Review of BAD KARMA: The True Story of a Mexico Trip from Hell

[abstactlemon]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "BAD KARMA: The True Story of a Mexico Trip from Hell" by Paul Wilson.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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BAD KARMA: The True Story of a Mexico Trip from Hell tells the uncanny narrative of a young Paul Wilson's trip to Mexico. The memoir depicts the exciting journey in detail, and as the author describes, you are "riding shotgun" throughout the entire ordeal. From exciting locations and surfing to supermarket robberies, escaped convicts, and near-death experiences, this book does everything in its power to convince you that it is fictitious. Wilson, however, provides hard evidence in the form of pictures depicting the wild journey he and his travel companions went through. The summer of 1978 is filled with all sorts of misfortune for Wilson, and it will keep you engaged throughout the entire piece. Did I mention it's also hilarious?

I adore Wilson's style of writing. It uses snappy humor and dialogue to draw you into the scenes he describes. The best part about this, however, has to be the fact that the trip is a real thing that happened. You would never believe it if someone didn't tell you, and Wilson goes out of his way to make sure you know.

It's incredibly fun to see how, in nearly every single instance, the trip follows Murphy's Law: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." Karma is hellbent on ruining the trip, and not without reason given the escapades that Wilson and his companion get up to. It's where the book derives its name.

When I find a memoir that breaks the norm of boring, drawn-out prose lacking cohesiveness, it makes me excited to dive deeper into the genre. This book is an exception, not the rule, and it feels like Wilson captured lightning in a bottle. I literally cannot think of anything negative to say. If I had to nitpick, I imagine some people might find the writing style a bit informal or unprofessional. Aside from that, one might also disagree with the actions some people take in this book. If you don't mind that, I think you'll enjoy this.

This gets an easy 5 out of 5 stars from me. If the praise I lathered above isn't enough to convince you to pick this up, then all I can say is that this book is excitement incarnate. It has its flaws, like all things, but that is dwarfed by the sheer amount of fun you have when reading. It is also exceptionally well-edited, and I found no errors. I recommend this to memoir lovers who are looking for a bit more excitement in the genre. Fantastic read.

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BAD KARMA: The True Story of a Mexico Trip from Hell
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[Joshua Sawders]

Well, I reckon this here review done got me mighty intrigued 'bout that book. Seems like "BAD KARMA: The True Story of a Mexico Trip from Hell" is one wild ride. The reviewer sure did make it sound like a real good read, with all them misadventures and lively writing style. I reckon I'll have to get myself a copy and see for myself. Y'all should give it a shot too if y'all like a memoir that's exciting and full of surprises. Happy readin', y'all! Powerful themes, explored with sensitivity and depth.