The book covers every aspect of Tim and his family's adventures from arrival at US customs, buying a house, meeting stars, dealing (or not) with LA wildlife, the hot weather, the wrong parts of town, Halloween and many more curious things. It's not just a book about the Hollywood movie machine, it's a guide for surviving what is considered by many the craziest place in the US, and therein lies the book's beauty and allure.
I have to be honest I was expecting, and would have liked, more detail on the Hollywood side of things, meetings, stars and studio execs, how to handle them and survive in such a rollercoaster business. After all that's why Tim went to LA in the first place, to write movies and get paid for the privilege and I would have liked a little more insight into that area. However, it didn't really matter the book was a little short on horror stories from the studios, because it was such an enjoyable read from start to finish. It constantly entertained and was difficult to put down, even when I knew one in the morning wasn't a good time to still be reading and I should probably get some sleep.
Tim weaves his tales like the experienced writer he is, allowing the reader to discover for themselves the absurdity and wonder of the west coast of America without having to force his own brand of humour on them. And that's refreshing.
There's a section in the book to cover every aspect of living in LA and my favourite has to be, 'Family Matters,' with several chapters dotted throughout the book. It was great to read how each member of the family coped in LA and how Tim's job affected them, how they grew as people, the highs, the lows, the setbacks they experienced, the joys, the surprises and everything that made their seven years over there personal to them.
It's a fantastic journey and one I would recommend reading about. Go and buy the book, it'll make a welcome addition to your screenwriting bookshelf.
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