cover image Crackpot: The Obsessions of

Crackpot: The Obsessions of

John K. Waters, Coral Waters. Scribner Book Company, $14.38 (192pp) ISBN 978-0-02-624440-4

In these 15 essays, reprinted mainly from American Film, National Lampoon and Rolling Stone, the Baltimore filmmaker of dubious taste (Pink Flamingos and author (Shock Value irreverently comments on frivolous, tacky elements of American lowlife: Pia Zadora (""my kind of movie star''); the National Enquirer ; life on the lecture circuit; the fake glamour of Los Angeles; the gall of William Castle, King of the Gimmicks. For those who care, Waters lists 101 things he hates and 101 things he loves. His suggested 10 easy ways to become famous range from exaggerating oneself (``Nothing matters as long as you have too much or too little of something. Anything.'') to getting oneself murdered (``After all, wouldn't you rather be dead than unknown?''). Perhaps there is an audience for this sort of thing? BOMC and QPBC alternates. (October 20)