inspired him in the writing of his novel - Rhapsody Playlist

Hudgen's loads up The Happy Booker's iPod - Rhapsody Playlist

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Novel Soundtracks: Fortress of Solitude

tags: playlist, books, Dallas Hudgens