The Bad Decisions Playlist - by Michael Rubens (Paperback)

About the Book

Austin, 16, a self-described screwup, finds out that his father isn't dead. He's alive, and moreover he's Shane Tyler, a famous singer/guitarist/song writer--Austin's dream for himself. But Shane is battling his own demons, and Austin must figure out how to grow up on his own terms.

Book Synopsis

"Funny and painful, it's a sharply etched portrait of fallible human beings living, loving, screwing up, and making do." --Publishers Weekly
Sixteen-year-old Austin is always messing up and then joking his way out of tough spots. The sudden appearance of his allegedly dead father, who happens to be the very-much-alive rock star Shane Tyler, stops him cold. Austin--a talented musician himself--is sucked in to his newfound father's alluring music-biz orbit. None of Austin's previous bad decisions, resulting in broken instruments, broken hearts, and broken dreams, can top this one. Witty and audacious, Austin is dragged kicking and screaming toward adulthood in this hilarious, heart-wrenching novel.

Review Quotes

"A fun, smart, at times heartbreaking read about families, love, choices, consequences, and the power of music." --School Library Journal "An infectious read. . . . The key is the amount of heart with which Rubens infuses his characters. They are flawed, authentic, and tragically real. . . .Tailor-made for teen boys and the people who, for better or worse, know them." --Booklist "Funny and painful, it's a sharply etched portrait of fallible human beings living, loving, screwing up, and making do--and a fine look at the Twin Cities music scene." --Publishers Weekly "A charming, at times brutally funny peek inside a slacker's mind." --Kirkus --

About the Author

Michael Rubens is a former producer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, as well as a writer and producer for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. He is the author of the YA novel Sons of the 613 and the middle grade novel Emily and the Spellstone. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit www.michaelrubens.com.