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Author Quotes: “That I’m a guy who wanted/wants to be happy, and who thought that the way to achieve that was through  professional accomplishment,  recognition by my peers and boss, money, romance with beautiful and intriguing women leading to marriage with the most beautiful and intriguing woman. That in seeking those things, I did some somewhat rotten things and not only didn’t find happiness, but sunk pretty low until I realized that happiness and peace would require a different path. That we’re all easily seduced by the siren call of fame/fortune/romance.  

Continue reading on Examiner.com Steve Friedman, author of 'Lost on Treasure Island,' gives love advice - New York NY | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/ny-in-new-york/steve-friedman-author-of-lost-on-treasure-island-gives-love-advice#ixzz1mfUv5OQI"

is reading Lost on Treasure Island: A Memoir of Longing, Love, and Lousy Choices in New York City  by Steve Friedman for March 8, 2012

Steve Friedman’s Lost on Treasure Island: A Memoir of Longing, Love, and Lousy Choices in New York City is the single guy’s version of “Sex in the City.” Friedman, from St. Louis, writes about his struggles and insecurities in this brutally honest portrait of his life in New York City. Pulitzer Prize winner, Jeff Leen describes the book as, “…kind of a Bright Lights, Big City without the drugs, a Pilgrim’s Progress without the progress, a Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man without the art or the young man.”  

Friedman nabs a dream job at GQ, only to squander the opportunity, calling his work - whore work. All he wants is literary success and recognition by his peers. Eventually he quits his job at GQ to freelance, which means watching porn, eating Chubby Hubby and staring down his psychic.

He meets and sleeps with any beautiful women who will give him the time. He masters the fake chin tremble to pick up hot women at 12-step meetings. He writes, “…women seeking spiritual salvation tend to really get into sex. “ I can't believe I just quoted that. He tells them how touched he was by their stories then takes them out for coffee to discuss "spiritual work."  He wonders if he will ever finding true love in his elusive pursuit of a wife.

Friedman is a man searching for the meaning of life. He doesn’t give up. He has had so many mountain-top moments. Those moments of clarity when all the puzzle pieces come together and he believes his life is going to change for the better. As he combs his eyebrows, dabs on jojoba cream and repeats affirmations only to find the puzzle pieces have scattered again. He bears his soul and takes you on a journey from self-loathing, obsessed, and self-centered to sad, rueful wisdom.  Lost on Treasure Island is quirky, fun and repugnant all at the same time.

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